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Christianity Over Coffee

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By LAURA CONE

The Sun

Published: February 25, 2009

Bibles in baskets in the center of round tables are hints the coffee house does not just serve cream and sugar with coffee. Another dead giveaway is the fact the "Oasis" is in the former Creason Hall at the Sun City Center United Methodist Church campus.

While many churches are struggling to pay their basic bills during the recession, churches that offer people affordable entertainment with a side of Gospel are growing.
Jeff Jordan of Ruskin, the director of the arts for the church, said the new coffee house is used for contemporary Sunday service as well as special entertainment events.

"We've had a contemporary service for two and a half years," he said. "We just moved it into a new space with a new name and a new feel. This is an attempt to attract Baby Boomers and offer an alternative to the traditional worship. More than anything our hope is that it is Spirit led."

Oasis is adjacent to its community book store called Pages of Life, 1210 Del Webb Blvd. West.

"We are very excited about it," Jordan said. "We think it's going to take off."

In the future, he envisions people holding their cappuccino and sweet rolls, spilling out onto the wrought iron enclosed patio.

He said the church purchased new sound equipment for the music team, including a pianist, drummer, bass player and vocalist. Oasis, he said, is a work in progress.

"People are looking for entertainment closer to home," he said, adding they recently hosted a bluegrass concert that drew 500 people. "Folks are coming to the events we have. They are more affordable and more accessible."
Linda Graham of Sun City Center, the manager of the Pages of Life bookstore, said the bookstore started three and a half years ago as a service to the community.

Graham said she is pleased with the evolution of the church, which should appeal to the younger Baby Boomer retirees.

She is able to special order books, including secular ones, for store visitors. They also carry Bibles, cards and gifts.

Many customers arrive on their golf carts.

"We are a mission," said Graham, adding they support the Good Samaritan mission as well as a health clinic project in Gibsonton. "We are nonprofit. All of the money made goes to missions in the community."

The contemporary church service is in the Oasis building at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays, while the traditional services are Saturday night at 4:30 p.m. and Sundays at 8:15 a.m. and 10:55 a.m. in the main building. The hours of the bookstore are Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday 3 to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Editor Laura Cone may be reached at lcone@mediageneral.com.

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