The Parish is My World with Coté Soerens

Coté Soerens has made her neighborhood in South Park, Seattle her world. She and her husband Tim moved their family into the under-resourced neighborhood with a deep desire to discover God’s dreams for the community and participate in helping those dreams come to fruition alongside their neighbors. Coté started a coffee shop, Resistencia Coffee, that has become a third space for neighbors to gather, to build relationships with one another and to discern next steps towards making their neighborhood thrive. When you listen to Coté tell her story and the story of South Park, you’ll hear how the Spirit has worked again and again, inspiring people to dream dreams and see visions and make connections that has ultimately made the seemingly impossible possible. Faith can move mountains – and, it turns out, highways! We can’t wait for you to hear what God has done through Coté’s love for–and deep commitment to–her neighbors and her neighborhood.

 

QUOTES

• “My journey, I think, has been one of trying to weave together what does the gospel look like in the public sphere.” -Coté Soerens [12:30]
• “Let’s live a life that is conducive to catching the right wave.” -Coté Soerens [27:12]

 

TIMESTAMPS

• [00:00] Intro
• [01:08] About Coté Soerens
• [04:15] A little bit of a problem
• [10:35] What’s the future of the church?
• [16:22] Planting a church in South Park
• [23:45] Where her ideas emerge from
• [27:35] Why stay connected to the church
• [33:15] What breaks her heart and gives her life
• [43:59] Rapid questions
• [47:36] A blessing
• [49:04] Outro

 

RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

Cultivate South Park is “Connecting Neighbors and their Gifts to Co Create a thriving and equitable South Park.” Find out more on their website.

Learn more about Resistencia Coffee in Seattle, Washington at their website.

RSVP for the Locke Leader Virtual Event You are invited to attend a virtual event honoring the 2022 Tom Locke Innovative Leader Award recipients. Earlier this year, four extraordinary leaders received a surprising letter from our organization. Without their knowledge, each leader had been nominated and selected to receive the second annual Tom Locke Innovative Leader Award. We would be honored if you would join us to celebrate them at a virtual event on Sunday, May 22 at 5 pm CT / 6 pm ET. RSVP and find out more about the Locke Award at award.wesleyaninvestive.org. Expect to be inspired by their stories and filled with hope for the future of the church’s witness! (45 minute virtual event, register today!)

This podcast is brought to you by the Leadership Ministry team at TMF and Wesleyan Investive. Leadership Ministry connects diverse, high-capacity leaders in conversations and environments that create a network of courage, learning, and innovation in order to help the church lean into its God-appointed mission.

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Coté Soerens Bio

Originally from Chile, Coté has made Seattle her home, where she lives with her husband Tim and their sons.

She has served as the founding executive director of Puentes, an immigrant-led organization mobilizing mental health resources to support families affected by immigration policies. Coté is a founding partner of Resistencia Coffee, a neighborhood coffee shop in the heart of South Park. 

She is also the co-founder of Cultivate South Park, a non-profit that lends infrastructure to neighborhood community development projects such as the Urban Fresh Food Collective, Reconnect South Park, and the South Park Arts and Culture Collective.