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The church: Truro Cathedral, Cornwall.
Denomination: Church of England.
The building: Late 19th-century Gothic by Pearson.
The cast: The celebrant was Rev. Canon Perran Gay, the Canon Chancellor.
Eucharist.
How full was the building?
Perhaps a third full – around 400 people.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
I received a cheery welcome from the sidesmen as I entered the cathedral by the west door.
Was your pew comfortable?
Individual chairs with excellent hassocks. Quite comfortable, with lots of room to kneel properly.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
Quiet and expectant, very little conversation going on.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
"The Lord be with you."
What books did the congregation use during the service?
Printed order of service and hymn book.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ.
Did anything distract you?
The organist's mirror (the one he uses to see the choir from his perch in the organ loft) was positioned so that, from my seat in the nave, I could see just part of the manuals. Watching two disembodied hands playing was a bit of a distraction.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
Modern anglo-catholic, very dignified and tasteful, and not overdone, self-conscious or camp. Well, perhaps a little camp: blokes in lacy frocks can't help being, can they?
Exactly how long was the sermon?
Exactly 15 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
The preacher was a chaplain to the hospital, and spoke about counselling people who have suffered sudden and unexpected bereavement. We cannot think of God as a sort of holy aspirin who will stop us getting injured or killed. But he can deliver us from guilt and sin. Also a sub-plot about St German, it being his day.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
The atmosphere of intense reverence during and after the communion.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The sound of the wafer being broken was picked up by the celebrant's microphone, magnified a thousand-fold, and reverberated around the cathedral like a gunshot – not once, but several times.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Before I had finished stirring my coffee, a Cathedral Lady asked me if I had been to a service there before. After a few minutes' friendly chat, she introduced me to one of the cathedral clergy, and when he got fed up of me he passed me on to someone else.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
Excellent coffee in the refectory served in proper cups and saucers, with biscuits.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
9. Almost worth moving to Cornwall for.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes. It was one of the most uplifting experiences I have had in a church.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The choir's beautiful rendering of the motet "O Sacum Convivium" by Messiaen at the start of the service – a very difficult piece sung magnificently.
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