A church café in Windsor has walked away with not one but two of the top prizes at the annual Maidenhead Coffee Festival, just a year after opening.
The Vine and Fig Tree café, run by All Saints Dedworth, was named Windsor and Eton Coffee Shop of the Year and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Coffee Shop of the Year, as voted for by their customers.
The café is part of the wider welcoming ministry that God has called the church to, under the oversight of the vicar, the Revd Paul Walker and the curate, the Revd Adam Wingrove. It reflects the heart of All Saints as a whole-church initiative made possible through the dedication of many volunteers. The welcoming space was designed and developed under the creative leadership of church members EJ and Phil Manning.
Paul said: “We wanted to provide a place where community could come together. The cost of living means there are many who can’t afford the going prices in cafés. We wanted to address that directly, in a missional way. We share the love of God as we meet people in their need, and they connect directly with the church as a result.”
The café is run by a team of volunteers and employees, operating a not-for-profit model to keep prices as low as possible. They serve a variety of home-cooked food like jacket potatoes, sandwiches and cakes and make space for people to take a moment, pause and enjoy some sustenance – not just physically but also spiritually.
Paul added: “There are loads of great cafés in Windsor, but our unique selling point is Jesus! Our key aim is to help water the seed of faith – by being alongside people, showing love, chatting with them, and going the extra mile as we serve and meet people in the café.
“It feels like a place where people feel safe, and where they can be alongside others. It’s a place that builds community, including among the 20 regular groups, or community partners, who use the church centre during the week.
“Over the last few months, we’ve seen four people give their lives to Jesus. These and some other people have become part of the church directly because of the café. One person came in, looking a bit lost. He said he had no idea how he ended up in the café. We had a chat and it ended with him deciding to reaffirm his baptismal vows. These are the kind of conversations God is initiating.”
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