Coffee at church

[Salty]

What do you do with a dual use facility, especially in cases where a church rents a secular venue?

Two specific examples come to mind:

1. My friend's church used to meet in a public school auditorium
2. My sister's church meets in a movie theatre

Both of the above secular venues are fully operational and, in the case of my sister's church, it is fully expected that food and drinks will be present. They are a satellite location and the "service" is shown on the screen

Then I defer you back to what Rev Mitchell said:

Ok I did not say we worship by whether or not we have coffee. Setting aside a sanctuary as a sanctified place of worship to be treated as special lends a sense of reverence you do not get otherwise. That reverence is important and it is our responsibility.

 

[JamesL]

Reverence for....?

 

[Use of Time]

I seem to be able to have coffee without it being a distraction in church. Next week I'll attempt to master chewing bubble gum while walking.

 

[OnlyaSinner]

The old Baptists would reject that a church building is "sanctified." They would consider the buildings "meeting halls." Now, they would think some things unacceptable in those confines, but they would not make the mistake of thinking that pieces of property were somehow holy because a church met there, anymore than the original Christians would consider their homes "holy."

This makes sense. The NT makes no metion of purpose-specific buildings for church meetings, yet it is obvious that some such meetings were held inside of buildings. I think having a convenient location for believers to meet and worship together and hear God's word preached is sensible and not in any way anti-biblical. (Though like any earthly thing, it can become anti-biblical depending on one's heart condition.)

As for coffee and such, only outside then main auditorium, wher clear beverages and medical items are allowed but other foods not, simply to help in keeping the room clean. Downstairs where there is easily cleanable flooring, there's no such restriction. We do not intentionally seek donations from those outside the "church family" (regular attendees, which goes beyond membership rolls), though the offering plates are passed around in the usual fashion Sunday morning and evening. No food or drink is ever sold, but if food is pruchased for some event, a teen meeting, rehearsal for Christmas or resurrection presentation, etc, donations are asked but no one "keeps score" as to who actually donates.

 

[preachinjesus]

So I suppose you have never been in a church where NO beverages are allowed during the church service?

Oh I've been to one or two...I just never went back. :smilewinkgrin:

Truth be told, I grew up in a church that had a sanctuary where the expectation was that drinks weren't allowed. We never posted anything we just didn't have them there. Coffee was, however, copiously distributed in the fellowship hall and Sunday School rooms.

Where I currently serve, if you want to bring in coffee that's fine by us. We've got cupholders too.

 

[plain_n_simple]

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

 

[wpe3bql]

I don't know how many people know this, but were you aware that the great composer J. S. Bach actually wrote a cantata about coffee?

That's right, Bach (1685-1750) composed his so-called "Coffee Cantata," BWV. 211 in the early 1730's [The exact date isn't known, but most Bach "experts" claim it was composed between 1732-1735.].

The cantata's libretto (written by C. F. Henrici [a/k/a Picander]) suggests that some people in 18th century Germany viewed coffee drinking as a bad habit. It features lines like, "If I couldn't, three times a day, be allowed to drink my little cup of coffee, in my anguish, I will turn into a shriveled-up goat!"

The principal male role--an older man named Schlendrian [Literally: "Stick in the mud."] threatens to prevent his daughter Lieschren from marrying if she fails to give up coffee.

This she refuses to do, although she gives her father the pretense that she will forego this pleasure if he relents and let's her marry her unnamed lover (Who must allow her to drink her coffee if he wishes to become her husband.).

This, of course, he does because both young lovers agree that "drinking coffee is natural"!!:thumbs: