Beloved Faithful,  

Coffee Fellowship takes place following the Divine Liturgy and offers our parish the opportunity to spend time visiting with one another in Christian fellowship. It is also a wonderful way to commemorate an anniversary, birthday, family milestone, or memorial.  Offering to host it with friends or another family makes the effort easier and more enjoyable.  

This webpage is designed to offer suggestions about what food items to serve, and details the set-up and clean-up responsibilities of the host, with the help of the coffee fellowship ministry.  We hope you find the following information helpful and if you have any additional questions, please email Kathie Rutkowski by clicking HERE, or contact the church office at 847.482.1200. 

To sign up, click HERE. The Church is using SignUp Genius to coordinate coffee hour hosts.  If you need assistance with any aspect of this on-line tool, please email Kathie Rutkowski by clicking HERE, or contact the church office at 847.482.1200.

Thank you in advance for volunteering to host this important element of Ascension's commitment to Christian fellowship.  The Ascension community appreciates your warm hospitality and donation to this weekly tradition.


IMPORTANT:  PLEASE make sure that all items served are NUT FREE due to allergies.

SET-UP and ITEMS SUPPLIED BY CHURCH:  We recommend that hosts get to church around 9 a.m. to begin setting up so that you may attend Divine Liturgy when it begins at 9:30 a.m.  Please do not set up during Divine Liturgy.  Please continue to enter through the doors of our fellowship building, just north of the main church doors. The Coffee Fellowship Ministry  will be available to assist you with a cart to transport items to the fellowship hall serving area. 

ITEMS SUPPLIED BY THE CHURCH --  tablecloths, cups (for coffee & juice), sugar, non-dairy creamer, napkins, paper plates, silverware and serving utensils -- will already be in place by the serving area.  The church also supplies the coffee, which will be prepared and brewed by the Coffee Fellowship Ministry. 

Place the tablecloths and then arrange the items the church provides on the tables.  Service should be set up for a total of 150 people. To facilitate set-up, please plate items and bring them ready to serve (please label your serving platters and bowls). 

DURING COFFEE HOUR:  It is the responsibility of the host to serve and replenish the food, pour juice for the children and pour the coffee.

FOLLOWING COFFEE HOUR:  At the conclusion of the coffee fellowship hour, please clean off the tables and return the church's items to the kitchen and wash as necessary.  All leftover food needs to be taken home.  A member of the Coffee Fellowship Ministry will be present to assist with clean-up and secure the facility once everyone has departed.

Here is a simple list of a few suggested food items to serve during coffee hour.    As indicated above, please remember that everything should be nut-free.

Juice:  Juice boxes or bags for at least 80 children

Food stuffs for approximately 150 people.  A combination of a few of the following suggested items*:

Muffins - Mini Size (nut-free)

Cookies (nut-free)

Banana / Pumpkin Bread / Pound Cake (nut-free, and sliced)

Coffee Cakes, (nut-free, sliced)

Apple Pie (Sams Club or Costco)

Fruit (cut-up)

Donut holes (nut-free)

Pre-cut Cheese on Crackers

+ Thank you for giving your time and offering to host our Coffee Fellowship.


Christmas Fast/Great Lent/Dormition Fast: 

During this blessed time, our Holy Church teaches that we should keep the sacred fast. Therefore during this time we refrain from all meat and dairy products. Out of respect for the fast and to those keeping the fast, please try to adhere to the acceptable items for coffee hour.

Suggested Lenten food items*  for approximately 150 people.  As indicated above, please remember that everything should be nut-free

Apple Juice :  Juice boxes or bags for at least 60 children

Fruit (cut-up)

Bite-size carrots 

Oreos 

Lenten Cookies

Crackers

Rice crispy treats (individually wrapped)

Apple Pie (Sams Club or Costco)

*PLEASE make sure that all items are NUT FREE due to allergies.


Questions? Please email Kathie Rutkowski by clicking HERE, or contact the church office at 847.482.1200.

+ Thank you for giving your time and offering to host our Coffee Fellowship.