“I'm so glad we came!”
“I can't wait until the next one!”
Those are just a few of the exclamations I heard as I waited for the Ladies restroom after the culmination of the first Beer & Hymns event in Orange County. Held at Durty Nelly's, a quaint little Irish pub in Costa Mesa, 50 or so patrons of all ages (well 21 and over of course) gathered to worship God with a pint (or a whiskey) in hand. Having worked at an Irish pub for 5 years this felt like home to me.
The first few songs were slightly awkward as people settled in to the “old-timey” rhythm of the hymns which feel & sound so very different from the contemporary worship we sing in most churches these days. But eventually, as the evening went on and the beer taps continued to flow, people were raising their pints, stomping their feet, and extolling their praises with gusto.
I could tell as I looked around the room that this night, these songs, were emitting such nostalgia in each person's heart & soul. I found myself turning to my roommate several times and saying “Oh I LOVE this one!” It was amazing to see how so few of us actually needed to look at the words in the hymnals once our temporal lobes kicked in to high gear recalling the lyrics, the melody, and the rhythm of the songs. For me, the episodic memories ran deep. As we sang “Crown Him with Many Crowns” I imagined my dad sitting next to me in the 3rd row pew at our old church belting out the lyrics with fervor. Tears sprung into my eyes as “The Old Rugged Cross” began, throwing me back to the bittersweet day of my Aunt Dee's funeral. The finale of “I'll Fly Away” stirred up such strong memories from church camp that I couldn't help but smile wide, clap and stomp my feet.
As my roommate and I drove home we couldn't stop talking about how much fun we had and thinking about who else we could invite to the next gathering on October 19th (at The Harp Inn in Costa Mesa – BE THERE!). Truly, as I lay my head on my pillow last night, my heart was warm and happy... and it wasn't from the 1 and ½ beers I had! The warmth was nostalgia and the comfort and joy that comes with good, hearty community!
As much as I'd like my post to end here, I feel compelled to address those that take issue with the concept of drinking beer and worshipping God together. To you, I really only have a few things to say...
First thing, I'm not here to argue the heart issue vs. salvation issue of alcohol consumption. It's a controversial topic to be sure and one that most people form their own opinion on and stick to. I'm not here to convince anyone that they should or shouldn't drink alcohol and I'm not going to throw around Bible verses to justify my choice for attending this event. I don't mind being challenged scripturally but I'm not a theologian and I'm a bit rusty on my apologetics, so I'll spare you the babbling and myself the hours of research. I think if you were to take some time to research you would be quite surprised to find that historically, alcohol (NOT drunkenness) has played a large role in Christian fellowship amongst many cultures.
Second, as a recovering addict myself, I am very aware that something like Beer & Hymns could potentially give the wrong message or ostracize a certain community of Believers (or non-Believers for that matter) that simply can't be around alcohol. I sympathize with that 100% and I feel safe saying that the organizers and attendees do as well. The reality is that we can't please 100% of the people all of the time and we can't organize events that EVERYONE will be able & willing to attend. Diversity is important and I believe the Church recognizes that, hence all the different types of ministries most churches offer. Not everyone is going to agree with Beers & Hymns or want to attend and that is OK! This is a unique event, attracting a unique community, something that makes it all the more special.
Lastly, this event really wasn't about drinking beer. Sure, it was held in a pub, and people were drinking beer, whiskey, wine, water, and soda. Yes, the name of the event is Beer & Hymns. These are not facts that escaped my attention. Despite that, this event was about Jesus and about fellowship and about fun. It was about cultural relevance and engaging a community of people who enjoy a libation from time to time and who wanted to gather together to sing some old hymns. I know that sounds simple, but sometimes simple is just what we need.
And that's what it was...
Simply a fun night, overflowing with a mutual love of Jesus & beer. Two things which are not mutually exclusive!
Check out the website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, etc. to stay up to date on the happenings in Orange County. If you like beer (or not!), music, community & Jesus, I can pretty much guarantee a good time!
