Grounded Haven is a gathering place for young adults and God
By Bee Goodman
Maria Gonzalez has one goal in mind: “Feed My sheep.”
Using a simple coffee meeting after Mass, Ms. Gonzalez has launched a major connection for young adults within the Diocese of Knoxville.
Ms. Gonzalez, who is 25, is seeking a community around her to be filled with faith, and she felt a special tug from God telling her to create a haven for young adults.
As simple as it seems, a group chat between the young adults has opened communication channels, which have prompted the creation of her young-adult ministry, Grounded Haven.
Ms. Gonzalez said the idea came to her after attending one of Bishop Mark Beckman’s Mystery of Catholicism classes. Bishop Beckman has been teaching the classes for young adults at the Chancery during the fall.
“The ministry itself was kind of inspired through my encouragement with the young-adult groups and events in the past year or so. I’ve been seeking other young adults who are also passionate about their faith like me,” Ms. Gonzalez said about the group’s origins.
If there is one thing that brings people together, it’s a nice cup of coffee. Ms. Gonzalez uses this pastime to bring folks together after Mass for a chance to continue the religious conversation and study Scripture with others.
“One thing that I’ve learned that we love talking about as young adults is coffee. We bond through coffee; we talk about coffee; and we get excited to show each other our favorite drinks,” she shared.
“It feels like there’s not as much pressure there (coffee shops), and we’re able to talk and bond more. One day after Bishop Beckman’s class, I thought, ‘Yeah, I’m going to do this’ because I heard the Lord’s voice say, ‘feed My sheep.’”
Ms. Gonzalez explained that she is feeding His sheep: feeding them coffee and conversation to be exact.
“I thought, I have no idea how to do this, but I’m doing it. I’m doing it for you, Lord. And that’s how I created Grounded Haven.”
Maria Gonzalez, left front, is joined by other members of Grounded Haven outside of a North Knoxville coffee shop, where they enjoyed fellowship and faith-filled discussion.
The group came together about a month ago, yet Grounded Haven already has about 70 members.
With no particular meeting place or time, the group can flexibly operate when it chooses. The members don’t all meet at once; it’s just a simple meet that happens after someone in the group sends a text, “Hey, want to meet up after Mass?”
Grounded Haven is expanding every day, and Ms. Gonzalez couldn’t be more excited. She hopes she’ll be able to set up smaller sub-groups dedicated to Scripture study, worship practices, and more.
Along with impromptu coffee chats, Ms. Gonzalez also plans events to bring the group members together. The first official gathering was on Sept. 27, and Ms. Gonzalez brought them together for a Blooms and Brews event, coinciding with the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) Fall Conference being held by the Diocese of Knoxville Office of Christian Formation.
Carolyn Krings, the diocesan director of Marriage and Family Life, describes Ms. Gonzalez’s efforts this way: “developing a young-adult community to go to events and hang out together had been placed on her heart and she took action.”
As a testament to Ms. Gonzalez’s kindness, Mrs. Krings shared this encounter: “After the Blooms and Brews event ended, Maria found Deacon Jim (Bello) and I in the parking lot and handed us a hug and a bouquet of three sunflowers. Maria stated that the sunflower was her favorite flower. Maria said that she likes sunflowers because they go seeking after their own happiness.”
“I received the unspoken message from Maria that sunflowers grow toward the warmth of the sun. We should do likewise! Maria is a warm beacon of light, just like the sun we enjoy on a fall day. Maria is petite yet powerful, as she lights up the young-adult spaces with her gifts of hospitality, creativity, and encouragement,” Mrs. Krings said.
For anyone who might be struggling to find a friend in the faith, Grounded Haven can be a wonderful place to start the search. But don’t worry, participants don’t have to be coffee connoisseurs to join. The only requirement is to be 18-35 years old and to be prepared for Ms. Gonzalez’s contagious smile and many gifts.
Ms. Gonzalez describes the ministry as “an open group chat for young adults who are Catholic-based, or someone who is curious about Catholicism or their faith. They can come to us because, after all, it’s supposed to be a safe haven for them.”
Young adults are at a special age where everything becomes a transitional phase. At 18, most are graduating high school and heading out on their own for the first time. Four years later, they are graduating from college and finding their first job within their career as well as getting their first place to live. There are dating, marriage, and starting a family, a quick-paced part of life that can really put a strain on a young adult’s faith.
Ms. Gonzalez acknowledges that during her time in beauty school, she, too, fell short on following her faith.
