The Omnibus

Issue date: 4/22/04 Section: The Gallery

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The time is almost midnight on a Saturday night. In the low light, four Southwest Baptist University students sip on strong drinks and concentrate on their poker hands. Chips change hands, and the buzz of conversation and music go on around them. At first this may cause quite a brouhaha, but the drink of choice is coffee and the chips are borrowed coffee beans.

Media Credit: Ben Cassil Sophomore Mandy Benso relaxes in the Union. Students tired of hanging out in the Union should try Southern Hills Baptist Church´s Brew Ha Ha..

These students are enjoying Brew Ha Ha, a coffeehouse sponsored by the Southern Hills Baptist Church College Ministry. Brew Ha Ha is located at the church, across from the SBU campus. The coffeehouse opened last semester when SBU senior Jake Lawrence took on the church's college ministry and proposed the idea. The church supports the coffeehouse with its college budget, and there is also a tray at the coffeehouse where students can donate spare change.

"There's not much to do in town," Lawrence said. "So this gives students something to count on every week and something to do on Saturday nights. They can come and hang out in town and not have to go all the way to Springfield. Plus, it's a chance to get students into other ministries under the college program we have at Southern Hills."

Brew Ha Ha is open from 8 p.m. until midnight every Saturday night. The coffeehouse offers free coffee, cappuccino and hot chocolate, as well as an iced cappuccino drink, cookies, brownies, chocolates and other snacks. Sophomore Dan Geldart says his favorite things about Brew Ha Ha are "the free drinks and good fellowship with friends."

Sweet scents, low lighting and soft music greet students as they enter the coffeehouse. The hazelnut, vanilla and cinnamon candles draw them in, and the country accents and Christmas lights strung along the walls create a warm, inviting atmosphere. There is a serving room with drinks and snacks, a music room with musical instruments and a CD player, and there are couches and chairs around the room. A game room with board games, cards, puzzles and a giant chess set is also provided.

"They have a really cool atmosphere and the wall with the lights is awesome!" sophomore Ben Cassil said. 

Cassil also appreciates the convenience of Brew Ha Ha. "It's something safe and close so we don't have to go to Springfield," he said. "If we don't have any plans, we know it's always there."

Brew Ha Ha is run by a small group of college students. SBU freshman Whitney Walter, sophomore Micah Beebe and seniors Rob Gaskin and Jennifer Irving are a few who help Lawrence on a regular basis. Lawrence believes using college students to help minister to other students is "the best way to do it," and they are always looking for more people who are interested in volunteering. With Lawrence preparing to graduate this semester, Walter will be taking on the Coffeehouse ministry. 

"I felt God calling me to do something that could develop into a real ministry," Walter said. "Next semester I have ideas to make it into more of an outreach into the community."

Walter says she really loves meeting different people, enjoying the Christian fellowship and serving people their drinks. Her heart is in the service aspect of this college ministry.

Lawrence said the group hopes to bring in musicians, poets and storytellers to perform at the coffeehouse in order to create a "funkier, more progressive feel." The SBU band Aineo is a good possibility for next semester.

By reaching out to students in this medium, Southern Hills provides entertainment, refreshments and socialization, as well as a safe, Christian environment for the largest age group (college students ) in Bolivar.

The combination of free coffee, music and games may sound like a brouhaha at first, but at Brew Ha Ha, a blend of coffee, praise and poker do go together.

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