Carrie’s coffee house on the news!

Michaela just sent me  a link to this clip-

I am not sure how old this is, but not for the first time- well done Mike and Alison, and may your project continue to be a source of grace to the young people who use it.

The story of this coffee house is an inspirational one- particularly at a time when some of us are asking questions about our own young people in Dunoon- amidst all the usual peer pressures and dangers.

Alison is a Dunoon girl, who met an American sailor who was then based in the Holy Loch. They married and went to live in in the USA, where they brought up two girls. Tragically, their oldest, Carrie, was killed in a car crash, but this terrible event became the catalyst for the Mike and Alison to start a youth coffee house in Carrie’s name- to provide a safe place for young people to hang out.

They were motivated by their grief, but also by great love and faith. And what they have achieved is special.

Perhaps it is time to start a franchise.

But then again- I suspect that most of the success of this project rests on the character that Mike and Alison bring- and that is hard to find.

Learning from sharing…

carries-coffee-house

MySpace.com – Carrie’s Coffee House – 26 – Female – Fulton, Mississippi – www.myspace.com/carriecoffeehouse

Housegroup was great again last night.

We had a visit from Alison Schuchs a former Dunoon lass who married an American Sailor from the Submarine base that was a feature of the Holy Loch for so many years. 25 years later Alison and Mike now live in the Mississippi town of Fulton- a small southern American town of about 3000 folks. Which makes Dunoon look big! (We boast 11000 residents.)

Alison told us the story of Carrie’s Coffee House. 5 years ago, their daughter Carrie, aged 20, was killed in a car accident.

Mike and Alison, in the midst of their grief, decided that the insurance money paid out for their loss should go on something that mattered. They had this long standing dream of a place for young people to gather, that was safe and supportive, and permeated with Jesus.

In Fulton, a large building had been left to the town specifically to be used for young people. The town council had no idea what to do with it- then in stepped Mike and Alison! Now they have a thriving non-alcoholic bar, cum music venue. They run it almost single handedly- it is their passion, their calling- their church.

So, if you are ever in Fulton on a Saturday night- call in… See what God can do with willing hands. See how he can bring wonderful things from tragedy.

As we sat in Housegroup and listened to these stories of hope from thousands of mile away, we were all inspired…

Thanks Alison.

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