...to think that bringing your morning coffee to church is a bit inappropriate?

[NannyPlumsSnarkyWand]

I'm pretty sure I'm just being a judgy old gimmer - thought a Sunday morning AIBU thrashing would be in order.

Just passed a group of school mums as they were coming back from church. They were all carrying portable coffee flasks and sipping from them.

I mean, yes I understand the need for coffee in the morning, but part of me thought - is there really such a pressing need to bring your coffee to a formal church service? Can you really not go a whole hour (less actually) without coffee? And then there's something just a bit odd about it. You're going to church, not the theatre, I don't know - my experience of church services is formal. It would have been seen as inappropriate to bring coffee - you have your tea and coffee after the service - but then as I say, maybe I'm just an old gimmer. Is this normal at church now?

So just to caveat this - no, it doesn't occupy a great deal of my thoughts; yes, I do have other more important things to worry about; yes I do have friends; no, I'm not judging their worth as people based on whether they drink coffee during the service or not, I just had a passing thought and wondered what others thought.

[whatthejiggeries]

Well I take a coffee to the early morning service. Sorry - the vicar doesn't mind so I don't see why you do

[thesevenhillsofhome]

Jesus welcomed everyone.

[VestaTilley]

YANBU. I’d find it disrespectful and shows they’re not treating the service with sufficient dignity.

However, I’m a high Anglican. If they were at a modern evangelical church that does “messy church” and all the other things I consider to be nonsense, then I wouldn’t find it so surprising.

But yes, if it was the parish church or Mass then they were being disrespectful.

[theleafandnotthetree]

@LittleMissPlant

You’ve no idea of that individual persons needs - medically, emotionally etc.

Just stop judging! Get a grip

Sorry what? What possible medical or emotional need could drinking coffee at/after mass fulfill. This takes the old 'you don't know what's going on with someone' to new levels of batshittery.

[TellmewhoIam]

FWIW though I fast before Mass and often plan to stop at a café after, I feel 'fed' after Communion and so far haven't felt the need to stop at a café. This may be spiritual or psychological. However, not everyone takes communion when it's offered. And not all church services are celebrations of the Eucharist. HOWEVER especially at 'time of the month' I can get sick or faint suddenly, without a drink/snack, in non-church situations. Which is to say some people may genuinely need their coffee or whatever.

[SallyCinnabon]

I suppose it's a bit of a casual attitude which permeates every part of life now. I suppose Jesus would just be glad that they'd turned up.

I’m sure Jesus cares less about coffee drinking in church and more about some of the questionable activities the actual church get up to

[theleafandnotthetree]

@TellmewhoIam

FWIW though I fast before Mass and often plan to stop at a café after, I feel 'fed' after Communion and so far haven't felt the need to stop at a café. This may be spiritual or psychological. However, not everyone takes communion when it's offered. And not all church services are celebrations of the Eucharist. HOWEVER especially at 'time of the month' I can get sick or faint suddenly, without a drink/snack, in non-church situations. Which is to say some people may genuinely need their coffee or whatever.

In the few minutes it takes to get home? That's a bit feeble isn't it? I really wonder sometimes how we have managed to survive this long as a species. I'm nothing special fitness wise and I go for a proper 2 hour hike every Sunday with steep hills etc and unless it's very warm, don't even bring a bottle of water.

[Mrstamborineman]

Move with the times. Coffee times are here to stay. Surely Christian people most especially need to be open minded about keeping congregations alive, being welcoming is the first step. Non judgemental, broad minded about the motivations of others. Perhaps they are busy and they enjoy their coffee whilst sat listening to something important to them - is not so bad ??

[UrAWizHarry]

Oh noes, people drinking coffee while praising Jesus. Whatever next.

[vdbfamily]

our church has 2 services with coffee in the middle so a lot of us go into second service with our coffee. Church also provided everyone with insulated, reusable cups to bring each week so we are not throwing away 200 paper copies each week. I know another church where you turn up for a continental breakfasts and service starts whilst everyone is still munching. Early church revolved around meeting, eating and worshipping together and we have separated it all out.

[TellmewhoIam]

@theleafandnotthetree 🤣 ok this is unreal

[DaisyWaldron]

@VestaTilley, I don't really understand why it would be disrespectful. All the churches I've regularly attended have been pretty formal Anglo-Catholic ones, with lots of incense and genuflecting and the occasional biretta and people caring a lot about liturgy and vestments etc, and tea/coffee and biscuits after the service has been absolutely standard at every single one.

[Somanysocks]

Or, if you have no relationship with the church, or any church in fact, mind your own business.

[TellmewhoIam]

I have just been to RC Mass and a walk, and I wish there were a Protestant traybake waiting for late night munching.

[Penistoe]

Gosh you religious types get upset at the silliest of things. They are drinking coffee ffs! The more I think about this thread the more it seems unbelievably insanely petty.

I wish I had your problems.

[Zhampagne]

@VestaTilley

YANBU. I’d find it disrespectful and shows they’re not treating the service with sufficient dignity.

However, I’m a high Anglican. If they were at a modern evangelical church that does “messy church” and all the other things I consider to be nonsense, then I wouldn’t find it so surprising.

But yes, if it was the parish church or Mass then they were being disrespectful.

You make Messy Church sound like Get Your Own Back with Dave Benson-Philips. It’s just a children’s service with a craft based on scripture and some shared food. Our Anglo-Catholic, bells ’n’ smells church does it.

[Ilovelove]

Having a coffee was the only thing that would motivate me to actually go and get me through it. I hate going so much because its full of judgemental people like Vesta Tilley. Who in the world wants to spend any time with people like that.

[Nohomemadecandles]

I'm nothing special fitness wise and I go for a proper 2 hour hike every Sunday with steep hills etc and unless it's very warm, don't even bring a bottle of water.

That's just silly. You should never go for a hike without water. Talk about martyring yourself...

[Somanysocks]

@Penistoe I think you'll find it's the 'non religious' types that seem to have a problem.

[theleafandnotthetree]

@Nohomemadecandles

I'm nothing special fitness wise and I go for a proper 2 hour hike every Sunday with steep hills etc and unless it's very warm, don't even bring a bottle of water.

That's just silly. You should never go for a hike without water. Talk about martyring yourself...

I'm not martyring myself, I just forgot the first few times and didn't really feel the lack of it. This obsession with permanentlty swigging out of water bottles like we were doing ultra marathons in the Gobi desert is a pretty modern affectation. I like to walk free and unencumbered. I live in the West of Ireland, collapsing from heat exhaustion or dehydration isn't an everyday occurence, believe me. Doesn't stop the water schleppers though....and the majority of those are single use plastic bottles. I litter pick on the roads around my village and they are bloody full of them. Have a glass of tap water before you go, one when you gst home, sorted. And before anyone chimes in with medical conditions, I'm talking about most people, most of the time.

[Lucyccfc68]

It’s coffee, not vodka. What’s the big deal?

[mustlovegin]

I wouldn't mind TBH

[mrbreezeet1]

A lot of men can't do anything without a can of beer in their hand.
Shovel in one hand, can of beer in the other.

[DeepaBeesKit]

..... zombie thread. Newsflash its October.