There is an impression given by some that this is more a Maori cultural issue, that Pakeha conform to out of respect for Maori. [A lot of practices important to Maori were important to Pakeha, but Pakeha have often succumbed to cultural amnesia eg. not sitting on tables, important to Maori, used to be important to Pakeha: "no uncooked meat on the table."] This post is interested internationally and ecumenically; so please vote and add comments. Should we eat/drink in church buildings? The particular plan I saw was of a church complex that includes a hall. I am not discussing exceptional situations -- after earthquakes, or in a rural area where the church building is all that is on the site. Nor do I have set-in-concrete positions on this -- so I am genuinely interested in perspectives on this. Is it OK if the eating and drinking only happens in the nave? Does it matter if people take food and drink into the chancel? Into the sanctuary? I have seen people put a cup of tea on the altar. Does this matter? Is the Eucharist primarily a meal -- how does that affect our perspective? If you respond the nave is OK, but chancel is not, I'm reminded of when some complained that there were other-faith rituals in the Christchurch Cathedral at the launch of a multi-faith book. The response of the then bishop included that these non-Christian rites had occurred only in the nave, not in the chancel/sanctuary. Does