When I was younger, and not all that many years ago, I never saw anyone drinking coffee or water in church, not even bringing a cup of coffee into the sanctuary before or after the service. Movie theaters, of course, allowed eating and drinking in the auditorium, but bringing beverages or munchies into a live stage productions in non-arena settings was forbidden.

When I was director of music at Normandy United Methodist Church in South Dayton, I seldom saw one of my favorite gentlemen and choir singers, Ron Thie and Bob Koogler, without a cup of coffee in their hands. It was unique.

The trend for needing drink and food for everything has changed. Drastically. It’s been flipped. You can worship in churches with a drink in one hand and a donut in the other. The worship centers that promote lots of hand raising seem to be well choreographed so that parishioners are not speaking in tongues when they’ve actually been scalded by flying coffee.

I’m old fashioned. I cannot drink a beverage or eat a snack during a church service or theatre production. At one church I attended with my sons, there was one gentleman who brought donuts to church. As parishioners gathered, Mike would walk to the end of each pew with the open box of donuts, and silently thrust it forward. The Sons were hesitant at first, but I could not deprive them of delicious donuts despite the fact we had weekly communion with pretty good tasting bread.

I could not eat a donut in church. Some invisible chain kept me bound to the pew. I might take a bottle of water into a theatrical event but it must be one made of harder plastic so it doesn’t crinkle out loud.

Now, outdoor concerts or theatrical events are just not the same. I’ve generally packed a cooler and I’m in grazing mode the remainder of the evening.

Seldom do we see others without a cup, plastic water bottle, soda or juice bottle, or reusable water bottles in their hands wherever we go. It’s now a part of our culture, which is a culturally healthy thing.

A cell phone in one hand and a cup or bottle in the other.

Cheers!