When husband and wife Darren and Jo Howie started roasting coffee at their home in Derby, they had no idea just how much God would take their passion and use it for His redemptive work in the lives of people in need of a fresh start.
Roasting coffee started out as just a hobby for the pair, something they did with friends in their kitchen at home.
But demand for their roasted coffee grew big enough for them to set up a proper base in the heart of Derby and they are now about to hire their first staff member.
The Sacred Bean, as they've called their coffee roasting company, isn't about profit, though, and it's not even about the coffee; it's about relationships and sharing their faith with the people in their community.
In addition to making a quality roast coffee, both Darren and Jo are keen to work with vulnerable people like ex-offenders and recovering addicts. The idea is to teach them how to roast coffee so that they can learn new skills and at the same time build meaningful relationships.
One such person who has become involved in the company is Mick, a former solider and recovering drug addict.
Jo explains, "After leaving the army Mick was diagnosed with PTSD and he slipped into a world of hard drugs and violence, ending up in prison. Mick is now a core part of the Sacred Bean team, is living in his own home and has custody of his son."
Darren and Jo have been helped in their work with Sacred Bean through the Church Mission Society's training programmes.
Before launching Sacred Bean, Jo was working for a homeless charity when she enrolled in CMS's Make Good training module that supports pioneer leaders in planning and pitching entrepreneurial ideas, and seeing them through to fruition.
Darren also comes to the venture with plenty of experience in working with people, having been ordained and worked as a pioneer curate at St Peter's Derby.
They are now both working as pioneer missioners for the Methodist Church in Derby and have moved operations for Sacred Bean into Susanna Wesley House, a new mission hub in the town centre.
As the company grows, Darren and Jo are looking to expand their customer base and start selling Sacred Bean at conferences and festivals.
But wherever God takes what they've started, they're clear about the mission at the heart of what they're doing.
"The uniqueness of Sacred Bean is not in the coffee but in the stories of those who roast it," says Jo.
