Hipsters and Church at Greenpoint's Cafe Grumpy

We've dig Cafe Grumpy on Meserole Ave. in Greenpoint, but haven't been there on any Sunday nights, so we didn't know that it's serving up faith in addition to espresso. The Daily News scores with a fun story today about the congregation that's been having services there since July. We'll let writers David Freedlander and Melissa Grace explain:

While Greenpoint hipsters sip lattes and leaf through the Sunday papers at Café Grumpy on Meserole Ave., a fervent group of young neighborhood churchgoers prays behind them.

"I am evil, born in sin," chant worshipers in the newly established Williamsburg Church.

Since July, a congregation of 15 has been gathering on Sunday nights in a nook in the back of the cafe, an area that operates as an art gallery the rest of the week.

"A church isn't a building, it's a people," said pastor Robert Elkin, who moved to Brooklyn six months ago to open the church.

Elkin is a member of the Heritage Bible Church, a 1,400-person evangelical group based in Greer, S.C. The born-again missionaries hope to open churches across the country, particularly in areas where religion isn't at the top of people's to-do lists.

"It's a ripe environment, but it's a challenge," said Elkin, who sees "hedonism" in Williamsburg and Greenpoint's youth culture.

The group's target audience is hip, young New Yorkers who have ignored God for too long - and have been overlooked by God's messengers.

The community-oriented, nondenominational flavor of the coffee-shop church has appealed to local artists.

The church rents the space at Cafe Grumpy, which is at 193 Meserole Ave. They make a good espresso.