You have been chosen to provide Coffee Hour for the service this Sunday. Following are some guidelines and information to assist you.
Please contact the office if a key is needed for entry.
Snacks are optional (though they have become quite traditional). If you choose to bring snacks, please plan enough for 100 to 120 people. You will need to bring a half gallon of milk and a quart of half & half. It is also nice to have a half gallon of juice or another alternative drink.
If providing snacks, please consider including some low-sugar items such as bagels or crackers; you may wish to bring some spreads. Please remember to put the donations jar out on the food table. You may use the money collected to reimburse your expenses or you may leave it in the jar to be used to defray UUSO operational costs.
Please Note: These instructions are composed as if the hosts have no prior “hands-on” knowledge of our facilities, so most hosts will not need to study them in detail. And hosting assignments are generally made so that a “new” host is partnered with a “veteran” host.
There are some basic changes to note, such as the new large coffee urn instructions, so review of info by all hosts will likely be helpful.
It’s helpful and less stressful if hosts make all this a pre-planned team effort and it also is okay to ask (before, during and after the social hour) any members of the congregation who are willing, for incidental help with carrying, serving, cleanup, etc.
The dishwasher should be checked early in case it needs to be run.
Coffee (Regular & Decaf): The UUSO custodian will prepare the coffee the night before the service and will use the Hamilton Beach stainless steel urn. Brewing time for a full batch (60 cups) is between 1 and 1½ hours so it is necessary to get the urn started by 10 am. DO NOT plug in the power cord until the urn is fully loaded and covered and resting securely on the counter top (the urn does not have an ON/OFF switch).
Regular Coffee: (1) Plug the power cord into the wall outlet to the right of the sink; be sure that the cord is behind the sink basins. (2) When the power cord is plugged in, the red (ON) light will illuminate and coffee brewing will begin. (3) When brewing is completed, the green READY light will illuminate and the urn will automatically switch to the Keep Warm cycle. (More details, including proportioning info, on side of refrigerator.)
Decaf Coffee: (1) Plug in the power cord and turn on the coffee maker switch. (2) When the coffee maker is finished, pour the brewed coffee into the insulated pump carafe.
Hot Water for Tea: Fill the chrome percolator with cold tap water and place it, with power cord, on the counter near left side of pass thru. Go into the sanctuary, open the sliding door and the pass thru panel. Plug the power cord into the wall outlet on right side of pass thru. Close the pass thru panel and the sliding door.
Special Note: Do not plug more than one appliance in each electrical outlet!
Serving stations: Select a tablecloth and put in on the oblong table which is near the pass thru in the sanctuary; you may wish to put decoration(s) on the table as well.
The pass thru counter is used for serving all beverages. Place the sign here that reads: Sugar, sweeteners, milk, half & half, etc., are on food table. Those items should be put on both ends of the oblong table along with the food, the purpose being to move traffic thru beverage serving area more efficiently.
Prepare snack food: Cut bagels, breads, doughnuts, etc., into “finger food” size pieces and arrange them on serving plates.
If serving fruit, wash/rinse thoroughly and cut it into shapes and sizes which can be conveniently handled and eaten. If serving spreads, provide small “butter” knives and/or spoons. After arranging snack foods on plates, cover each plate with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
Check refrigerator for any “goodies” that can be set out from previous events.
Arrange other items for serving: Put three trays of mugs on left side of pass thru along with a tray full of small cups/glasses for juice. Set out, on two trays, pitchers for milk and half & half, sugar, sweeteners, spoons, napkins, donation jar, etc. Set the tea bag selection (basket/box) on top of the trays of mugs.
Leave the filling of the juice, milk and half & half serving pitchers to last minute so as to maintain refrigerator temperature as long as possible.
Swing into action: When the Service is finished and congregation is up and moving around, open the sliding door and the pass thru panel. Raise and secure the pass thru counter extension.
Move the coffee urns, chrome percolator, trays of mugs and small cups/glasses, tea bags and pitcher of juice onto the counter extension.
Here’s a good time to solicit assistance from congregation members:
Move the oblong table at least 20 feet away from the pass thru and locate it at least 15 feet from the sidewall – this to give plenty of room for people to get to and around the serving areas more efficiently.
Take the trays of milk, half-and-half, sugar, sweeteners, spoons, napkins, donations jar, etc., to the oblong table and arrange them on either end.
Take plates of snack food from kitchen thru the pass thru to the food table – with assistance of various congregants.
One host should attend in the kitchen at the pass thru to assist the serving line and other host could initially draw coffee for individuals at the pass thru to facilitate traffic.
Generally, after all drinks and snacks are out, the crowd can pretty much take care of itself. The hosts (and volunteer helpers) may then only need to take care of incidental replenishment of snacks and drinks, individual’s needs and clean up of spills.
When the crowd quiets down and begins to thin out, it’s a good time to start cleaning-up. Load dishwasher with whatever fits and is “dishwasherable”; (excess will need to be washed by hand). Put detergent in dishwasher door compartment, close compartment, close and latch dishwasher door and turn dial clockwise to just past “normal,” until you hear a click. On the right side of the dishwasher door handle, press the “heat” button and then press the “start” button. From there it will take care of itself.
The coffee urn needs to be washed inside with warm, soapy water and thoroughly rinsed, same for the basket, stem and disc. The exterior surfaces of the urn should be wiped dry with a slightly damp terrycloth towel to maintain the gleaming finish. Place urn upside down on a towel after rinsing and leave to drain and dry along with other parts. Wash, rinse, drain and dry other utensils and containers according to use and contents.
When cleaning up after coffee/social hour, please examine the tablecloth(s) used to determine need for laundering.
If laundering is not needed: Please shake outside to remove any crumbs and then fold and re-hang in the storage area.
If laundering is needed: After shaking out crumbs, please place in laundry hamper (near large front window in kitchen).
Before leaving and closing the kitchen, please:
Make sure that burners and the oven of the electric range are turned off.
Turn the room thermostat down to 55 degrees.
After filling in the requested information below please place this part of instructions in donations jar where it will be picked-up for our office information needs.
In an effort to reduce waste (by monitoring use and making adjustments) please enter information requested below:
Amount made/brought Amount leftover
Regular Coffee: __________cups ___________cups
Date: ___/___/___ Decaf Coffee: __________cups ___________cups
Half & Half: __________ ___________
Other: ________ __________ ___________
_______________ __________ ___________
Did you notice if any staple supplies appear to need replenishing; if so, please circle appropriate item(s) below and write-in any item(s) which are not listed.
Sugar Sweeteners Tea Dishwasher Detergent
Dishwashing Liquid Napkins Regular Coffee Decaf Coffee __________________ _________________ ______________ ______________________
Please note: You are entitled to up to $16 reimbursement for the purchase of coffee hosting items.
If you’d like to do so, please complete a request for funds form (located above the phone in the coat room),
attach receipt(s) and place in the OBH (Olympia Brown House) mailbox/wall pocket
(located to the right of the congregational mailboxes) and a reimbursement check will be issued in the near future.
Thank you very much for hosting the Social Hour; your contribution to its
success is very important and is much appreciated by the congregation!
Please feel free to use the remaining space on this sheet
for remarks, comments, suggestions, as you experienced hosting the social hour.