Coming in Third Place

Our youngest son has a new job at Spielbound, a "board game cafe" in the Midtown Crossing area of Omaha.  He works as a board game specialist and barista.  We visited him at work last Sunday and enjoyed a great cup of coffee.  The cafe features a few traditional board games which would be about my speed.  The real focus is on a huge collection of role-playing and battle games that attract a younger demographic.  You can find more details about Spielbound at 

http://spielbound.com/cafe.

I was fascinated by the culture of the place.  Patrons sat at a variety of tables with their refreshments  and their game of choice.  The cafe is a parade example of what sociologists would call a "third place"--a place that is neither home (first place) nor work (second place).  People were smiling.  Community was happening.  Social capital was being created right before our eyes.  The media were frappuccinos and game boards.  The real product was connection.

This week I attended the monthly meeting of our local neighborhood association.  It's a highly active, energetic and involved little group.  We meet in our church building, and that is a great gift to our congregation.  At that meeting, I was reminded that Emanuel Lutheran Church has the opportunity and the calling to be the "third place" in our north Council Bluffs neighborhood.

The neighborhood still grieves the closing of their beloved Gunn Elementary School.  For decades, that school was the third place that created and strengthened ties between neighbors in our part of the city.  Now it is a shadowy hulk which may or may not be developed in the near future.  But it will not recapture that role as a third place.

I was reminded that our church has had some of that function in the past.  People shared memories of attending events at Emanuel where they made connections with neighbors--some of which last to this day.  While many congregations reject the role of neighborhood church, it is clear to me that part of Emanuel's calling now is to examine and to embrace that role on North Broadway.

In this era of virtual relationships, it is clear that the next generation is craving real connections with flesh and blood people in safe and welcoming spaces.  We do not meet on our front porches or in our parks.  So Emanuel must explore ways to create a place where connections can be born and nourished.  It's an exciting prospect!

The challenge is two-fold.  Can we embrace the intimidating opportunity of getting out on the streets of our neighborhood and meeting people where they are?  Can we identify the right kinds of spaces that will enrich the lives of our neighbors rather than simply meeting our own desires for survival and comfort?  I'm glad we're in that kind of conversation.

Here are a few more articles for reflection.

"When Third Place is the Right Place"
http://www.homileticsonline.com/nonsubscriber/btl_display.asp?installment_id=3216

"The Church as Third Place"
http://www.churchandculture.org/blog.asp?id=362

And here's the latest book I'm reading--the book that primed me for this latest reflection.  It's called Slow Church, and it's worth the time.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=slow+church&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=30009754287&hvpos=1t1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16559059679049335060&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_9lyya32op5_e