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Coffee Ark, a social action initiative co-founded by the Bishop’s Missioner, the Revd Canon Becky Dyball, is bringing an imaginative and hope-filled approach to community engagement across the Diocese of Peterborough. More than a mobile coffee shop, Coffee Ark carries friendship, listening and gentle pastoral presence into places where people might otherwise feel unseen. Its welcome is for everyone, with a particular heart for those living with isolation, mental health challenges or difficult social circumstances.
The vision for Coffee Ark traces its roots to 1897 and the Fenland Ark, a boat created by the Revd George Broke which took church to isolated locations where he also delivered resources to meet the needs of the remote communities.
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In a similar spirit, Coffee Ark was born from listening to the needs of today’s communities and noticing barriers that prevent people from easily connecting with church life. When the opportunity emerged to buy a converted Land Rover capable of offering hot drinks in remote or hard-to-reach places, a modern-day ministry of presence began. Its purpose is simple but profound: to show up, to listen, and to build relationships that make room for natural, lifegiving conversations about faith and wellbeing.
Coffee Ark is now part of a number of opportunities within Peterborough Diocese. It operates independently while working closely with diocesan teams, offering both a practical outreach resource which parishes can book for festivals, mission events, community gatherings or school engagement; and as inspiration for parishes wanting to create their own bespoke outreach venture - something shaped locally, creatively, and with the needs of their own community in mind.
Parishes with an idea or project in mind are warmly invited to get in touch at coffeearkcic@gmail.com. A range of costed options is available, depending on the event - and the team is always open to crafting a tailored approach.
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Coffee Ark recently visited the Made for More gathering in the Tove Benefice -one of a series of events re-imagining evangelism in everyday Christian ministry and building confidence in sharing faith in natural, everyday conversations. Here Coffee Ark played an encouraging role, offering a vision of missional creativity and showing how simple hospitality can become a doorway into community connection.
Reflecting on her hopes for the initiative, the Revd Becky Dyball, Bishop’s Missioner and director of Coffee Ark, shares:
‘Coffee Ark is so much more than coffee and sharing this with others in the Diocese is a real gift. My hope is that people will be inspired and find ‘their’ Coffee Ark - or explore creative ways such a venture could be used to build the Kingdom of God, transform communities and meet the needs of those we are called to serve.’
With every cup served and every conversation shared, Coffee Ark is helping to shape fresh expressions of Christian presence across the Diocese - joyful, accessible and open to all.