We Go to Church for the Carols (but not the Beer)

Woven Community, Fresno, California
When Mindy was researching church Christmas events and found “Beer and Carols,” we knew we had to go. We don’t only write this church blog, we also write a bar blog. It was obviously a must-go event for us.

Beer and Carols took place at Tree of Life, a restaurant in downtown Fresno (more about the venue on Saturday at Dean and Mindy Walk into a Bar). It’s a Wonderful Life was playing on the big screen, which was fitting, too. It’s a Christmas film with bar scenes and at least a cameo appearance by a church.

We ordered our drinks (there was a nifty beer tap, but we went another way). The folks behind the counter told us there were snacks on one of the tables for the carol sing, so we decided to hold off on ordering any other snacks after seeing the plates of Christmas cookies (I choose a stocking shaped sugar cookie) and tortilla chips with dip. “Beer and Carols” song books were stacked at one end of the table, so we each picked one up.

A few people were already sitting at the tables, one large family group eating dinner together before the singing got started. People greeted friends warmly; some folks had brought friends and/or family, and introductions were made all around. A man was playing Christmas music on a keyboard (including some Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown tunes); he was later introduced as E.J. Hinojosa.

The singing didn’t start promptly at 6:00 pm (scheduled starting time), but about at about ten after or so. April, a staff member of Woven Community Church, welcomed everyone to the fourth annual Beers and Carols event and kicked things off with “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” People joined in heartily.

Mostly we sang “church carols” (“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem”), but April introduced a song “for some of our favorite members of our community - those under five and those under five in their hearts.” That song was “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” and as happens with that song, people added extra bits. (“Like a lightbulb,” “Like Pinocchio,” and “Like Monopoly”)

After about half a dozen songs, a break was announced. We were next to a mother whose seven-year old was playing with another family’s toddler, leading to a pleasant conversation between Mindy and Elizabeth. I tracked down April to talk to her about the event and Woven Church.

April confirmed this was the fourth Beer and Carols event, which is especially impressive since the church is only a little over four years old. I asked who had the idea for the event, and she admitted it might have been hers. The first years, the event was held at Fresno Brewing Company, then it moved on to Mia Cuppa. That space has new owners and a new name since last Christmas, so this year, the event's moved to Tree of Life.

I asked what April thought were the best things about the Woven Community, and she said, “Woven is a place people are safe to be themselves. We have people who have been hurt and here they feel safe.”

The church website says that Woven Community started as a group of friends, many of them who hadn’t been going to church. In January of 2013 they began to meet and look at how they could be a place that would welcome outcasts and restore them into community. They wanted to make a place where people could “ask questions, share life with others, and practice gratefulness.” April obviously loves this church and the people in it.

Still, after we’d bought our drinks, picked up our songbooks, and sat down at a table, nobody connected with the church greeted us before the singing began, even though we at a table that shared a bench seat with others attending the event. (Well, someone asked to borrow a chair.)

I get it. People are excited to see friends and family, especially at Christmastime. We certainly don’t always notice newcomers at church and Mindy, especially, tends to feel uncomfortable greeting strangers. Still, it seemed like this was a small enough community that people might notice a table with isolated strangers to Woven who seemed to want to be part of the event (having picked up the songbooks and all).

The idea of Beer and Carols is a great one, and with the event ad on Facebook and various local bulletin boards, it seems likely that newcomers, maybe even people who don’t go to church, would come. Even people who were already at the restaurant and spontaneously decided to join in would likely appreciate a greeting. Such a wonderful opportunity to meet new folks shouldn’t be lost -- it would be a good thing for some people to intentionally look out for newcomers to the event.

We had a good time singing. April introduced the last song by saying, “We wouldn’t want to you to leave here without ruining your voices altogether” to lead into “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” “Five golden rings” was loudly stretched to the limit every time. As the gathering officially came to a close, everyone was invited to worship at Woven Community Sunday afternoon at their 5:00 pm gathering. I hope new people go, and are made quite welcome.