Clarification

In my earlier post, "Keep Spreading the Word," I said this about "The Crave" coffee house "mission project" of the LCMS: "Now, as folks listen to the praise/rock band at the Saturday evening "service," they can also sip their latte, eat their Pesto Crusted Grilled Cheese (check the menu), and even get up and go for seconds while the band jams on for Jesus."

A concerned friend just emailed me with a possible 8th Commandment alert. This friend does not at all support "The Crave" and even agrees with me that it is sacrilegious and a problematic use (at best) of our mission monies. Regarding the above quote, though, my friend says: "While I have never worshipped there on a Sat evening… and never intend to do so… it is my understanding that they CLOSE the coffee bar during worship services… no food, coffee or other drink is served during that time… and the live music / rock bands …live entertainment starts later in the evening… 8:30 I think…"

Okay, fair enough. I may very well misunderstand the time schedule. I was simply piecing together two bits of information from the menu found on the Crave website. First, the Saturday hours for "The Crave" cafe are listed as 2:00-8:00 p.m. Second, the "CRAVE Worship" is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., right in the middle of that time when the cafe is listed as open. While the menu does not explicitly say that the cafe/coffee bar closes down during that 5:30 worship time slot, I'll certainly allow for that possibility. Perhaps they need to clarify so that dopes like me don't step in it and cause others to do so as well. (Hmm. Would that make me more inclined to take in a "CRAVE Worship," if they close down the food and drink bar? Nah!!)

Then, on the other hand, one pastor friend of mine who did attend a "CRAVE Worship" a while back did make the comment about how odd it was to sit in a "worship service" while the person next to him was munching on his reuben sandwich. So, even if the Crave cafe is not open during the "worship" time, it would appear that the eating and drinking still take place concurrently with the "worship." To that, St. Paul's words certainly do seem appropriate (and thanks, Pr. Weedon, for pointing this out!): "What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?" (1 Corinthians 11:22).