news article

Beyond the Pews: Weekly café ministry builds community and connection in Latham

October 13, 2025 / By Rev. Dr. Nick Bufano/UNY Communications / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Each Thursday afternoon in Latham, a quiet but impactful ministry unfolds just a few blocks from the walls of Newtonville UMC. From 12-1:30 p.m., the Rev. Dr. Nick Bufano relocates his “office” to The Works Café—a local coffee shop that has become more than just a place for lattes and lunch. It's become a space for spiritual presence, meaningful conversations, and unexpected connections.

This weekly tradition, affectionately dubbed Out of Office Hours, began three years ago as a simple way to get out of the church building and into the community. While the idea isn’t new—many clergy across the country are finding creative ways to meet people where they are—it has become a beloved and transformative part of Rev. Dr. Bufano’s weekly rhythm. “What makes it different is that it gets me out of the building, and into the community."

For members of Newtonville UMC, the Thursday café hours offer a relaxed, welcoming environment to drop in for a chat, share a cup of coffee (on the pastor!), and connect in a way that feels more informal than a traditional church setting. Some come with prayer requests, others just to catch up, but all leave feeling a little more known and cared for.

But the impact doesn’t stop with church members. Over time, Rev. Dr. Bufano has formed relationships with café staff, regular patrons, and the occasional passersby who may never set foot in a sanctuary but still find comfort and connection in a brief conversation over coffee.

One café manager has become a regular part of this ministry. “I have formed relationships with the staff, and in particular one of the managers, who I will call Sara. She always takes the time to come and sit with me for a few moments,” said Rev. Dr. Bufano. Sara makes time during busy shifts to share stories—about her children, work-life challenges, or even deeper questions about faith and the world.

On one occasion when Rev. Dr. Bufano wasn’t present, an elderly driver accidentally crashed into the café’s front window—right where the pastor normally sits—Sara was quick to express her relief and concern. These interactions, though brief, have become something both the pastor and Sara look forward to each week. “She looks forward to my visits so much, that when there is a week that I can’t make it, she always asks me where I have been!”

The café ministry has also created space for reconnection and pastoral care. One afternoon, an older couple who had been worshiping online due to COVID approached Rev. Dr. Bufano’s table. They introduced themselves as former members of Newtonville, grateful for the live-streamed services that kept them connected from a distance. “The woman, who I will call Judy, told me that they felt like they were finally meeting a television celebrity in person,” explained Rev. Dr. Bufano.

Judy and her husband became regulars at the café gatherings, sitting and chatting week after week. When Judy was later diagnosed with cancer, the relationship that began over coffee allowed Rev. Dr. Bufano to provide spiritual support during a difficult time and ultimately celebrate her life in the sanctuary at Newtonville UMC.

This simple act of showing up in a local café each week reflects a larger vision of ministry: being present, being available, and meeting people where they are—literally and spiritually. It’s a reminder that church doesn’t always have to happen inside church walls. Sometimes, it happens at a café table, in shared laughter or quiet prayers, over bagels and coffee. “These are just a couple of ways that God has worked amazing things, and fostered beautiful relationships through my time spent just around the corner from the church, yet out in the community in Latham.”