‘The kettle’s boiled, do you want a cuppa?’
- deansimpson7
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
BY LAUREN MARTIN
Every Wednesday, in the south-western NSW country town of Young, there’s an extra ‘buzz’ inside the local Salvos Store, as a community table is set up and shoppers and community members gather to chat.
The ministry has been running for a few weeks and started with a free sausage sizzle out the front of the store, at which corps leaders Captains Deb and Rod Parsons invited passers-by to the upcoming weekly ministry.
“It creates a really nice vibe in the store,” said Deb. “We are in the middle of the store and people are very positive, joining us for a cup of tea and a chat about stuff. We have the [Salvation Army] Pass the Salt [conversation cards] for when we get a few people around the table, we will start using those.”
The ministry is low-cost and simple to operate. The corps supplies tea and coffee, disposable cups and some biscuits, and uses the Salvos Store kettle in the kitchen.
“Having to boil the kettle in the kitchen works out well,” said Deb. “Every time I come out [with a freshly boiled kettle], I call out, ‘The kettle’s boiled, do you want a cuppa?’ and it works quite well, as a periodical invitation for people shopping in the store to join us.”
The ministry also includes the provision of donated bread and cake from a local bakery, with people able to grab what they need from the Young Salvos Store while the community table ministry is running.
Deb said the ministry is creating great connections within the local community.
“It’s about getting out of the corps,” she said.
“The store staff already have [community] connections, and we want to build on those connections and have the presence of Jesus in the region to join us all together.”
The Young Corps area takes in the nearby town of Cootamundra, which also has a Salvos Store. Deb said there is scope and interest in setting up a community table ministry there as well.
While Deb and Rod are changing their appointments in January to become Rural Chaplains in the south-west, based out of Griffith, they say it’s great to be leaving an exciting new ministry for the new corps officer, Captain David Delany, to continue.
