Mal York (pictured with Bishop Al Stewart) has a passion for sharing Jesus. But he also has a passion for good coffee. He’s not alone in Sydney Anglican circles.

Things have come a long way since cheap instant coffee and hot water was the standard for hospitality.

Now, the tastes of clergy and congregations have lifted along with the proliferation of coffee shops.

A quick look at the web shows sites like www.thegodshot.org or Neil Atwood’s www.ministrygrounds.net.au.

Getting the beans right, getting the best roast and making the perfect cup is no easy task according to Mal, who demonstrated his barista talents for the Wollongong Regional Clergy Conference last week.

“Coffee is a great way to connect with people” says Mal, who takes his coffee machine to the local school every Friday morning to make coffee for parents.

There is no shortage of takers and no shortage of gospel conversations.

“We advertise our church plant (which meets in the school), I’ve talked to parents about baptism, whether they should get their kids baptised and what it means to believe in Jesus Christ, so there’s been lots of opportunities to speak with people by using the coffee ministry as a tool to reach out to them.”

You can also engage Mal in conversation about coffee as well. He’ll tell you - use fresh beans, grind on demand and when it comes to using those complicated coffee machines then practice, practice, practice…..