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| 1728: St John the Baptist, Leytonstone, London |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Daedalus.
The church:
St
John the Baptist, Leytonstone, London.
Denomination:
Church of England, Diocese
of Chelmsford.
The building:
The building dates from 1832 and is the work of Edward Blore,
also noted for his work on Buckingham Palace and Lambeth Palace
as well as on projects throughout the British Empire. St John's
is a typical mid 19th century early English style church with
a large surrounding Victorian graveyard, which was damaged during
the Blitz in the Second World War. The pinnacled tower houses
a ring of eight bells. The interior is modestly decorated with
a fairly pretty quire.
The church:
The community is very mixed and this is reflected in the congregation.
The church organises many events, including concerts with its
choir, children's groups, and bell ringing.
The neighbourhood:
Leytonstone, on the edge of Epping Forest, is a suburb of East
London. There has been a community here for centuries, although
everything looks pretty much 20th century today. The place does,
however, retain some rural charm, as a large part of the parish
is bordered by ancient woodland and common land.
The cast:
The Revd Raymond Draper, vicar.
The date & time:
26 April 2009, 6.30pm.
What was the name of the service?
Holy Communion (Common Worship).
How full was the building?
Practically empty.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
I was met by a very friendly greeter who handed me a hymn book
and various pieces of paper.
Was your pew comfortable?
Nothing more special than you expect in most churches. That
being said, I'm quite broad and the kneeling cushion was a tad
small, so I had to kneel slightly uncomfortably.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Quiet and friendly, yet tense somehow.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Welcome to this service of holy communion in St John's."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Hymn book (Mission Praise) and an A4 service sheet
with the words for common worship.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ. Two ladies rather bravely led the singing of the hymns
and parts of the service.
Did anything distract you?
I noticed to one side a copy of the Peters
Projection Map, which, for those who don't know, is a geographically
accurate map of the world. We were quite near a main road and
so there was a lot of traffic noise. I also felt a little out
of step when people started to sing the parts of the mass as
I didn't know the tune.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Very much stiff-upper-lip, but I wouldn't have expected different!
Exactly how long was the sermon?
10 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
6 – The vicar's speaking style really began to drive me
up a wall, and his pace was very slow.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
Basically the benefits of belief in Jesus Christ and our status
as children of God. Following the appearances of Christ after
his resurrection, it is obvious to us that we believe in him
rising from the grave.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
While we were singing the first hymn ("Be still for the
presence of the Lord"), I was suddenly reminded of Matthew
18:20: "For where two or three come together in my name,
there am I with them." This was a deeply spiritual moment
for some reason but it passed fairly quickly. Also, at the sign
of peace, everyone made an effort to shake hands with each other.
The vicar must have shaken hands with everyone in the church.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
I found the emptiness of the church rather depressing. I was
by far and away the youngest person by a good 20 years. Before
anything we were meant to do, the vicar insisted on pointing
out where we were in the order of service (which frankly you'd
think we would have known). The pace was so ploddingly slow,
it was like walking down the street behind someone walking very
slowly. Quite frustrating, though that's probably my own prejudice.
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
Not a lot. By the time I had settled on a place to stand, nearly
everyone had left. I had a quick chat with one of the greeters,
which was very pleasant. This is very obviously a tight-knit
but friendly community.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Non-existent, though as it was an evening service I wasn't surprised.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
5 – It was nice, but I don't think I would have the patience
with the vicar, kind and pleasant though he was.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Not really. The sheer lack of people made me think about the
future of the Church and where we have to go to make ourselves
understood.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The feeling I got when I remembered the passage described above
will certainly stay with me for quite some time. |
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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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