Meet Jesus over a pint at a church in the pub
A CITY church is preparing to offer more than a prayer and a pint when it starts to meet in a pub.
Members of St Leonard's Church are launching the initiative which will see regular Tuesday night meetings held at The Hourglass in Melbourne Street.
The Reverend Nick Gowers said the aim of St Leonard's Unplugged was to invite more people to meet Jesus, but in an environment that may be perceived by some to be more informal and more accessible than a Sunday church service.
He said: "Some people will ask, 'Should we be meeting in a pub?' But Jesus met people where they were at without joining people in their sin.
"We recognise that for some people the venue might be unhelpful or inappropriate but we are trying to create an environment that is both distinctively Christian and as non-threatening and as easy as possible to invite friends to."
The group behind the project says it wants people to imagine putting "a St Leonard's church service, a home group, an evangelistic event and a pub into a blender" for sessions which will include drinks, a Bible reading, discussion and prayer.
"Our congregation is growing all the time," said Nick. "But we can't always wait for people to come to us. In our parish and beyond, there are far more people who don't know Jesus than do.
"God did not wait, he sent his son to us on Earth to spread the Christian message and we now want to provide the opportunity for people to come to know Jesus.
"We also realise that Christians do not have a monopoly on Sunday any more. Sunday morning services will of course continue but more and people are facing a choice between Jesus and work, Jesus and sport, even Jesus and a lie-in, so we need to be available at a time which suits all people."
St Leonard's Unplugged will not become a separate church in its own right and the organisers hope it will be seen as another St Leonard's congregation, albeit on a Tuesday.
"People can be part of this congregation and a Sunday congregation," said Nick, the curate of St Leonard's. "We do expect this to become the main congregation to some.
"We are looking for people with an evangelistic heart and people who have been looking for an opportunity to find out more about Jesus in this way."
The first meeting is due to take place on Tuesday, February 21, starting at 8pm and running until 9.30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the pub which can hold up to 40 people.
For more information, visit www.stlens.org.uk
14 Comments
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by SKoM_
Thursday, February 02 2012, 6:54PM
“Sorry
Particular”
by SKoM_
Thursday, February 02 2012, 6:53PM
“Only if you happen to believe your particulary book of myths”
by youngcornwall
Thursday, February 02 2012, 5:20PM
“@SKoM_
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1 john 1:18”
by SKoM_
Thursday, February 02 2012, 5:10PM
“youngcornwall
Speak for yourself”
by Goddard11
Thursday, February 02 2012, 5:09PM
“Regarding some of the comments on this page - I can't see what the problem is as the first miracle performed by Jesus was to turn water into wine!!! If you don't agree with the venue or the fact that alcohol is available (and you dont have to have a drink as I said before), simple thing is don't go but don't knock it until it has had chance to get off the ground for a while and then you have a right to say whether or not you think it is a good idea.
The Church gets bad enough publicity at the best of times - even when it tries to do something good!!!
Janet, Exeter”
by youngcornwall
Thursday, February 02 2012, 4:56PM
“by City_Blue
"Perhaps Janet (goddard11) can say then what Reverend Gower meant when he said: "Some people will ask, 'Should we be meeting in a pub?' But Jesus met people where they were at without joining people in their sin."
Simple, WE are all sinners, Jesus was without sin.”
by City_Blue
Thursday, February 02 2012, 4:11PM
“Perhaps Janet (goddard11) can say then what Reverend Gower meant when he said: "Some people will ask, 'Should we be meeting in a pub?' But Jesus met people where they were at without joining people in their sin."
He's suggesting something about pubs is a sin is he not? My reading of it is that he is saying that drinking alcohol is a sin. It's all very judgemental isn't it?
And I have already expressed my gratitude for the heads-up to avoid The Hour Glass on Tuesdays. It's the tone of Reverend Gower's interview that has got my goat.”
by youngcornwall
Thursday, February 02 2012, 3:51PM
“@Nick_Gowers
The church has compromised the word of God, and it is there that the followings of Jesus and His actions would be better put to work, starting with the kicking over of a few tables wouldn't go a miss imo,
I wish you all the very best in your new outreach work, the fields are ripe for harvest”
by Goddard11
Thursday, February 02 2012, 3:30PM
“What a great idea as it allows Jesus to be met where people are. It does not say that you are committing a sin by meeting in a pub as some have indicated here. Nothing to say you have to have a drink while at the meeting. Surely it is up to the individual whether or not they chose to go to the meeting. If you don't like the idea then don't go to the pub. I am sure there are other pubs in Exeter you could go to on a Tuesday or else you could use the Hourglass on another night. At least the Church is going where the people are and not just expecting them to go to Church!!!
Let's hope it goes from strength to strength and brings many into a faith in Jesus.
As a member of St Leonard's Church I for one think Church should be applauded and not knocked for coming up with a great idea.
Janet, Exeter”
by City_Blue
Thursday, February 02 2012, 3:00PM
“If you really are going to be having a drink (and they are alcoholic) perhaps you should rethink your view about not joining people in their "sin". The quote really does not do you any favours.”