Beer n' Hymns

[Belsnickel]

So this is something that has been popping up around the country. Groups of people are meeting up at bars/breweries/brewpubs/wherever and drinking beer and singing hymns. Sounds pretty simple. I went to one for the first time last evening.

We have a group of folks that meet at local taprooms in the area and talk about life and drink good beer. It's an informal faith group and mostly folks from our ELCA church. Last month they decided to go to a beer n' hymns event over the mountains at Blue Mountain Brewery. Unfortunately, I came down with something and was in no condition to go anywhere, let alone be drinking, so I missed out. They had such a good time, though, that they decided we should do something similar here. Given that we have at least 4 breweries with taprooms within our city limits, we figured we should definitely make this happen.

So we set everything up and Brothers Craft Brewing welcomed us. So about 20 of us, from newly minted legal drinkers to a silver haired contingent, sat around from 6-8 last evening singing hymns and drinking beer. It was a pretty awesome experience, I have to say. There were a couple of people that came and went that weren't a part of the group, but not many. We aren't a very evangelistic group in the American sense of the word, despite our denomination's name, so we just sat and sang all evening.

For those that are Christian, what do you think about events like these? For those that aren't, if you were in a place like the taproom and there was a group singing hymns but not approaching you about faith or anything, how would you feel in that environment?

[GMDino]

(04-04-2016, 08:53 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: So this is something that has been popping up around the country. Groups of people are meeting up at bars/breweries/brewpubs/wherever and drinking beer and singing hymns. Sounds pretty simple. I went to one for the first time last evening.

We have a group of folks that meet at local taprooms in the area and talk about life and drink good beer. It's an informal faith group and mostly folks from our ELCA church. Last month they decided to go to a beer n' hymns event over the mountains at Blue Mountain Brewery. Unfortunately, I came down with something and was in no condition to go anywhere, let alone be drinking, so I missed out. They had such a good time, though, that they decided we should do something similar here. Given that we have at least 4 breweries with taprooms within our city limits, we figured we should definitely make this happen.

So we set everything up and Brothers Craft Brewing welcomed us. So about 20 of us, from newly minted legal drinkers to a silver haired contingent, sat around from 6-8 last evening singing hymns and drinking beer. It was a pretty awesome experience, I have to say. There were a couple of people that came and went that weren't a part of the group, but not many. We aren't a very evangelistic group in the American sense of the word, despite our denomination's name, so we just sat and sang all evening.

For those that are Christian, what do you think about events like these? For those that aren't, if you were in a place like the taproom and there was a group singing hymns but not approaching you about faith or anything, how would you feel in that environment?

I am for anything that brings people together.  

Now personally I'd rather sit around and discuss dogma than sing hymns....but as I said in another thread:  If your belief isn't hurting anyone have at it!  So it sounds like a good time!  

[Benton]

(04-04-2016, 08:58 AM)GMDino Wrote: I am for anything that brings people together.  

Now personally I'd rather sit around and discuss dogma than sing hymns....but as I said in another thread:  If your belief isn't hurting anyone have at it!  So it sounds like a good time!  

Agreed. I'm not much of a singer (only words I can remember are skynard and modest mouse songs), but id be down with a beer and bible read night.

[*michaelsean*]

I no longer drink, and I can't sing. Therefore your meeting is exclusionary and I want it shut down.

[GMDino]

(04-04-2016, 09:09 AM)michaelsean Wrote: I no longer drink, and I can't sing. Therefore your meeting is exclusionary and I want it shut down.

Now THAT is some of that old timey religion right there!

[fredtoast]

Do you have to pretend that the beer is the blood of Christ?

Maybe pretzels for his body?

[Belsnickel]

(04-04-2016, 08:58 AM)GMDino Wrote: I am for anything that brings people together.  

Now personally I'd rather sit around and discuss dogma than sing hymns....but as I said in another thread:  If your belief isn't hurting anyone have at it!  So it sounds like a good time!  

(04-04-2016, 09:01 AM)Benton Wrote: Agreed. I'm not much of a singer (only words I can remember are skynard and modest mouse songs), but id be down with a beer and bible read night.

Well, that is actually what our main group is about. It's called "Life on Tap" and what we do is get together twice a month to drink and talk faith. So this is something in addition to that.

(04-04-2016, 11:08 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Do you have to pretend that the beer is the blood of Christ?

Maybe pretzels for his body?

We are Lutherans and we don't do the transubstantiation thing. However, although it is not explicitly stated, the reason we say that God is in the bread and the wine of the Eucharist is because God is in all things. So, God is in the beer and pretzels as well!

[Rotobeast]

(04-04-2016, 08:53 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: So this is something that has been popping up around the country. Groups of people are meeting up at bars/breweries/brewpubs/wherever and drinking beer and singing hymns. Sounds pretty simple. I went to one for the first time last evening.

We have a group of folks that meet at local taprooms in the area and talk about life and drink good beer. It's an informal faith group and mostly folks from our ELCA church. Last month they decided to go to a beer n' hymns event over the mountains at Blue Mountain Brewery. Unfortunately, I came down with something and was in no condition to go anywhere, let alone be drinking, so I missed out. They had such a good time, though, that they decided we should do something similar here. Given that we have at least 4 breweries with taprooms within our city limits, we figured we should definitely make this happen.

So we set everything up and Brothers Craft Brewing welcomed us. So about 20 of us, from newly minted legal drinkers to a silver haired contingent, sat around from 6-8 last evening singing hymns and drinking beer. It was a pretty awesome experience, I have to say. There were a couple of people that came and went that weren't a part of the group, but not many. We aren't a very evangelistic group in the American sense of the word, despite our denomination's name, so we just sat and sang all evening.

For those that are Christian, what do you think about events like these? For those that aren't, if you were in a place like the taproom and there was a group singing hymns but not approaching you about faith or anything, how would you feel in that environment?

I think it seems ok, religiously speaking.

Honestly though, if I were to walk into the place where your group were singing, I'd walk back out.
If I go out, I want to do my own thing and not have another people's activities bleed over into mine.

[Belsnickel]

(04-04-2016, 12:13 PM)Rotobeast Wrote: I think it seems ok, religiously speaking.

Honestly though, if I were to walk into the place where your group were singing, I'd walk back out.
If I go out, I want to do my own thing and not have another people's activities bleed over into mine.

And I totally get that. That's one reason we went with Sunday evenings. Not much of a crowd out on those evenings.

[Rotobeast]

(04-04-2016, 12:18 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: And I totally get that. That's one reason we went with Sunday evenings. Not much of a crowd out on those evenings.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be angry or anything.
I'd probably chuckle, come to the conclusion that you were there first, and if I wanted a more quite evening I'd go elsewhere.

[Belsnickel]

(04-04-2016, 01:27 PM)Rotobeast Wrote: Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be angry or anything.
I'd probably chuckle, come to the conclusion that you were there first, and if I wanted a more quite evening I'd go elsewhere.

I know, I got that from your statement. It's also one reason we would like to make it a more regular thing. If the brewery we take over for the evening has us up on their board and/or website as an event each month then it is clear that anyone in there not with our group will be subjected to poorly vocalized religious songs that may get progressively worse as the evening runs on (though we will perceive them as better). I want to avoid the people unhappy because here we come rolling in and they didn't know. It's to the benefit of the brewery as much as us.

[Vas Deferens]

At first I would think it was neat, then I'd realize what I was listening to and just walk out. For everyone's best interest. I have the luxury of a LOT of options though.

A group of people are getting together and having a good time is always a good thing. No need for me to get in the way of that.