Coffee Talk

We want to thank everyone who prayed for Marc's trip to Greece in mid-October! Marc went to spend time with folks from the Greek Evangelical Church of Glyfada and to investigate the opportunities for a coffeehouse in the Glyfada community and, in the process, to meet with an attorney, a realtor, a coffee roaster and school officials.  This ambitious trip began rather ominously with a delayed flight out of Atlanta that resulted not only in Marc missing his flight from JFK to Athens (causing him to be re-routed through Amsterdam), but also in his luggage arriving a day later than he did.  Yet, despite the rough start, the Lord orchestrated an enjoyable and productive trip that confirmed the immediate need and opportunity to join in the incredible work that He is doing in Greece.

The above photograph provides an aerial view of Glyfada, showing both its proximity to the sea and its urban sprawl.  While Glyfada has the reputation of being a home for Greek celebrities, politicians and the wealthy, most of it's inhabitants are middle class and are struggling through the Greek government-debt crisis with the rest of the population.  There is also a tiny but growing immigrant population who find housing where they can. The Greek Evangelical Church is using a small apartment building owned by the denomination to provide furnished accommodations to several Iranian families who have nothing.

 Giorgos (George) and Phaedra Tolias (with their children Olivia and Nicolas) took Marc into their home during the week he was in Athens and made sure that he got to all his meetings.  But more than being wonderful hosts, they are tireless workers for the Kingdom.  George pastors the congregation in Glyfada, and is intimately involved in its outreach ministries.  He also works outside his community teaching the youth group at First Greek Evangelical in the city center as well as an Evangelism class at the Greek Bible College.  And somehow he also finds time to pursue a second masters in theology (Eastern Orthodoxy) at a local university.  Please pray for George and his family! 

 One person who has been deeply impacted by the Christian witness of George and Phaedra is Ioanna.  After showing Marc a home she has for rent, she told him how overwhelmed she had been when she met George and others from the church and they asked if they could pray "for her".  She said no one had ever prayed for her ... just for her.  And then she has seen how much George and Phaedra care for people, opening up their home (for lunch, etc.) to church members and others in the community, whether Greek or immigrant.  God is working in Ioanna!  And she just might be our landlord! 

The congregation in Glyfada was planted in 2009, and is already exploring whether God might open a door for them to plant a church in the Pangrati neighborhood.  George and Phaedra took me to Pangrati where we met with Phaedra's sister and brother-in-law (Danae and Giorgos, also part of the Glyfada church) at a cafe.  We were joined by missionary Scott Etkin who recently moved with his family to Greece from Texas; they live in Pangrati.  Pangrati is an older, densely populated community in the city center of Athens that, along with long-resident Greek families, is home to many artists, students and internationals.  It seems to be another strategic beachhead for reaching Athens with the Gospel.  And it would be a great place for a second coffeehouse!     

Offering exceptional coffee is critical to operating a successful coffeehouse.  And by God's Providence, Athens is home to an exceptional coffee roaster - Taf Coffee.  George was able to book an appointment for Marc with Taf Coffee, where he met with owner Yiannis Taloumis.  Not only is Mr. Taloumis willing to provide guidance in setting up a coffeehouse, he is also interested in collaborating on the development of a bottled cold brewed coffee product.  The timing is incredible as the company that Marc works for (Vienna Coffee Co.) is just now entering into a partnership with an established bottler of artisan cold brew.                        

 
Like so many of our churches, the Greek Evangelical Church in Glyfada has been celebrating the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's historic posting of his Ninety-Five Theses.  When Marc was given an opportunity during the Sunday morning service to share the vision for ministry that God has given our family, he noted that one of Luther's many contributions was his rejection of the secular-sacred divide, showing from Scripture that all work is sacred when it is done to the glory of God.  He then described our desire to use a very common business in Greece - a coffee shop - as a platform for ministry.

It was a good opportunity to remind the congregation that we can all be engaged in Kingdom work, no matter our vocational calling.  For example, the difference between what our family is doing now in Maryville and what we hope to do in Greece is mostly a matter of geography -- we're engaged in discipling relationships, we host Bible studies, etc.  Yet one important difference is that in Greece only a tiny minority (less than 1%) understand and embrace the simple Gospel recovered by the Reformers -- salvation through grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone. The small Greek Evangelical Church is inviting our help -- our presence -- to come alongside them and share in the work of carrying the Gospel to so many who have never heard it.

Another significant difference is that we do not have paid employment waiting for us in Athens; instead, we'll need financial support from folks like you.  While we expect that the coffeehouse will eventually provide for our needs, it is likely to take years to accomplish that goal. In the meantime, we need to get there (by mid-summer of 2018) so that we can get the children in school and start making headway with the coffeehouse and cold-brewed coffee business.  In addition to prayer (which is essential, by the way), giving is a tremendous opportunity to be directly involved in what Christ is accomplishing in Greece through the local church and through the Atchley family.  We're so thankful to those who are giving already as well as to those who are prayerfully considering it!

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Marc and Denise
TEAM - Greece