Recently I heard that, at a fairly significant gathering, someone had referred to the area in which I serve as "the latte drinking West End of Glasgow".  A comment that elicited suitable laughter from those who heard it - except those from our church.

Well, yes, I do drink lattes (as the title of this blog has proclaimed for over twelve years!) and I do serve in the West End of Glasgow but...

I have drunk lattes, purchased in an independent cafe, and carried up a treacherous flight of stone steps, with a 'shut-in' nonagenarian, whose life has been devoted to serving those on the margins of society, especially peopple with drug and alcohol dependency... And I regularly drink tea with some of them in a church hall.

I have eaten pizza, and drunk tea, in a nationwide multiple, with newly arrived asylum seekers, bewildered and bemused by all that is happening for them.

I have discussed Baptism with a convert from atheism, whilst supping tea in small cafe in one of the 'lanes' and Membership with assorted folk in tea shops.

I have bought meals at the fish and chip dine-in for homeless people vulnerably housed in a B&B

I have met EU nationals terrifed by the results of that referendum in cafes where I listened to their concerns.

I have planned marriage ceremonies over pizza, discussed legal charity matters whilst munching scones, written prayers on serviettes and much, much more.

So we drink lattes in the West End.  So what.  That doesn't make us posh, it just means we employ our privileges in the service of God's Kingdom.

A footnote: I wish the person who uttered those words could see us on a Sunday morning and discover the incredible diversity of who we are.  I wish they could experience what I experience as the Lord's Prayer is intoned in multiple languages, and at various speeds.  I wish they could drink a cup of coffee from a hotel 'airpot', chat to our people, and be humbled by the stories they would hear.  I wish they could - but only if they could also come with an openness of heart to see how God is transforming us ever more into who we might be.