Lifetree Cafe continues discussions, meetings in Sandpoint

After eight years, things are somewhat different, but in many ways the same for Sandpoint’s weekly Lifetree Cafe meetings. That’s what Gerri Harvill, an associate pastor at Sandpoint United Methodist Church says.

Harvill and her colleague, pastor Stan Norman, have run Lifetree Cafe -- a weekly meeting to discuss different faith-related questions, whether attendants are of faith or not -- for nearly a decade.

Most meetings have a similar pattern, Norman said. Group members watch a film with stories from real people on various issues, and then the group discusses the topic at hand.

Although Lifetree programs are distributed through a Christian ministry resource, Harvill said, as facilitators, she and Norman take a “middle of the road” approach to discussions, she said.

“Sometimes you’re a little cautious about how civil the conversation will be,” Harvill said, “but it always is.”

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the group has also had to make changes to maintain safety, Norman said. Currently, in compliance with the state mandate, the group limits its participants to 10 people and provides masks and hand sanitizer.

The group also took 10 weeks off in March, April and May of this year, Norman said.

Although COVID-19 changed some of the protocols for safety reasons, Harvill said, the meetings and discussions are very similar to what they had pre-pandemic.

“We have a lot of different people, and we’ve continued to have new people for eight years,” she said. “Men and women representing lots of different viewpoints. Some of faith, some of no faith.”

Many, although not all of the participants are also retirees, Harvill said. Still, on occasion, someone new will walk in if they have a lunch break or they’re particularly interested in the topic for that week.

“[The group is] really welcoming to new people,” she said. “I always wonder what I need to do to make new people feel included, and they do that all on their own.”

The upcoming event, focused on the relationship between faith and science, will have a video interviewing Dr. Francis Collins, and physician and geneticist, about his views on faith, evolution and the beginning of the universe.

“For me as a scientist, there are aspects of what we have learned about nature that seem

to be pointers toward God,” said Collins, according to the press release. “Not proofs, but pointers.”

Harvill said many of the group regulars have grown to know each other well over the years, and the meetings provides a community in addition to a place to discuss ideas.

“I’ve made the remark that if we didn’t do anything else this is one ministry we need to do,” she said.

The next Lifetree Cafe will be held at Jalapenos Mexican restaurant in Sandpoint at 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30. Admission is free, but the group is limited to a maximum of 10 people because of COVID-19 safety protocols.