Newsletter | March 2009

Welcome to SaveYourChurchMoney.com

This month’s newsletter focuses on café and coffee shop settings for churches. After you read this story, you may want to consider using the forward feature at the bottom of this newsletter to send a copy to churches you know adding a “third place”. We would love to save them dollars on their projects. In keeping with this month’s theme, our March savings opportunities have been selected with these projects in mind. As always, thanks, and enjoy.

Café/Coffee Shops “Third Places” for Churches

Church cafes and coffee shops are becoming more and more common as churches seek to provide a “third place” within their facilities. While many church buildings constructed during the past decade have incorporated café/coffee shops, most buildings constructed in past decades reflect the traditional focus on “two places” (i.e. worship space and classroom space). But the craving for connecting spaces has become very pronounced in recent years as the “Google Era” demands a greater degree of interaction and participation. Ed Bahler, writing in Your Church Magazine, notes that the June issue of American Sociological Review featured an article called “Social Isolation in America: Changes in the Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades”. The article compared two studies that were carried out some 19 years apart. The authors found:

• The number of people that had no one with whom to share important matters tripled.
• Nearly half of the U.S. population now has either no one or only one person with whom they can discuss important matters.
• Relationship losses occurred in the family, but the greatest losses were in community relationships.

A church that is intentional about providing a “third place” will help to meet the great need for connection that exists today. When a need exists at this level, it creates a great opportunity for the church to advance the Gospel by working to meet it. Given the number of inquiries at SYCM we receive about furnishing cafes and coffee shops, it’s apparent to us that a growing number of churches are seeking to do so. Thanks to each who are allowing us to partner with you in your efforts.

Soft Seating from Office Star!

While we work with several “soft seating” suppliers for church cafes and coffee shops, we find many churches opt for our Office Star line because of its great price point. And for March, we’re able to offer all soft seating solutions from Office Star at our best prices ever. For example, we are offering the SL8873 Leather Sofa (pictured in taupe) for just $399 each. The SL8473 (in black) is available for the same price. A quick web search will convince you of what outstanding prices these are. All of our Office Star soft seating solutions are available at special pricing this month. Please contact us for more information.

Bunn-O-Matic!

We have been very pleased with the partnership we were able to arrange with Bunn-O-Matic to provide special pricing for our church customers for all your coffee, iced tea, hot tea, hot chocolate, cappuccino, frozen granita beverages, juice, and espresso beverages equipment. Any church can find solutions for all their beverage needs at Bunn, and those solutions are always of the highest quality. Please contact us for more information as we’re able to offer special discounting on all Bunn Products this March. Please contact us for more information.

Oak Street!

Ever since we began working with Oak Street, we have been able to save churches substantial dollars on their café tables and seating. Whether standard table height or bar stool height, their products are well built and cost-effective for churches. This month we are featuring their Cross Back Dining Chairs and Bar Stools at our lowest prices ever of $35 each and $50 each respectively with a quantity of 12 or more. Please contact us for more information.

Cactus Mat!

For the last year we have been able to provide churches the highest quality of entrance and logo mats through our partnership with Cactus Mats. They have over 2000 styles, colors and sizes to choose from. In our effort to be your complete “Furnishings, Fixtures and Equipment” source; we realized the need for a quality “mat” supplier. Our partnership with Cactus Mat this last year has provided a quality and affordable solution for churches, so we have arranged special pricing this month on all Cactus Mat products. Please contact us for more information.