Brewing community at Concordia
Inside the Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre’s weekly Spirituali-tea sessions
Concordia University’s Spirituali-tea events: occasions consisting of food, drinks, conversation, and relaxation. Where connections are formed, and fun is had.
Concordia University’s Multi-faith and Spirituality Centre (MFSC) focuses on bringing different communities and people together through outings around Montreal, workshops, volunteer work and more. One of these initiatives is Spirituali-tea, held nearly every Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Greenhouse located in H-703.
Behind these events is a team of staff and students who provide a welcoming, comfortable place for anyone to sit, eat, drink and talk.
Reverend Jennifer (Jen) Bourque, chaplain and coordinator of the MFSC, and Azra Hazarika, a fourth-year anthropology student and student ambassador for the centre, help facilitate the sessions.
Bourque explained that the event is a consistent opportunity for people to build connections.
“[Spirituali-tea is] a regular space, a recurrent space to connect and make friends,” she said.
Occasionally, sessions include a theme or guest speaker. Around particular holidays, speakers are invited to discuss religion and religious observances.
Activities are often incorporated to help attendees relax and open up.
Hazarika said the most meaningful moments come when the conversation begins to deepen.
“Discussion starts getting warmer, and then we bring our own experiences, and we listen to others, [and] it becomes a whole room bustling with energy,” Hazarika said.
That energy was visible throughout the room. Attendees who had been strangers just minutes prior were engaging in meaningful and enjoyable conversation, ranging from their areas of study to their families and what they enjoy doing in their free time.
Staff, first-year students, upper-year students and even Concordia graduates took part in the discussion.
Fiona Ivison, a first-year student in Concordia’s department of religions and cultures, was attending Spirituali-tea for the first time. She said she hoped to learn more about the MFSC and how to get involved, adding that the event met her expectations.
An avid tea drinker, she enjoyed the refreshments and described the Concordia Greenhouse as comfortable and inviting, noting the fish pool as a highlight that contributed to the welcoming atmosphere.
"[The Greenhouse] creates a good ambience," Ivison said.
Beyond the conversation itself, the organization of the space reflected that same care. Snacks were arranged in the centre of the table by colour and type, reinforcing the intentionality behind cultivating a warm environment.
Through initiatives like Spirituali-tea, the MFSC continues to prioritize connection and community building. Whether promoted through Concordia’s website, social media or a simple sign reading “Tea, Snacks, and Meaningful Conversation,” the invitation remains open to students seeking connection and community.
