Church plans services at Brandon martini bar

By Jessica Vander Velde, Times Staff Writer
In print: Friday, March 28, 2008

Story Tools E-mail this story Contact the editor Print this story Comment on this story Social Bookmarking [+] Digg Facebook Stumbleupon Reddit Del.icio.us Newsvine

ADVERTISEMENT

The gospel, not gin, will be served Sundays at a Brandon nightclub.

When ELEMENT church holds its services at Cee-Jay's Martini Bar and Lounge in Brandon starting this summer, its members will worship near a wall filled with vodka, rum, gin, scotch and tequila bottles.

They won't be drinking from them. They won't even be able to see the liquor because a cloth will cover the wall. But they'll be in the same space where locals enjoyed martinis just hours earlier.

Bobby Triplett of the Crossing Church on Causeway Boulevard is taking young members of the church to the bar, just east of Westfield Brandon mall, for Sunday services. They'll meet in members' homes starting in May until they move to Cee-Jay's in August.

The Baptist-raised pastor knows the alcohol might upset some churchgoers, but he's hopeful they'll look past the libations and see an opportunity to reach out to the community. It's also cheap: $500 a week in rent, which is less than high school auditoriums or the YMCA, Triplett said.

The services also might help the bar's image. Manager Jeff Hatjiuannou said he hopes it'll bring some good karma to Cee-Jay's, which has been on a rebound since a gunshot fired in the club killed bystander Karen Williams in October.

Triplett is the pastor of Crossing Church's Revolution group for 20-somethings. He plans to bring the youthful, artistic focus of Revolution to the new church. There will be lights and music at Cee-Jay's, and Triplett will play his electric guitar with the church's band.

But that's not the focus, he said. Instead, ELEMENT's mission is to get back to the basics — the message of salvation and reaching out to the community. He's going to organize monthly service projects so people can see that Christians care about them.

"The main focus is not Sunday morning," he said. "It's what happens during the week."

And when he asks the eternal question — What would Jesus do? — he figures the bar is a great place for a church service.

"Jesus went to … the people," Triplett said. "It doesn't mean he got plastered with them. It doesn't mean he slept around with them. He just went to love on them."

Jessica Vander Velde can be reached at jvandervelde@sptimes.com or 661-2443.