It’s hard to think about Schweitzer Church without thinking about the Fellowship Center. It is bustling with activity before services—the sounds of conversations, piano playing, and the cappuccino machine mix together in a delightful way. Kids come up and get doughnut holes under the watchful eyes of their parents, and adults grab a cup of coffee or sometimes tea (you know who you are). The person in the center of it all, making it all happen, is Nikki Jo Bounds.
She arrives at 6:30 on Sunday mornings so everything can be ready in time for the 8am service. She would be the first person to say she doesn’t do it alone. Nikki has a great team of volunteers who help. Sure, they refill the coffee containers and trail mix cups, but what they really do is make sure nobody comes through without getting a smile. It’s that personal connection that makes our church what it is.
With the upcoming expansion, there will be a new, bigger Fellowship Center. For that to happen, there will be a season when we won’t have access to a fellowship area. As our volunteers face this challenge, they will need some extra help. If you want to be part of this team, send me an email at shoji@schweitzer.church.
We will go through a season where the mix of conversation, piano, and cappuccino machine won’t be there. The refreshment team will be spread out as we utilize the available space. But what won’t change is people being greeted with a smile, whether from a greeter, an usher, the refreshment team, or you. It’s in our DNA as a church. Just as God has loved us, we love others.