In the past few weeks there have been several articles about coffee in The Chronicle plus letters to the editor. Most of the letters have been about the bikini baristas, but at least one article was about “Lattes for the Lord.” The lattes in that story were prepared and sold in churches.
I had to smile with the discussion about coffee in church. When I was growing up and attending a Lutheran church (from birth), coffee was a rite of passage. I have a good friend who spent her youth in Oakes, N.D., (not too far across the state line from Sisseton, S.D., famed hometown of fellow columnist Gordon Aadland). I won’t mention the name of this friend, but we often laugh about how being served a cup of coffee at church became the actual moment when you turned from youth to grown-up.
In those days, the Rite of Confirmation was also the Rite of First Communion. I won’t go into all the theological details, but as far as the church rituals were concerned, being confirmed and taking communion meant that you were a full-fledged adult member of the church.
For many of us, confirmation involved a public affirmation of our baptism, and after the pastor had finished the ceremony, it was time for the first communion. For Lutherans, it meant a dry wafer and wine. Years ago, this happened when you were about 14 years old, or junior high. To think of a dry wafer and a small glass of wine was most intimidating. Would you choke on the wafer, or would the wine be sour? Of course, there were all sorts of rumors passed around by all the kids. You knew the pastor would frown if there were any faces made.
It was at that point you became on an even par with the rest of the adults in the congregation, except for drinking coffee. It took a bold step to go to the basement after church, and ask for a cup of coffee. It was even bolder to ask for cream and two cubes of sugar. At 14, you couldn’t stand plain coffee, and that was what separated the youth from the older Swedes and Norwegians, who had to have strong black coffee.
Fast forward to today, and we have all sorts of flavors, lattes, chai tea, and anything a Starbucks can offer, all in church, for all ages. Times have changed.
I do know of one local congregation that had several discussions about bringing coffee into the church service. In their talks, I wonder if it was like one old Norwegian I knew who spent a long time trying to find the word “coffee” in the Bible.
The City of Peace
Chehalis has spent several months trying to come up with a new nickname or logo, to replace the City of Roses. The study has been shelved for now. Centralia is often called Hub City, or earlier, the City of Azaleas.
I’ve noticed that there has been a group outside the Centralia Post Office now and then. They are asking for the impeachment of President Obama. I guess it’s the right they have, as well as the right of the peaceful protesters that appear almost weekly in Washington Park, both respectful groups.
Now, there is a large peace sign that has appeared on the northeast side of the Harrison I-5 interchange. It must be 30 feet across or larger. It’s been burned into the grass somehow. I don’t know who did it. Do you? Mowing hasn’t eliminated it, so it’s going to be around for a while.
Maybe Centralia could become the City of Peace, or Peaceful Protest. That’s not necessarily a bad moniker, and all at no cost.
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Paul Crowner, a retired Centralia music educator, can be contacted at PaulCrowner@RainierConnect.com.
