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| 1602: St Paul's,
K Street, Washington, DC |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Organic.
The church:
St Paul's,
K Street, Washington, DC.
Denomination:
The Episcopal Church, Diocese
of Washington.
The building:
A beautiful cruciform stone church, actually smaller than I
had imagined, in the Georgetown district of Washington. The
congregation was founded in 1866 and worshiped at its original
church until 1944, when they engaged the architect Philip H.
Frohman (principal architect of Washington National Cathedral)
to design a new building. The first service was held in the
new church in June of 1948, but it was not consecrated until
1966. There is a spectacular chapel dedicated to Our Lady of
Walsingham, and a reredos that (I was told) simply must be seen
to be believed. Unfortunately, it couldn't be seen, as it was
draped for Lent. I might have peeked, though.
The church:
This is one of America's premier Anglo-Catholic churches. On
Christmas Eve 1870, the first midnight mass to be celebrated
in an Anglican church anywhere in the USA was celebrated at
St Paul's. St Paul's was also one of the first churches to use
envelopes for the offering. Both low and high mass are celebrated
each Sunday, along with solemn evensong and benediction. Morning
and evening low mass are celebrated each weekday, and confessions
are heard Wednesday and Saturday evenings. St Paul's is noted
for its particular tradition for church music.
The neighborhood:
Georgetown was founded in 1751 and was not assimilated into
the District of Columbia until 120 years later. Originally one
of the most fashionable neighborhoods of Washington, the area
slid into decline around the beginning of the 20th century.
It quickly recovered, though, as members of President Franklin
D. Roosevelt's administration bought and renovated many of the
stately old townhouses there, and reached its zenith when Georgetown
resident John F. Kennedy was elected president. Today Georgetown
is one of the most affluent and upscale neighborhoods in Washington,
with many politicians and lobbyists making their homes there.
It is also known for its throbbing nightlife, attracting students
from Georgetown University as well as tourists, professionals,
Capitol Hill types and dignitaries. St Paul's Church directly
abuts George Washington University and is located near the popular
Washington Harbor complex on the Potomac River, featuring many
outdoor bars and restaurants.
The cast:
The Revd Andrew L. Sloane, rector; the Revd Nathan J. A. Humphrey,
curate; and a cast of characters that would fill a screen.
The date & time:
March 9, 2008, 11.15am.
What was the name of the service?
Holy Eucharist.
How full was the building?
Mostly full.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
As I walked through the door at about the last possible moment
(missed the subway train, you see), I dashed past the usher
and had to go back and get the appropriate handouts. She was
quite nice about it though. Because I was so late and the service
had started, she just handed the pamphlet to me quietly.
Was your pew comfortable?
It was a pew of the standard wooden variety.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
As mentioned above, I was a bit late for the pre-service. They
were into the first hymn when I got there.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
A service leaflet, an in-house missalette (which was not in
my pew – I had to steal one from another pew), and the
1982 Hymnal.
What musical instruments
were played?
The church's pipe organ, a large 1996-vintage four-manual opus
from the Schoenstein and Company firm of San Francisco.
Did anything distract
you?
Some major renovation work is taking place inside the church,
and there was the thinnest layer of dust on everything, including
the pews. A child in front of me was tracing her name in it.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
This is about as high as high church can get.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
8 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7 – Father Sloane was humorous yet profound. It was quite
the conversational sermon, rather than feeling read from a paper.
He projected well (there didn't appear to be a sound system
in the building at all) and could be heard throughout the building.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
The focus was on keeping a holy Lent and the discipline needed
to do so. He spent some time discussing the triduum as "one
service in three." He also said that Kyrie, usually
translated as "Lord," more properly means "Sir."
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The choir – oh the choir. Angelic voices. Absolutely heavenly.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The service leaflet didn't provide very much guidance as to
what postures were expected, and when. I did quite a lot of
looking around to see what the traditions were at St Paul's,
but unfortunately the people immediately in front and beside
of me were visitors as well. We were all confused, but at least
we were confused together.
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
Mrs Humphrey (the curate's wife) walked up and introduced herself
to me. Such a delightful woman! She took a few minutes to speak
with me about the parish, and made it clear that I would be
welcome back. She noted me peering over a modesty panel to get
a look at the organ console, and she stressed how much the church
valued their music program.
How would you describe
the after-service coffee?
There was none, to my knowledge.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
10 – If I lived in the District of Columbia, this would
definitely be my parish.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Absolutely.
What one thing will you
remember about all this in seven days' time?
Father Sloane explaining that Kyrie means "Sir"
and putting the readings into that context. |
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| The Mystery Pilgrim |
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| One of our most seasoned reporters makes the Camino pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read here. |
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| London churches |
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| Read reports from 70 London churches, visited by a small army of Mystery Worshippers on one single Sunday. Read here. |
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