Pastor Earl Eliason thinks people should go to church the first Friday of every month.
That’s when the pastor’s Bethany Lutheran Church sponsors the Bethany Coffee House.
“We sponsored the coffee house in search of a way to connect with people who are not connected to the church in any way,” Eliason says. “so they can see the church as a real place with people.”
The church encourages its congregation to attend performances. On any given night, about one-fourth of the members attend, Eliason says. As many as 70 people have attended a performance.
The coffee house, like others in the Dallas area, is smoke- and alcohol-free, and features local acoustic and folk musicians.
The coffee house is open the first Friday of each month from 8-11 p.m. in the church’s fellowship hall. Braided Stream is the featured act for the Sept. 3 show, and Emilie Aronson will perform Oct. 3.
Suggested admission is a $3 donation, with a $1 discount for anyone who donates a coffee mug. Proceeds go to Bethany’s community ministries fund, which includes a feed-the-hungry program.
The coffee house is about a year old. Lake Highlands residents Nancy and Brian Terrell started it after reading a newspaper article about coffee houses.
“Brian is a musician, and we thought it was a good opportunity to open a coffee house that we could run and he could play in,” Nancy Terrell says.
Both Terrell and Eliason consider the coffee house to be a success.
“We have been pleased,” Eliason says. “Hopefully, this next year, more people will be coming and I hope it grows.”
News & Notes
Myrna Johnson of Lake Highlands will appear with her work from 1-2 p.m. on Saturdays through Sept. 8 at Art Encounter at the Northlake Shopping Center, Ferndale and Northwest Highway.
