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Good Honey is a social enterprise - a business with a missional focus - born of a partnership between Tabernacle Community Church and Grand Rapids Nehemiah Project. 

When leadership at TCC learned of a grant opportunity that could help launch a new social enterprise God drew out the possibility of a business surrounding beekeeping. Our existing partnership with the Grand Rapids Nehemiah Project provided quick access to a parent company to oversee the operations of a new enterprise. GRNP is the parent company of two other social enterprises - Building Bridges Professional Services and Rising Grinds Cafe. 

Don Rewa, a founding member of TCC has been keeping bees since the 70’s and his passion and insights combined with the opportunity to begin a business led to this incredible learning experience. Don is passionate about teaching The Gospel According to Honeybees - an ongoing collection of insights and observations he has assembled over the years. Good Honey hopes to share his work as the business progresses.

We received the aforementioned grant from the inVocation Project at Hope College, and hit the ground running. Through recurring team development meetings and a course on team development through Call to Work, our “year 1” came into focus. Our grandiose dreams were recorded and our attempt at a realistic beginning was narrowed down. 

In 2020-2021 we formed a team, formulated a plan, changed the plan multiple times and in the process we learned about business development, beekeeping, and the ways we can see the Gospel According to the Honeybee. 

Don took point on keeping and caring for our 10 hives with weekly checks, multiple mite checks and one hive extermination. Others joined him periodically to assist and learn more about beekeeping. We harvested around 24 gallons of honey! Praise God for his good gifts.

Honey sales are currently underway. You can find Good Honey at Rising Grinds Cafe and at the Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation while supplies last.

We look forward to more development, refinement and excitement in year two!