A spot for java and Jesus

Angelique Flores

A cup of Joe and a chat about Jesus is what patrons will find at

Streetlite Espresso Cafe.

The Huntington Beach coffee shop, which has a Christian atmosphere, has

been owned and run by a succession of pastors. Kevin Dedmon of Church

24/7 and Steve Purdue of Coastland Foursquare Church started the coffee

shop three years ago.

Two years ago, Oden Fong of Poiema Chapel bought the cafe and has been

running it ever since.

Though customers won’t meet anyone trying to get converts, there is a

definite Christian aspect to Streetlite.

A simple, almost unnoticeable cross is painted on the sign that hangs

above the door. Every morning, a local man holds a prayer meeting in the

cafe from 6 to 7 a.m. for anyone to attend. Other individual groups hold

their own Bible studies and discussions.

“Some secular people get really interested and want to join in and talk,”

said Heidi Clements, a cafe employee. “It gets to be a real family

atmosphere.”

The most obvious Christian symbol is the poster facing the front door

that reads: “Behold the Lion, Jesus Christ of the tribe of Judah, hath

prevailed.”

A few customers walk in and walk back out after noticing the sign.

“It doesn’t really scare people off that often,” Clements said.

Fong doesn’t promote the coffeehouse as a Christian cafe, but customers

say they feel a sense of peacefulness in the room.

“We want it to be a place where everyone’s comfortable and don’t want

anyone to feel ostracized,” employee Desi Tipton said.

Customers and employees alike say they enjoy the fellowship they find at

the cafe.

“I feel like I’m going to a respectable atmosphere. People here are warm

and serviceable,” said Geoffrey Dy, a Huntington Beach resident who

frequents the cafe. “I come here with my friends.”

The cafe draws in young kids, working adults and retired seniors. Many

are Christians, but some are not. Still, Dy has noted that the employees

-- all Christian -- and the patrons create a nonjudgmental environment.

“It’s owned by Christians, the people that work here are Christians and

half the people that come here are Christians,” Clements said.

Other Christian cafes around the county host their own Bible studies and

preaching, but this one doesn’t. A stack of games sits on a table near

the entrance. Bands, mostly Christian, play folk, rock and acoustic music

Friday and Saturday nights.

While most of the customers are locals, some come from as far away as

Corona, Irvine and Lakewood. Fong, who used to preach at Calvary Chapel

in Costa Mesa, is well-known among Christian circles and draws in

customers who know him from Calvary and from Poiema Chapel in Huntington

Beach.

“When I first became a Christian, I needed a lot of help and needed

people to talk to,” Clements said.The cafe, 201-D Walnut St., helps

provide that -- and a latte.