All images: TWO
Street life, coffee shop and worship center merge at Dallas' Life in Deep Ellum church.
An innovative faith community in Dallas pulls together three people-bonding ingredients--local community, coffee, and church--into one laid-back destination, Life in Deep Ellum (LIDE). The Deep Ellum neighborhood is well known in the city as an entertainment district with a lively street scene, vibrant murals, art galleries, restaurants and bars, and theaters. And with LIDE, church is woven into the heart of those offerings.
Umbrella Gallery at Life in Deep Ellum draws together artists and art lovers.
LIDE staff describes the church this way on the its website, https://www.lifeindeepellum.com/:
Deep Ellum has historically been a gathering place for people on the margins. At LIDE, we strive to create a safe environment for everyone, an invitation into something none of us can enjoy alone: Community. We hope within our walls you will experience a deep sense of connection with others. And though our energetic core is a community of faith, you don’t have to share our faith to join us. Someone once said of LIDE, “Nobody fits, but everyone belongs,” and we couldn’t agree more.
Sundays at LIDE include a get-together called "The Gathering."
Design and vibe
Although LIDE's physical structure is reported to be 4-5 years old, its connection to the local area coffeehouse, Mokah Coffee & Tea, is part of what keeps the church fresh and inviting in Deep Ellum.
Mokah, operating Monday-Friday, opens to the street alongside LIDE and offers free-trade coffee in a funky monastery setup at the LIDE cultural center, with the two, LIDE and Mokah, functioning hand in hand.
Mokah Coffee & Team, Life in Deep Ellum
Since Mokah is open-air and walk-in-friendly, Deep Ellum neighbors, regulars and visitors to the district mill about and congregate in the coffeehouse. And this juxtaposition functions to erase the imperceptible line between the coffeehouse and the church, helping to further LIDE's mission of being "a gathering place for people on the margins"--all walks of life.
Function-forward
Lila Reeves-Hampton, a public relations representative for Mokah's aluminum shutter manufacturer, TWO USA (www.two-usa.com), describes the importance of what she calls "functional design" in projects like Deep Ellum's LIDE and Mokah. "Functional design is all about walking the fine line between aesthetic and practicality," she says. She points to TWO's Weatherwell aluminum shutters used in Mokah as one example of a product choice within the design that helps to fuel functionality while serving the venue's vibe and appearance.
Mokah Coffee & Team, Life in Deep Ellum
"TWO’s line of Weatherwell aluminum shutters are available in a variety of installation styles and colors, and they can be used to create an outdoor room, privacy screen, and provide security and protection in an elegant way," Reeves-Hampton notes. Where there is outdoor comfort, privacy, smart design and elegance, there is an invitation to enter, sit, talk ... hang out and connect with others.
Learn more here: Deep Ellum, Life in Deep Ellum, Mokah Coffee & Tea.
[Editor's note: This piece was originally posted in 2019.]
