Coffee • Care • Connection
Coffee • Care • Connection
At Beans of Grace, we’re building a place to rest, recharge, and connect. Our amazing coffee and tea cafe and quiet meeting spaces will make you feel at home from the first visit.
At Beans of Grace, we’re building a place to rest, recharge, and connect. Our amazing coffee and tea cafe and quiet meeting spaces will make you feel at home from the first visit.
Please pardon our dust!
Please pardon our dust!
We’re working on something very special for Plano
and the surrounding community.
We’re working on something very special for Plano
and the surrounding community.
“Beans of Grace”
The story behind the name…
Back when Beans of Grace was just an idea, a wise friend challenged us to ask, “Why are we doing this?” Looking back, there are lots of reasons and stories. But, the heart of the “why” is; fostering kindness, care, and grace, in our community — both giving and receiving.
In 2021, a pastor friend told a story of a man standing outside his church. The man shared that he was searching for answers but was reluctant to come into the church for help. Ultimately, the man found the comfort he was seeking. Not in the church building, but in the love, care, concern, and essential human kindness and grace this pastor shared with him – the same gifts Christ extends to each of us. “The Church” is more than a building.
“Beans of Grace” is a word-play on the phrase “means of grace”. Giving something to someone that is not earned or deserved is ‘grace’. We believe God has given us everything we have, and we’ve done nothing to deserve any of it truly. To us, the purest way to honor this gift is to imitate it – caring for those around us with the same no-strings-attached generosity – extending grace to all.
At Beans of Grace, we’re working to be a generous, trusted resource and blessing to friends and strangers alike. We’re called to welcome and care for all who visit. Beans of Grace is a place to make connections, share stories, care for others, be cared for, and more. We are family-friendly and encourage extraordinary generosity.
Our programs and projects share one primary goal: Encourage and organize those in a position to give so that those in a position of need or difficulty find some relief.
Please spend your Sundays resting, recharging, and focusing on the grace in your life. All our team members will be.
Board of
Directors
Board of Directors
Beans of Grace, NFP is overseen by a six-person unpaid Board of Directors. We hope these short bios help you get to know them and their hearts.
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Steve Saunders
President
Stevan married the love of his life Victoria in 1989; they have three adult sons and one granddaughter. Steve is a devoted Christ follower, husband, and father and loves their little 80-pound dog, Athena. He enjoys hiking with the kids and dogs, auto racing, and of course, coffee!
Stevan took an unusual path to pastoral ministry. Before becoming the pastor at the United Methodist Church of Plano, IL, Steve was a garbage man for 28 years. In 2001, Stevan, his wife Victoria (who also serves on the board of BOG), and their three sons began attending Wheatland Salem United Methodist Church. From 2001 to 2016, Steve loved serving his Savior and Church as an usher, Sunday school teacher, marriage ministry, as confirmation guide, and high school mission trip leader. In late 2005 he began sensing God was calling him to full-time pastoral ministry. During the last ten years of his career as a garbage man, Steve was preparing for an appointment to his first church. He parked his truck for the last time in June of 2016, and on July 1, 2016, he became the pastor of The United Methodist Church of Plano and the Millbrook United Methodist Church. As the Plano church grew, it was apparent they needed a full-time pastor. On July 1, 2018, he was appointed to full-time ministry at The United Methodist Church of Plano.
Since coming to Plano, Pastor Steve and Vicki have been dedicated to serving the community in many ways. Steve serves on the board of Beans Of Grace because BOG will be a place for the community to rest, relax, and connect with one another.
Victoria Saunders
Secretary
Victoria is a follower of Jesus Christ and is a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Vicki and her husband Stevan have been married for 33 years and have three adult sons. Victoria is also a passionate animal lover and enjoys cuddling with her 80-pound lap dog Athena while reading a good book. However, what she loves most is spending time with family.
Before retiring in 2019, Vicki was on staff at Wheatland Salem United Methodist Church in Naperville, IL. While on staff at Wheatland, Vicki served as nursery coordinator, child care coordinator, nursery volunteer coordinator, and children’s ministry coordinator, closing her career as office administrative assistant. High School mission trips are some of Vicki’s fondest memories from her time at Wheatland. She has recently acquired the joy of designing and quilting blankets, beach bags, and other items for her loved ones. Her passion for community connection is why she serves on the board for Beans of Grace,
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Joe Denner
Treasurer
Why would a guy who doesn’t even like coffee (hot chocolate, thank you!) decide to accept a board position for a coffee shop? The heart of Beans of Grace and its potential as a gathering place to enrich the community was enough to persuade Joe to join wholeheartedly with this project.
Joe’s background in leadership, including executive roles in business, pastoral roles, and his experience running his own executive coaching business for small businesses gives him a great deal of insight to help bring the vision for the Beans of Grace café to fruition.
“I’m excited to be a part of this mission to create and provide a space where people can meet people and people can meet Jesus. We’re bringing the local community a casual, grace-filled place to gather, learn, and grow in Christ, as well as a place to find resources to help”.
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Andrea Denner
Director
Late in the game to the coffee connoisseur culture, Andrea has grown in her love for coffee, but even more has a love for what a coffee shop represents, how it can bring people together, and how it can provide for potential revitalization in a community.
Andrea has spent the last twenty-five years home educating her children, counseling, mentoring, and ministering to others. She was delighted to jump on board to help in the creation of the community-building Beans of Grace café.
“There have been many times that I have walked into a cozy café’ or coffee house and realized the potential that these businesses have to impact a community, but never thought I would get an opportunity to be an integral part of that kind of project, let alone in a stunning space in a cute little town that NEEDS something like this. So excited to see what the Lord will do as the vision becomes reality.”
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Greg Witek
Director
Greg lives in rural Kendall County with his wife of 39 years, Lynn. Two sons, two daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren (soon to be six) keep him blessed and busy. He founded and served as CEO of PagePath Technologies for nearly 40 years until its subsequent acquisition and his retirement in 2021. He currently serves as Fire Chief for Little Rock-Fox Fire District, Board Chairman of the Kendall County 9-1-1 Center, and Board Chair of the Kendall County Community Food Pantry.
“No doubt, God uniquely wires each of us with trials, obstacles, and tools to build us up – to prepare us for what’s next. Beans of Grace is my next chapter. We have an amazing pile of plans for local donated programs and projects. I’m honored to be part of making BOG a safe and inviting environment for the community to experience God’s amazing generosity and grace – whether as a receiver or a giver”.
Lynn Witek
Director
Lynn lives in Millbrook, IL, with her husband of 39 years, Greg, and their poodle, Ollie. She’s been blessed with two sons, two daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren. Lynn has cared for her family as a stay-at-home Mom, launched two home-schooled young men, and served in many volunteer capacities in the community. Lynn is an avid quilter, caregiver for her aging parents, and has a servant’s heart to make a stranger feel welcome in whatever situation arises. She loves to host, especially tea parties, and Lynn has a passion for using her gift of hospitality frequently. Her favorite phrase? “Yay! You’re here!”
“BOG is a wonderful chance to make people feel welcome from their first visit. We’ll be working fast for those who are in a hurry. But we’ll also be ready to slow down, take time, and listen – understanding what our guests have on their hearts and how we can serve them. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to tune in to peoples’ needs and use Christ’s model for loving and caring for them — no judging — just connecting needs with gifts and resources”.
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Great Coffee
Our cafe is still in the works, but our coffee will be amazing.
