"Beer & Bible": Sharing God's Word outside of Church

Martin Luther believed keeping the Sabbath simply meant setting aside time for God’s Word. And that’s exactly the opportunity Calvary Lutheran Church in Cranford offers through their “Beer & Bible” ministry. The chance to set aside time for God in the middle of the week.

Everyone is welcome to “Beer & Bible”. The discussion group is held monthly at the Cranford Hotel. This year the group, led by Calvary’s Pastor Carol Lindsay, is focusing on the teachings of Martin Luther and how they influence faith.

“Beer & Bible” takes God out of the church building and to the people. Participant Marsha Stoltz says, “You go out and maybe you don’t pull people in, but you’re a presence. You’re part of the community.”

The evening starts with prayer, and then someone reads out loud as others eat and listen. The conversation is thought provoking and respectful. No one believes in God the exact same way, and that’s something this group thrives on. As Jorge Santos says, “You get to express views and hear other people’s views that you don’t get to do with the congregation in church.”

The night ends with the Lord’s Prayer and Holy Communion. There’s something extremely moving about saying the Lord’s Prayer as a group in the middle of a busy restaurant. Voices raised just enough to be able to hear each other over the noise of the bar. That’s followed by Holy Communion, the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the wine. Pastor Carol believes that offering Communion is what makes this outreach ministry a little different from others. “I felt very strongly that if we were going to bring this out into the community I felt it would really wrap up the whole package. If it wasn’t just Word but it was also Sacrament.”

For some, this is how they worship on a regular basis. For others, it’s a chance to hear and discuss God’s Word. At the end, another prayer is offered and then folks get up and go their separate ways, fortified by God’s Word and sacrament until the next time. The next “Beer & Bible” is Wednesday, April 25 at The Cranford Hotel. People begin gathering between 6:30pm and 7pm.