Dock Cafe has been getting some truly amazing, beautiful reviews on Trip Advisor recently (check them all out here) – these are just a few highlights:

It’s all about the atmosphere that is somehow generated by this place… In a frenetic world, it is a great antidote and I couldn’t help thinking what a brilliant image it presents of Belfast not only to visitors from elsewhere (e.g. cruise liners) but also to ourselves – one based on tolerance and trust!

…an airy, open space full of mismatched but heartwarmingly comfortable tables & chairs, with extremely friendly staff (volunteers), great coffee, great cakes, a view of the docks / Titanic centre and an honesty box. This refreshing venue of urban defrost & detox is highly recommended and in our humble opinion brings a much needed element of 21st century je ne sais quoi to our newly adopted home town!

Unlike most cafes, the emphasis at The Dock, which is staffed by friendly volunteers, is about creating an environment for people to meet, interact and relax.

I love it when the reviewers get the Dock – don’t just review it as yet another cafe but seem to imbibe and appreciate the whole ethos and love of the place.

One little thing that made me smile in one of the most recent reviews was that the writer wasn’t sure if we had a toilet yet – obviously remembering those early days in the cafe when ‘checking in to the Premier Inn’ had a whole new meaning! – so I thought I’d dig out this little video telling the story of the most unexpectedly wonderful toilet in all the world:

…courtesy of BBC Radio Ulster’s  Sunday morning service – which I had the privilege of hosting this morning.

Listen in on iPlayer here

…and if you can’t cope with listening to something with no moving pictures for 45 whole minutes, I guess this is the crunch:

So – trust. God is in control. Even as you’re listening to the radio this morning, clench your fist to represent anything you’re clutching too tightly – desire for revenge, resentment, hatred, unforgiveness, a sense of being hard-done-by – and now slowly unclench your fist, open out your hand and spread out your fingers. These things are yours, Lord. I can’t hold on to them any more – they’re killing me. I don’t want to make Samson’s mistake and try to solve them myself. I trust you. I trust in your wrath as well as your love. I trust that with you there is justice as well as mercy. I trust that i can leave all the situations that are out of my control in your hands.

It’s a season of change for the team of Dock Chaplains.  Earlier this year we waved farewell to Finian (Finiannnn!!!) – and now this week, it’s Karen’s turn to embark on adventures new, as she prepares to move to a new parish and lots of new challenges in Killarney.

Saying our farewells at our Sunday Nights at The Dock service last Sunday, and with Karen’s cohort of Dock volunteers on her last shift in the cafe on Monday, there were lots of lumpy throats… Karen has been a rock-solid, enthusiastic, faithful and hugely valued part of the Dock team, almost since the very beginning.

In fact Karen was the first co-Chaplain to join the team (hence the fact that I always call her “Co”) – it was so exciting to have someone else join the team back in the early days that I even made a little video about the joy of leaving behind the days of being All By Myself:

Reflecting on Karen’s years in The Dock also makes me realise what a tremendous journey we’ve been on… She’s been part of Dock Walks, Titanic commemorations, Meet the Neighbours, Christmas Parties, Sunday Nights on Nomadic, opening Titanic Belfast, the formation of Dock Cafe, the early days with just a handful of volunteers and customers, and then the explosive growth of our beloved cafe/church/community home-away-from-home.

Breathtaking to realise how much life and joy and transformation have been packed into a few short years in this wonderful place.  Karen – it’s been amazing – thank you!

A few weeks ago, a team of media students from the college across the road arrived in the Dock looking for a project.  We had just printed some ‘Volunteer at The Dock’ leaflets to try to grow the Dock volunteer team – so we challenged them to turn that leaflet into a 5-minute movie.  And this is the utterly superb result:

Isn’t it fab?  Well done to Ross, Judith, Alex and Fergus for being great examples of what the Dock is all about – and massively well-done to the film-making crew who really did manage to get the essence of the Dock – and the joy of being a volunteer – into an emotional and inspiring little nugget of film.  Top marks!

It’s a good week to be talking about Dock Volunteers – it is national Volunteer Week and so a colourful little board has appeared in Dock Cafe giving customers a chance to encourage and thank the people who tirelessly serve them their coffee every day.  It’s great to see it filling up fast!

And if I could just add a little personal message and thank-you to all our amazing volunteers:  I actually, honestly, truly do love you crazy crew!  What a fantastic bunch of dedicated, generous, friendly, tireless, patient, trusting, uplifting, caring, wonderful people you are.

In the middle of the manic panic of finally getting the tram on the road over the past couple of weeks, I’ve finally been able to see Dock Cafe as others see it – a place of sanctuary, welcome, warmth and peace in the middle of a hectic life.

Calling in briefly while rushing around doing tram stuff, the volunteers always cheer me up if I’m down, give me strength if I feel weary, make me laugh when I’m feeling gloomy, and – always – make me coffee.  On one memorable occasion, stressed-out with another particularly difficult round of legislation requirements for the tram licence, I arrived in the Dock in foul form, to be greeted by a wonderful volunteer (who shall remain nameless, my daaaarlin’) who let me vent and rant and rage until I felt about a thousand times better (and the air had turned about a thousand shades blu-er!)   I know I’m supposed to be one of the Chaplains, but it was definitely me that received some chaplain-ing that day!

There’ve been some tough days recently – all the more reason to be profoundly grateful for this haven, this literal God-send, in the middle of the Titanic Quarter – and to be so, so thankful for the amazing people who make it happen.

Thanks to John  from the excellent Titanic Quarter Facebook page, I just watched this video again for the first time in ages:

I remember being interviewed back in the very very early days of Dock Cafe (look how rough it looks in the background behind me!), when Titanic Belfast was just about to open its doors amidst the rush of that incredible year of 2012.  The wooden model you can see in the video was becoming reality and (as you can tell) it fired me with inspiration and excitement.

Back then, everything to come – the stupendous growth of Dock Cafe… the genesis of Dock Market… Sunday Nights on Nomadic (and later in the Dock)… pilgrimage walks and prayer gardens and honesty boxes… and especially a certain Wee Tram – it was all unknown.  All I knew was that I was loving the adventure, wherever it would lead.

How cool to look back after three further years and know that it’s been even better than I had thought or dreamed… and that I can still say “I want to be part of that” with as much passion as ever!