No Res History
“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.” – John Keating
No Reservations sprouted from a vibrant young adult group within Coral Gables Congregational, United Church of Christ. Initiated over a coffee conversation in Coral Gables, our aim was to engage the millennial generation. We commenced with Sunday brunches at local, affordable restaurants, fostering meaningful relationships outside the traditional church community.
As our numbers swelled, we realized the need for structured organization and a focus on friendship nurturing. The Wine Club and Sunday Brunch were our first successful ventures in this direction.
Growing steadily, we initiated a name-voting session at our first Tacky Sweater Party Wine Club, where “No Reservations” emerged victorious. This marked the next stage of our grassroots journey as we expanded our services to social justice activities with local non-profits like Start Off Smart in South Dade and Habitat for Humanity.
We welcomed members from other affiliations and denominations, ultimately choosing to transform No Reservations into an ecumenical, multi-campus group. With no financial support from our primary church, we faced no conflicts of interest in extending our outreach to sister United Church of Christ churches and other progressive denominations.
Miami Beach Community Church on Lincoln Road became our testing ground for spiritual-formation programs, such as Theology on Tap, and the birthplace of our Mosaic service. Harold Marrero, our Executive Director, successfully revived their contemporary nighttime service, fostering committed members who considered No Reservations their spiritual home.
To maintain independence, No Reservations formed a leadership advisory board, Tessera, ensuring autonomy in our programming and ministry decisions.
With Tessera, we embraced talented individuals eager to expand our programming and create original content. Among these, our Theology on Tap model evolved into Vinos & Verses, attracting many who had strayed from their faith.
Over a decade, No Reservations has established itself within Miami-Dade’s progressive churches, committed to fostering intersectional relationships. We strive to guide individuals toward discovering their inner Christ and envision a prophesied Messianic age.
No Reservations sprouted from a vibrant young adult group within Coral Gables Congregational, United Church of Christ. Initiated over a coffee conversation in Coral Gables, our aim was to engage the millennial generation. We commenced with Sunday brunches at local, affordable restaurants, fostering meaningful relationships outside the traditional church community.
As our numbers swelled, we realized the need for structured organization and a focus on friendship nurturing. The Wine Club and Sunday Brunch were our first successful ventures in this direction.
Growing steadily, we initiated a name-voting session at our first Tacky Sweater Party Wine Club, where “No Reservations” emerged victorious. This marked the next stage of our grassroots journey as we expanded our services to social justice activities with local non-profits like Start Off Smart in South Dade and Habitat for Humanity.
We welcomed members from other affiliations and denominations, ultimately choosing to transform No Reservations into an ecumenical, multi-campus group. With no financial support from our primary church, we faced no conflicts of interest in extending our outreach to sister United Church of Christ churches and other progressive denominations.
Miami Beach Community Church on Lincoln Road became our testing ground for spiritual-formation programs, such as Theology on Tap, and the birthplace of our Mosaic service. Harold Marrero, our Executive Director, successfully revived their contemporary nighttime service, fostering committed members who considered No Reservations their spiritual home.
To maintain independence, No Reservations formed a leadership advisory board, Tessera, ensuring autonomy in our programming and ministry decisions.
With Tessera, we embraced talented individuals eager to expand our programming and create original content. Among these, our Theology on Tap model evolved into Vinos & Verses, attracting many who had strayed from their faith.
Over a decade, No Reservations has established itself within Miami-Dade’s progressive churches, committed to fostering intersectional relationships. We strive to guide individuals toward discovering their inner Christ and envision a prophesied Messianic age.
