Full disclosure: I'm a pastor. Yeah, like, at a church. In particular, I'm a Lutheran pastor, and so beer kind of comes with the territory. (Check out this NPR article if you want to read into that.)
The reason I lay this out there is pastors usually have a lot on their mind. And for me, what has been on my mind a lot lately is community.
Churches used to be the center of the community. It was where one went to socialize and see friends on a regular basis. People would ask how your mother was doing. You could be fed on multiple levels: literally with pot-lucks, spiritually with worship, socially by being with those in your community.
It's not news that the Church's central place in the community has slipped from what it was just a few decades ago. There are lots of reasons for this, but that's another post for another time. But even for those who do participate in worship on regular occasion, rarely does sitting in a church for an hour enhance community among nearby pew-sitters.
Contrast this with the beer scene. I'm not talking about the smoky, dark bars that serve yellow, fizzy drinks. (Though, I bet community happens even there.) I'm thinking more of the craft beer scene at welcoming, open restaurants, taprooms, and breweries. People show up at these places; these locales have become key in building communities.
I'll just use myself as an example. My family and I have a few set places we hit pretty consistently. We're what you'd call "regulars," and at these places are other regulars. We actually look forward to seeing each other! This is a place to gather and chat. We socialize and see friends. We check in on each other's families. You know, do what church does - or what church used to do.
Our kids play together and create bonds. We adults get into conversations - sometimes meaningless ones, sure, but often they lead somewhere deeper. These are places where we can get into good conversations about things that matter. Sometimes, we even talk about God.
Breweries and Taprooms are where people are forming community these days. They find support and camaraderie, conversation and a sense of belonging. Isn't that what Church should be? Could be?
While some think Church and beer are on opposite ends of the spectrum, I don't think they have to be. Maybe they should be brought together more than they are. Inject one into the other, creating a place of honest, open reflection and conversation. A community of support. A place of belonging.
True community deserves that. True community needs that. And faith can be found, even over a pint.
Cheers,
Jason
The reason I lay this out there is pastors usually have a lot on their mind. And for me, what has been on my mind a lot lately is community.
Churches used to be the center of the community. It was where one went to socialize and see friends on a regular basis. People would ask how your mother was doing. You could be fed on multiple levels: literally with pot-lucks, spiritually with worship, socially by being with those in your community.
It's not news that the Church's central place in the community has slipped from what it was just a few decades ago. There are lots of reasons for this, but that's another post for another time. But even for those who do participate in worship on regular occasion, rarely does sitting in a church for an hour enhance community among nearby pew-sitters.
Contrast this with the beer scene. I'm not talking about the smoky, dark bars that serve yellow, fizzy drinks. (Though, I bet community happens even there.) I'm thinking more of the craft beer scene at welcoming, open restaurants, taprooms, and breweries. People show up at these places; these locales have become key in building communities.
I'll just use myself as an example. My family and I have a few set places we hit pretty consistently. We're what you'd call "regulars," and at these places are other regulars. We actually look forward to seeing each other! This is a place to gather and chat. We socialize and see friends. We check in on each other's families. You know, do what church does - or what church used to do.
Our kids play together and create bonds. We adults get into conversations - sometimes meaningless ones, sure, but often they lead somewhere deeper. These are places where we can get into good conversations about things that matter. Sometimes, we even talk about God.
Breweries and Taprooms are where people are forming community these days. They find support and camaraderie, conversation and a sense of belonging. Isn't that what Church should be? Could be?
While some think Church and beer are on opposite ends of the spectrum, I don't think they have to be. Maybe they should be brought together more than they are. Inject one into the other, creating a place of honest, open reflection and conversation. A community of support. A place of belonging.
True community deserves that. True community needs that. And faith can be found, even over a pint.
Cheers,
Jason
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