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| 1875: Barnehurst
Methodist, Barnehurst, Kent, England |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Wes Charles.
The church:
Barnehurst
Methodist, Barnehurst, Kent, England.
Denomination:
Methodist
Church of Great Britain, London
District, Lesnes
Abbey Circuit.
The building:
The present building was consecrated in 1952 and is of red brick.
There is no front door; instead, there is a front porch with
a side entrance. There is a small car park to the side and a
few flowers and shrubs at the front. The garden gives the impression
that some effort has been made to make the church look friendly.
On entering, one finds a reception area complete with church
magazines and welcome cards for visitors. A glass door leads
into the sanctuary. The decor inside is very fresh-looking,
with pale wood (pine?) and soft blue fabric on the chairs, giving
the impression that the place was recently redecorated. Very
clean and tidy. The font is wooden and was tucked away in the
corner. There was a toilet to one side that was easily accessible
during the service without interrupting others. There is a simple
cross above the altar. Behind the altar is a door leading through
to the lounge area, and through a further door is the church
hall. Apparently this is the only Methodist church in the area
with a lounge.
The church:
The Lesnes Abbey Circuit, consisting of 13 churches in all,
was created in September 2007 and encompasses the ruins of Lesnes
Abbey, which thrived from the late 12th century until the dissolution
of the monasteries under Henry VIII. There are many churches
of several denominations in this area, and so there is a lot
of competition. At Barnehurst there are morning and evening
worship services each Sunday. There is a Sunday school, and
coffee morning on Wednesdays, as well as a women's fellowship
group. Attached to the church are Brownies and Guides; I did
not notice any mention of Cubs or Scouts, although this could
have been an oversight on my part.
The neighbourhood:
As far as Royal Mail is concerned, the area is called Bexleyheath,
Kent, but the locals call it Barnehurst and pay their council
tax to Greater London. It is a large suburban town in southeast
London. The area lay largely undeveloped until the late 19th
century, when the opening of the Bexleyheath railway line spurred
development. The modern town area is dominated by an early 1980s
shopping centre. The area has a 20th century suburbia look and
feel to it, with houses near the church appearing to have been
built around the same time as the church.
The cast:
Jean Patten, the mother-in-law of one of the congregants (who,
curiously, was not present), took the service, as their minister
was ill that morning.
The date & time:
Sunday, 6 December 2009, 10.30am.
What was the name of the service?
Morning Prayer.
How full was the building?
30 people, 160 chairs, so it felt quite empty.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Yes. A warm handshake and a proffered copy of the church magazine.
Was your pew comfortable?
A nice modern blue cloth chair with a lovely soft cushion!
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Quite and contemplative.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Morning, everyone!" in a very cheery voice!
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Hymns and Psalms, a Methodist and Ecumenical Hymn Book,
and The Holy Bible, New International Version.
What musical instruments were played?
Piano.
Did anything distract you?
Not really, although the heating was a little too hot and so
the temperature was a little too warm.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Relaxed yet quiet and thoughtful. I don't usually attend a Methodist
church, and was struck by how laid-back the service was compared
to my usual Anglican church. Eight hymn numbers had been posted
on the board, although we only sang five of them. The service
was very much a hymn sandwich, with prayers and a few comments
about the hymn's text after each one. Some of the spoken interludes
were so long that I started timing them, thinking they might
be the sermon! No hand-waving. Mrs Patten got the children involved
early on, with an older child lighting an Advent candle and
a younger one sticking a paper candle onto the wall. The children
were supposed to assist with the offertory, but Mrs Patten sent
them off to Sunday school not only before the offertory but
also before the singing of a carol that had been chosen especially
for them!
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
24 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 – Mrs Patten was quite informal in style and used personal
experiences and humour to good effect. She mentioned that she
is over 80 years old and hasn't preached for the past three
years (and never before at this church).
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
The readings were from Malachi and Luke, so this was about the
prophets and John the Baptist looking toward the birth of Christ.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The prayers were thoughtful and beautifully delivered.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
Err... it was hot?!
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
I had no time to look lost, as two or three people came over
to chat and invite me for coffee.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Nice – coffee and Jammy Dodgers, the popular shortbread biscuit
made with raspberry and plum jam!
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
9 – If I didn't already have a regular church round the
corner, I could be very much at home here.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes, definitely – a poignant sermon, nice hymns, very friendly
people and well-behaved children.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
Sitting down to see eight hymns on the board! |
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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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