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| 1794: Shaftesbury
Square Reformed Presbyterian, Belfast, Northern Ireland |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Gabriel Marcel.
The church:
Shaftesbury
Square Reformed Presbyterian, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Denomination:
Reformed Presbyterian
Church of Ireland.
he building:
Very plain yet attractive solidly built red brick Protestant
chapel of pleasing traditional design and proportions. The inside
is very plain, with minimal decoration other than the merest
hint of stained glass.
The church:
They hold two worship services each Sunday, one in the morning
and another in the evening, with communion on the first Sunday
of February, June and October. Prayer meetings are held the
second and fourth Wednesday evening of each month. They sponsor
a fellowship group for young people studying or working in Belfast,
Bible study, and English language classes.
The neighbourhood:
The church is in the epicentre of Belfast's downtown entertainment
quarter. Ironically placed in the middle of the pleasure-centre
of Belfast, but I think they appreciate this irony and are grateful
for it.
The cast:
The Revd Stephen Atkinson, a visiting minister from Christian
Witness to Israel, took the service in the regular minister's
absence.
The date & time:
Sunday, 19 July 2009, 11.30am.
What was the name of the service?
Sunday Meeting.
How full was the building?
There were 33 worshippers, but as it is a small building and
the congregation were well dispersed, it seemed more full.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
My nearest neighbour introduced himself and shook my hand in
a friendly way and asked me about myself. He showed more animation
than anyone else in the church, most of whom sat silent and
immobile, not even looking around them.
Was your pew comfortable?
Yes. It was deep and well-padded in an attractive crimson material.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Quiet and restrained. There was very little chat.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
I didn't hear the first words, as my friendly neighbour was
still speaking. But they may have been: "Good morning and welcome."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
The Holy Bible (I didn't note the version) and The
Book of Psalms for Singing.
What musical instruments were played?
None. This church has no instrumental music of any kind.
Did anything distract you?
Very little distracts you in a church like this. It was the
least distracting church I have ever attended.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Remarkably restrained. There was no liturgy or ritual of any
kind. This is worship pared down to its core elements of the
Word, prayer, a sermon, and psalms.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
36 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 – Charismatic – I wasn't bored once! He was infectious
about Jewish mission. He threw himself about in the pulpit from
time to time. There was plenty of opportunity for this, as the
pulpit is enormous. At times he seemed to be going through the
motions of preaching, but (as he explained to me later) he had
just returned from the United States late the previous night
and was jet-lagged.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
A remarkably pro-Semitic sermon. Israel is God's prism through which he displays his glory. Israel is God's parable through which he tells his story. History is in the final chapter.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The elements of the Christian religion so simply and seriously
presented. No accretions or irrelevances. It made me cast a
vaguely critical eye over worship in my own church.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The lack of instrumental music and liturgy. As an Anglican steeped
in liturgy, I found this to be a great challenge. Singing psalms
without accompaniment seemed pointless. The thin and painful
singing distracted from the words without giving the beauty
of a proper musical setting. Why not just recite them? The overall
seriousness of the service was a little oppressive.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
I had no time to look lost. The minister shook my hand in a
friendly way.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
There was none, rather disappointingly. I do feel I have earned
my coffee after a church service, particularly one as serious
as this.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – This is a church for serious Christians. I would not
be unhappy to make this my regular church, but I would miss
the music. I was disappointed there was no coffee – fellowship
over coffee can be an easy way to get to know other worshippers.
I do think I would be made welcome if I joined this church,
although I wouldn't necessarily expect to be involved in an
any kind of a group-hug.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes. It's uncompromising. This is a church for serious Christians.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The seriousness and simplicity of the worship and the church
building. And I learned plenty of stimulating facts about Israel. |
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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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