April 28, 2024
MACON, GA – In Bibb County ask for directions to Cathedral Coffee and you will find Northway Church, a thriving fellowship in middle Georgia that is also worth a visit.
Northway Church in Macon started as a mission of Vineville Baptist Church in 1995 and held its first service in 1998 as Vineville North Baptist Church. For four years Vineville Baptist and Vineville North operated as one church, two locations.
However, in 2002 Vineville North separated from their mother church and became an independent congregation. In 2007 the church called a native of Macon, Kevin Mills, as pastor and by 2009 the church adopted the new, distinctive name of Northway Church.
Under Mills the church has experienced significant growth and has recently launched a strategic master plan to meet the needs of their flourishing congregation. The plans are designed to further transform the church’s ability to serve and minister to the community.
One of the fascinating features of the church that has attracted multiple guests to Northway’s property and greatly enhanced their ministry through what they call Cathedral Coffee.
Pastor Mills explained, “We were looking for a creative way to reach and bless our neighbors. Several ideas were offered; however, we continued to come back to the idea of a space which would be conducive for fellowship during the week and open to the public. Our church is in a commercial area, and so a coffee shop seemed to fit our need.”
“I had the opportunity to travel to Dublin, Ireland in 2016 and went to a restaurant called, ‘The Church,’ located in the building of a former very old church. I was immediately impressed with the space and came back to discuss with our team how we could design something with a traditional feel for our coffee shop. After lots of brainstorming, Cathedral Coffee was born.”
Cathedral Coffee is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday, but free drip coffee is available in this venue on Sunday mornings for our members and guests. Mills stated, “We have approximately 300 guests a day and 75% of them are not members of the church.”
Jacob Faircloth is the manager of Cathedral Coffee and leads a team of men and women who are focused on delivering excellent products and exceptional customer service while allowing the gospel to permeate everything they do. Each morning begins with a devotion and prayer. The workers get to know the customers’ names and stories, and they often have opportunities to pray with customers regarding a variety of needs.
Mills added, “Our members use Cathedral as a place to meet with friends and as a venue for Bible studies. The space has a couple of alcoves with pews which allow for some degree of private conversation.
“Cathedral Coffee is a self-sustaining operation; and under Jacob’s leadership has had several profitable months. However, the primary goal of Cathedral is to be a ministry tool for our members.”
It could be that Northway has found a significant key to attracting people to church. It has been said that coffee is a cup of hope in a world full of chaos and Mondays, that it is a hug in a mug.
Northway is using Cathedral Coffee to draw people into the church and hopefully into the fold of God.
Cathedral Coffee was part of the $7.3 million project in 2018 that included an expansion of the church’s foyer space and a new student center. The loan for the project was $5 million on a 20-year amortization schedule, but the loan was paid off in 51/2 years.
Mills reported, “We funded this project through the general budget, encouraging our members to tithe in obedience to what the Lord has asked of us.”
Northway’s current worship center accommodates 650 people for each of the two morning services. The church has a video overflow room that will seat an additional 100 worshippers.
The master plan calls for a worship center that will initially provide space for 1080 with the possibility to expand to 1300 by simply adding more seats. Mills expects to still have two worship services on Sunday morning when the new facility is completed. In addition to the new worship center the Master Plan calls for additional classrooms, an enlarged parking area and much more.
Mills concluded, “Our stated mission is that we are, “For the Gospel, For the City.” Our primary focus is on sharing the gospel message, but to bless our community in the process.
The congregants work in numerous ministries throughout the city, including a rescue mission, a crisis pregnancy center and a food bank.
“We also host a weekly Celebrate Recovery and have seen dozens of men and women this past year come to know Christ through this ministry,” Mills said.
