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Vicar's Musings for Ordinary Sunday 57 February, 2016 Where is the coffee cart? This has been the foremost catch-cry since my return from a delightful family summer holiday with family in New Zealand. Well, Adolf has been taking a well-earned summer holiday too. The coffee lovers (addicts) among you will be pleased to know, however, that our beloved Head Barista returns to work on Valentine's Day. On Sunday 14th February, after all three morning services, the coffee cart reopens at The Hill! This is probably an opportune time to give an update on progress the social enterprise. Background: In 2015 the St Peter's Eastern Hill Charitable Foundation, in partnership with Anglicare Victoria and the Parish Council, decided to start up a coffee cart social enterprise. The aim of the social enterprise is to create employment pathways, in the hospitality industry, for people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or in long-term unemployment. Once past the start-up stage, it is our intent that the coffee cart social enterprise will make a profit, in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project for many years to come. All profits will be re-invested in the enterprise, or given to those in need. The dignity and wellbeing of our trainees and employees is of paramount importance to us, as is our desire to deliver the best coffee in Melbourne! We are motivated by a compassion for those in necessitous circumstances, and inspired by the love of God as manifest in the person of Jesus Christ. Stage One: We decided to start small, and so the first stage of the social enterprise has been to open for business on Sunday mornings, selling coffee to the three St Peter's morning congregations. This was launched during our 2015 Parish Mission by English Bishop Stephen Cottrell on Sunday 26th July. Stage Two: Commencing in early March 2016, we will train selected Lazarus Centre participants as baristas, making coffee for those gathered for the daily breakfast programme. The Lazarus Centre already has a reputation for delivering the best breakfasts in town to the homeless; this will certainly add to the service! Stage Three: The third stage will be to launch a street-side coffee cart, next to the Wayside Cross, on the corner of Gisborne and Albert Streets. This final stage requires the development of a plaza on the corner site, and planning for this is well underway. Please pray for the coffee cart social enterprise, for our project partners, and for Adolf the Head Barista. If you would like to help with this cornerstone ministry of the parish in any way, please talk to the clergy after Mass, or phone the Parish Office during the week. The Rev'd Dr Hugh Kempster
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