HOLY WEEK IN THE BARS

I think I noted this in an earlier post, but this year Holy Week coincides with my monthly bar visits (otherwise known as "Theology on Tap"). Because of Maundy Thursday, I moved my Thursday visits to Tuesday.

Monday at the Mill Creek had a decent crowd and some good conversations about firefighting, sports, Holy Week, and other sundry topics. Before I left, one of the patrons requested a prayer. So everyone in the bar gathered around, held hands, and I did what the majority of Episcopalians hate to do --- spontaneous prayer. I do not like to do prayers off the cuff like that; but it comes with the job, so I've learned. I do a pretty decent job, really. I don't end up wandering too long and looking for a way to escape the prayer. More importantly, I manage to avoid the word "just."

Last night I was at the Pioneer and The Sump. There was another decent crowd up in VC and I chatted with a couple of the guys who worked on the roof/bell tower project. I couldn't stay long because the school had their annual spring concert (which, btw, The Kid played wonderfully). Afterwards I wandered down to The Sump. There was a good crowd there and I talked with several people as I made my way down the bar.

I ended up parking myself with a quartet of people. I talked with one of them about his son who is dying of cancer over in Seattle. Two of them invited my family over to dinner after Easter. They all shared stories about 4-wheeling. I was complimented more than once on how I treat people in the bar (as in, "You don't look down on us or have any kind of superior attitude"). And two of them pinky-promised each other that they would go to the Easter Vigil at 6:15 a.m.

I have one more stop tonight at The Stockman, then I launch into Holy Week services.

And if Monday and Tuesday are any indication, my friends in the bars have already put the "holy" into Holy Week.