“I was always deep in my faith, but because of beauty school and life, I kind of took a break from church unintentionally. And one day I felt a call to come back to church, and I reluctantly went to Mass. I felt ashamed. I was worried about the people who would say ‘why is she here?’ But really, they were excited and said, ‘I’m so happy you’re here,’” she recalls.
She shared her concerns about leading in faith.
“I am far from knowing everything about the faith, about guidance, about anything. I don’t feel qualified for any of this. I was wondering, I was asking, ‘What are you doing, Lord? You want me to do this?’” she said.
Ms. Gonzalez shared one of her favorite stories in the Bible, explaining that she felt a connection to John 21 when Jesus is speaking to Peter after finding him ashore fishing. Jesus speaks privately with Peter, asking three times, “Do you love me?” Each time Peter affirms his love, and Jesus tells him to “Feed My lambs… Tend My sheep… Feed My sheep.” This dialogue both forgives Peter’s three times of denial prior to Christ’s death and commissions him as the chief shepherd of Christ’s flock, affirming his pastoral leadership.
This moment is shared between the Apostle Peter and Jesus, where Jesus gives his instructions for Peter to care for and lead His followers. Ms. Gonzalez takes this to heart to share her love for Jesus by illustrating how He makes disciples of his followers and cares for them.
Ms. Gonzalez briefly shared times where her faith has spoken to her. She recalled the time when she had eerie feelings about going out on a boat with friends. She went on the boat anyway despite her worries. Ms. Gonzalez noted that she doesn’t know how to swim. So, when the vessel she was on and another boat collided, hers capsized. A few of her friends were thrown off the boat several feet into the water in front of them. Ms. Gonzalez and all her friends made it out alive, but she lives with a scarred shoulder that reminds her to listen to God’s voice.
So, when she recently heard God pushing her to start Grounded Haven, she worried she wouldn’t have enough resources make it work. She explained that God took control and has taken care of her every step of the way. She was just the vessel that God is using to make the evangelization project a success.
Ms. Gonzalez continually shows how much she wants to reach out to new people and how it’s always a great joy when someone new seeks interest in Jesus for the first time.
She is based in Lenoir City but chooses to travel to other parishes for celebration of Mass because it allows her to connect and reach out to more young adults. She has noticed that many times when she approaches someone about Grounded Haven, they have a favorite spot in mind for an after-Mass coffee talk.
Ms. Gonzalez makes it a point to remember these places so she can return with the group or individuals at another time.
Though a quick coffee date may seem simple, it’s a historical social ritual.
The tradition of it has changed over time. Providing meals for those suffering a loss is an example. When someone dies, their family is left with sorrow and often is too stressed to bother with preparing meals. That is when their faith community steps in. Different cultures have similar rituals that do this under many names. There are dignity dishes, shiva (a seven-day Jewish tradition), repast meals, and mercy meals among many others. Community members and friends often pass dishes onto the family, so they don’t have to worry about cooking.
But the tradition of funeral meals started as a larger and more social ritual. Presented in the past through many cultures, members of a community would arrive at a new widow’s home with meals in hand. They would not only stay to serve the meal but create a natural and more comforting space for the grieving family members. This typically would result in the participants engaging socially. Sometimes the group would also take care of housework and tend to children to comfort the grieving spouse. It was all a way to care for people at a very difficult time and offer them the faith to move forward through the pain and become social again.
A person likely would open a discussion of their loved one’s passing, a difficult topic. Though Grounded Haven is not serving funeral meals, the gathering around food can allow people to open conversations about faith in a way they may have had difficulty doing before. It’s not about pastries or special brews; it’s about the conversation and the invitation to the table.
The Grounded Haven group doesn’t always meet for coffee; they often plan fun outings to join in. On Nov. 2, several members gathered for a trip to Sevierville’s Apple Barn. And they make plans to serve the community together. Recently, they convened at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville to feed the homeless, meeting for coffee before praying the rosary.
The group’s flexible schedule allows the members to serve and worship around different schedules and be present in the moment. Assembling a few participants is easier than planning a gathering for 70 or more. Smaller groups allow for more opportunities to serve.
Within Grounded Haven, coffee is just an appetizer to the real fulfilling soul food: faith. Regardless of whether someone is a long-devoted disciple or a new face to faith, Grounded Haven sets the table for all. While the open coffee house atmosphere creates a cozy place to converse, it becomes a bonded experience for young adults and their faith. It allows the busy moms to meet during the week for a coffee break and social hour about faith, and it allows the groups of friends to continue a Scripture lesson after the celebration of Mass.
And according to Ms. Gonzalez, you can order your matcha soy latte, serve at a homeless shelter, or just have a fun outing. All invited.