New "Conversation Cafe" experience hits deep topics with soul

For Immediate Release

LOCAL SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS EXPLORE LIFE AND FAITH

(GRAND RAPIDS, MI)— Everything from politics to prayer are featured at a new weekly experience called Lifetree Café.

This “conversation café”—located at Oakdale Park Church in Grand Rapids—is part of a national network of locations that offer participatory events related to life and faith.

The Lifetree Café experience is a scheduled hour of “stories and conversations to feed the soul.” The hour typically includes a short original film and guided conversation. A local host directs the hour. “It’s a unique place where the real world and its issues intersect with faith in a way that stimulates and enriches,” local director Eric Kas said.

The added feature of the Oakdale conversations is that they are enriched by a diversity of attenders, reflecting the church's interest in being a multicultural community of hope.

Topics, which change weekly, focus on popular life issues, such as loneliness, immigration, health, angels, guilt, prayer, and life after death. Each begins with a high-quality documentary-style film featuring everyday people with unusual stories, as well as nationally known figures.

National Lifetree Café founder Thom Schultz said, “We engage people of all ages in a national conversation through local Lifetree Cafés as well as a robust online presence.” The organization’s website, LifetreeCafe.com, invites visitors to participate online in the same topical conversations that occur each week at the live venues.

“Lifetree serves as a comfortable place to meet other people who are interested in the same issues.” Schultz said, “The atmosphere resembles a warm, neighborhood coffee shop. The experience gives people practical help and insight on life issues, and provides a hopeful spiritual connection.”

Schultz said, “We’ve found that people today want to participate in the conversation. It’s not enough to simply hear someone lecture on an important topic. People want to share their thoughts, ask questions, and tell their own stories. Lifetree offers a safe place and time to do that.”

Lifetree Café is offered every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Oakdale Park Church. Admission to the 60-minute events is free. Snacks and beverages are served. Visit www.lifetreecafe.com to see a trailer for this week’s topic.

Questions about Lifetree Cafe may be directed to Eric Kas at 616.299.2868 or [email protected].

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