Alright, so let me tell you about this “high tech prayer breakfast” thing I got roped into organizing. It was a trip, man.
It all started when the church leadership decided we needed to “modernize” our outreach. Someone, and I’m not naming names, threw out the idea of a prayer breakfast geared towards the tech community in our city. I guess they figured all those Silicon Valley types needed a little spiritual guidance or something. Next thing I knew, I was volunteered to make it happen. Me! I barely know how to use TikTok.
First, I had to figure out what a “high tech prayer breakfast” even meant. Did it involve robots serving communion? Was I supposed to code a sermon? I spent a ridiculous amount of time Googling, which mostly led to articles about Elon Musk and space exploration. Not exactly helpful.
I started by reaching out to some techie friends. I asked them, straight up, “What would make you actually want to go to a prayer breakfast?” The answers were… enlightening. No cheesy hymns, for one. No long, rambling sermons. And definitely no hard sell about joining the church. They wanted good coffee, decent food, and maybe a speaker who could talk about faith in a way that didn’t sound like it was from the Dark Ages.
So, I set about planning. I ditched the church basement and booked a room at a local co-working space. Way more “high tech” vibe. I ordered artisanal coffee from a local roaster and got a caterer who specialized in fancy pastries and avocado toast. I even set up a charging station with all sorts of cables for different devices. Gotta keep those phones charged, you know?
Finding a speaker was the hardest part. I needed someone who was actually in the tech industry and also a person of faith. After weeks of searching, I found this woman who was a software engineer at a big company and also involved in a local ministry. She was perfect. She agreed to talk about how her faith helped her navigate the ethical dilemmas in the tech world.
Next came the marketing. I created a simple website with all the details and used social media to spread the word. I even tried running some targeted ads on LinkedIn. Felt a little weird, but hey, gotta reach those tech folks, right?
The day of the breakfast arrived, and I was a nervous wreck. Would anyone even show up? Would they think it was lame? But people actually started coming! I had about 30 people in the room, most of whom I didn’t even recognize. They seemed genuinely interested in the speaker’s talk, and I even saw some folks chatting and networking afterwards.
The whole thing was surprisingly successful. I even got some positive feedback. People said they appreciated the non-preachy atmosphere and the chance to connect with other like-minded individuals. I wouldn’t say I’m ready to become a full-time event planner, but it was definitely a learning experience. I learned that even techies appreciate a little faith, and that good coffee goes a long way.
Would I do it again? Maybe. But next time, I’m delegating the social media stuff.
