.....the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink,
they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink;
they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
Isaiah 28:7
"Rev Graeme Dutton, minister of the Bradford South Methodist Circuit and a big real ale fan, is holding his Easter service in the Bradford Brewery, where, between hymns, he will give his blessing to some barrels of locally-brewed beers to wish them a safe journey on their way to pubs across the district.The service marks the beginning of the 31-year-old’s boozy mission to bring God to the bar. He has called it St Arnold’s Pub Church ministry – named after St Arnold of Metz, Patron Saint of beer and brewing, noting that some of the world’s best brewers are monks.
Each Monday evening from 13 April, the brewery will host “The Vicar’s Inn”, when Dutton will be available in the venue’s Brewfactory to chat to the faithful and faithless alike.
He insists he will not engage in any in-your-face evangelising, disturbing those who go to the pub for a quiet pint on a Monday: “I’m not looking to bother anybody. I will be there so that people can approach me. It’s not about trying to go in and impose anything on anybody. I just think there may be a number of people who might just want somebody to talk to, knowing that they are not being in any way judged. I want them to be able to ask all the questions about church they’ve always wanted to ask but haven’t been able to.”
