Our Beginning
In 2001, when Church Army officer John Stanley arranged for the purchase of an old Franklin Avenue storefront in Aliquippa, he expected that he and other volunteers would have a working coffee shop ministry in six months, tops.
Then part of the building literally fell off.
Nearly four years of volunteer labor followed, but the results are impressive. Now, a fully functional café and coffee shop stands in what used to be just another run-down building. Of course, Uncommon Grounds isn’t about simply serving a good latte but aspires to help a whole community. Sometimes that means connecting someone with the proper social services, sometimes it means just listening. In other moments, there may be opportunities for evangelism and guiding people to local churches.
Before being put to work, all volunteers undergo an extensive training course designed to help them not only know how to make various coffee drinks, but also how to work with patrons and deal with difficult situations and people. The key concept, said Stanley, is to act towards others as Jesus did. More than 20 have already taken the training, he added. However, more volunteers will enable Uncommon Grounds to be open more often and more regularly. Though, as Stanley says, “the whole point of being here is to serve people, not to serve food.”
Besides providing coffee and conversation, Uncommon Grounds also hosts Bible studies, features music on it stage, and displays art on its walls. Uncommon Grounds also has hosted a number of church youth events and other activities.
With the café complete, the coffee on, and visitors flowing through the doors day after day, Stanley is excited to see what God has planned for Uncommon Grounds. He is especially happy to see the broad cross section of people who are visiting. “Everyone is stopping in. Part of my understanding of a healthy community is that it’s diverse,” he said. In the winter of 2013, after 14 years of growth in Aliquippa, John Stanley felt the call to return to his earthly homeland. John then brought on Herb Bailey to continue the work that the Lord had started. And today, under the direction of Andrenna Williams, Center of Ministry Director, John Stanley's dream is truly fulfilled to have an Aliquippa native leading.
Open from:
7am-3pm - Tuesday
7am-3pm - Wednesday
7am-3pm - Thursday
7am-3pm - Friday
Then part of the building literally fell off.
Nearly four years of volunteer labor followed, but the results are impressive. Now, a fully functional café and coffee shop stands in what used to be just another run-down building. Of course, Uncommon Grounds isn’t about simply serving a good latte but aspires to help a whole community. Sometimes that means connecting someone with the proper social services, sometimes it means just listening. In other moments, there may be opportunities for evangelism and guiding people to local churches.
Before being put to work, all volunteers undergo an extensive training course designed to help them not only know how to make various coffee drinks, but also how to work with patrons and deal with difficult situations and people. The key concept, said Stanley, is to act towards others as Jesus did. More than 20 have already taken the training, he added. However, more volunteers will enable Uncommon Grounds to be open more often and more regularly. Though, as Stanley says, “the whole point of being here is to serve people, not to serve food.”
Besides providing coffee and conversation, Uncommon Grounds also hosts Bible studies, features music on it stage, and displays art on its walls. Uncommon Grounds also has hosted a number of church youth events and other activities.
With the café complete, the coffee on, and visitors flowing through the doors day after day, Stanley is excited to see what God has planned for Uncommon Grounds. He is especially happy to see the broad cross section of people who are visiting. “Everyone is stopping in. Part of my understanding of a healthy community is that it’s diverse,” he said. In the winter of 2013, after 14 years of growth in Aliquippa, John Stanley felt the call to return to his earthly homeland. John then brought on Herb Bailey to continue the work that the Lord had started. And today, under the direction of Andrenna Williams, Center of Ministry Director, John Stanley's dream is truly fulfilled to have an Aliquippa native leading.
Open from:
7am-3pm - Tuesday
7am-3pm - Wednesday
7am-3pm - Thursday
7am-3pm - Friday
