What's New in Parkway's Cafe? Don't Miss Out on These Summer Delights!
The aromas of delicious Valentine Coffee and tasty breakfast treats welcome us all as we arrive at Parkway every Sunday morning, and we wanted to give a shout out to our amazing baristas and cashiers for their skill and dedication! That’s why we caught up with Janel to find out what’s new in the Parkway Café this summer and gain some insights into what it’s like to work in the Café on Sunday mornings.
About the Café
Located next to the Book Store in the church lobby, the Café is open from 8:45 A.M. to 9:40 A.M. before Sunday morning service, as well as for 30-40 minutes post-service (or until demand dies down).
ALL proceeds are donated to Missions!
With 24 people currently serving on the team, our Café volunteers work hard to brighten the days of our guests, members, and volunteers in other departments. Offering both drink and food selections, it’s a great place to meet, chat, and connect with others before or after service.
“It gives both guests and members a chance to sit down with others and meet other people in a different setting,” says Janel.
She also added that serving our guests and working with volunteers is what she likes most about working in the Café. Of course, the free drink for volunteers is a close second. 😊
The Café’s Amazing Impact on Parkway
If you’ve ever seen the happy crowds enjoying their delicious beverages in the Café after service, you know it’s the place to be if you want to chat and get to know your fellow Parkway peeps!
But, did you know that the Café also opens its doors and provides its services during other in-demand moments on campus?
These volunteers are often called upon to work outside of Café hours. They work during District events held at Parkway, during Ladies’ nights, and they even set up a station over in the Events Center to provide fresh coffee during Growth Tracks!
It’s no wonder the Café team was named the Ministry Team of the Year at Parkway’s 2024 Volunteer Banquet!
Café Volunteer Positions
Looking for a ministry that gives you the chance to both meet new people and gain usable work skills? A fantastic growth and volunteer opportunity for people of all ages, the Café has proven to be an excellent place to learn and grow — especially for our young people!
“It’s a good start for our youth to gain experience with cash handling, food prep, and customer service,” says Janel. “Several of them have applied for jobs and have used this as work experience.”
If you want to get involved by volunteering in the Café, you probably want to know what type of roles there are in this ministry. Here’s what you could do:
Cashier: Greets patrons, takes orders, and handles the cash or credit card transaction.
Order Passer: Brings drink orders from the cashier to the hot or cold bar workers. Also, prepares and hands out food orders.
Cold Bar: Makes cold drinks, such as smoothies, sodas, and iced coffee.
Hot Bar: Makes hot beverages using espresso machines.
Dish Washer: Washes and sanitizes blenders, pitchers, and other dishes for re-use.
Training for many of the positions happens on-the-job. With cold or hot bar, Janel says you can come in on a pre-service morning (since it’s not as busy) and you can learn at a slower pace.
Summer Café Offerings
The hot, humid summer weather is the perfect reason to indulge in some tasty, refreshing cold drinks in the Café! What’s even better, you can add mango or strawberry boba to the chilled Italian Soda and Flavored Lemonade offerings.
If you’d like to stick with coffee in the morning, cold coffee drinks are also available, including iced coffee, blended drinks with coffee, and COLD BREW!
“We also serve breakfast before the morning service starting at about 8:40 A.M.,” Janel added. “So, come early and have a breakfast sandwich or muffin and hang out!”
So, drop in at the Café for a tasty beverage or breakfast sandwich and be sure to thank our amazing volunteers for all their hard work.
If you’re interested in joining the awesome Café team, fill out a Ministry Application today!