A new coffee shop is opening in town with more than iced coffee and lattes on the menu.

Located inside the Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center adjacent from the Ohio State University, the coffee house offers a dose of hospitality, friendship and an encounter with the Lord courtesy of the students who are undertaking the role of missionary disciples.

Buckeye Catholic ministry at the Newman Center worked with Crimson Cup to open the coffee shop in the newly renovated student formation center. Crimson Cup will expand its spinoff shop, CRIMSON, by establishing a location there.

CRIMSON’s newest shop will be located at the front entrance of the Newman Center, 64 W. Lane Ave., and occupy approximately 750 square feet.

The coffee shop is one of the final parts of a $3 million renovation of the student formation center at the Newman Center that began last year. Renovations were funded by the donors of The Catholic Foundation’s “Forming Spiritual Entrepreneurs” campaign designed to promote evangelization and vocations in the Columbus Catholic community.

The goal of the Newman Center renovations was to create an environment that could be an entryway for young adults to encounter Christ and His Church. Renovations include the addition of the coffee shop, student lounge and meeting spaces for Bible study groups and student events, as well as a renovated sanctuary area for the celebration of Mass and new confessionals.

Father Adam Streitenberger, the executive director of the Newman Center and diocesan vicar for evangelization, came up with an idea for a coffee shop in the student center through the strategic planning process and students expressed interest.

“We also wanted an anchor to draw in more students – students who necessarily wouldn’t be coming here for Mass or for confession or for Bible studies – students that just could come in,” he said.

The idea for a coffee shop was pitched to Greg Ubert, the founder and president of Crimson Cup.

 “I thought this is a great opportunity for us to come in and showcase our award-winning coffees to Ohio State,” said Ubert, who is Catholic.

“There’s a wonderful opportunity for people, if they so desire, to … get into discipleship … to become more attuned to what’s going on and what’s happening, to have open conversation, which … I think is wonderful because I’m not so sure I had that opportunity – certainly in college, it wasn’t there.”

The opportunity for individuals to share over a cup of coffee is part of why Ubert got involved in the coffee business.

“It does foster a sense of community,” he said. “It fosters openness and conversation. What I’ve noticed in my 33 years of being in business, coffee can really open up a conversation where people feel much more comfortable, relaxed and in a space where they can share more.”

The new coffee shop inside the Columbus St. Thomas More Newman Center is part of a $3 million renovation that began last year with the goal to provide a place for young adults to encounter Christ at Ohio State University.

Father Streitenberger said the shop is an opportunity for outreach. He hopes CRIMSON will draw students into an encounter with fellow students who are on mission to serve the Lord.

“We’re not opening a coffee shop just to provide coffee for people or just to get people here,” he said. “We have to go the next step and present Christ to them and to be willing to proclaim the Gospel.”

Father Streitenberger said students at the coffee shop need to engage in outreach to others whether they are studying, reading or relaxing.

“Bishop Fernandes calls us to be spiritual entrepreneurs,” he said.

While CRIMSON is experimenting with beverage flavors in the kitchen – the shop offers a variety of coffees and teas, as well as a seasonal drink menu – Father Streitenberger described the coffee shop’s opening as an experiment of sorts with students.

“In some sense, you could say that this is like a tutorial,” he said. “It’s just like the classes that they’re taking across the street. We’re trying to teach them how to be on mission because every Catholic needs to be on mission.”

Missionaries with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students and Saint Paul’s Outreach apostolates, who minister at Ohio State, regularly practice outreach on campus. The coffee shop will serve as a place where they can meet and build relationships with students.

“We might see this as a welcoming of people, but a welcoming of people is insufficient if we don’t interact with them and propose the Gospel,” Father Streitenberger said.

He listed four steps for effective evangelization: outreach, proclaiming the Gospel, catechesis and sending on mission.

The coffee shop is a point of outreach where students are invited in and evangelization can begin. Father Streitenberger said students are then formed as disciples through good catechesis.

“It’s not like you get people lined up for coffee and then you start preaching at them,” he said. “That’s not how it works.”

He noted, instead, that outreach begins with hospitality and friendship, and students must initiate a relationship. Every time an individual visits the coffee shop, another person needs to acknowledge that individual, say “hello” and introduce themselves, Father Streitenberger said.

The St. Thomas More Newman Center's new coffee shop occupies approximately 750 square feet in the student formation center.

After a greeting, introduction and conversation, there must be an “ask” or invitation at the end, he said. This could include exchanging numbers and planning to meet again.

After a “sufficient amount of conversation,” he said, a student could then invite the individual to their Bible study or a men’s night.

He noted that an invitation is important.

“It’s those invitations to Bible studies or to men’s and women’s groups or to the Mass that people come, and then they realize that, actually, you know, practicing the faith as a student at the Ohio State University is not abnormal or insane,” Father Streitenberger said.

He believes that one invitation to a Bible study or small group, or simply to meet again for coffee, can transform an individual’s life.

“What’s going to happen is that these students are invited into Bible studies, men’s groups, women’s groups; they’re going to go through those; they’re going to be formed as leaders; they’re going to discern their vocations,” he said.

“They’re going to go out into parishes and be leaders there, and having experienced mission and outreach, being re-evangelized, they also will be on mission. So, it’ll be transformative.”

The coffee shop is located steps away from the sanctuary. Father Streitenberger said some students might come for coffee, explore the building and encounter the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

The shop could also impact practicing Catholic students. He said most do not realize that they have a student center “dedicated just to them.”

Father Streitenberger said he often hears from individuals who did not know a Newman Center existed on campus until their junior year. He hopes the coffee shop will introduce those students to the Catholic community, too.

“I really believe that there are going to be students – Catholic students – who come here for coffee, who then come to realize, actually, the sacraments are available; there’s a community of Catholics here,” he said.

CRIMSON is now open at the Newman Center.