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| 1945: St Alban's
Cathedral, Griffith, New South Wales, Australia |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Womanspeak.
The church:
St Alban's Cathedral, Griffith, New South Wales, Australia.
Denomination:
Anglican Church of Australia,
Diocese
of Riverina.
The building:
The cathedral was commissioned in 1947 and the plan was completed
the next year, but construction did not get underway until 1954.
The finished cathedral was dedicated in 1956. Built of brick,
it represents a modern and traditional fusion in 20th century
Gothic style, overlaid with country practicality. The architect,
for example, was instructed to avoid dust-catching ornamentation.
One enters via the tower porch to view an interior that is austere
and modernist, but features cloistered aisles and two side chapels
and some beautiful stained glass. The leadlight windows are
reminiscent of the work of Walter Burley Griffin, the architect
who designed Australia's capital city, Canberra, as well as
the city of Griffith.
The church:
Quoting from the diocese's website: "In addition to being
the parish church for Griffith, the cathedral aims to be a focus
for the life of this large diocese in regional New South Wales."
The neighbourhood:
Griffith is a large and sprawling city that up until this year
had no traffic lights! In the 1970s the city's reputation was
tarnished by organised crime and drug trafficking. Those days
are long gone, however, and today's Griffith is an important
agricultural centre. It is a multicultural community rich in
Italian, Islander, Sik and other diverse heritage.
The cast:
The Right Revd Dr Douglas Stevens, Bishop of Riverina, presided
and preached, collated and installed, commissioned and licensed
(phew!). He was assisted by the Revd Deacon Louis Osborne, who
read the gospel, and about half the clergy of the diocese, the
cathedral chapter and canons, a master of ceremonies, two acolytes
and crucifer. There were also guest clergy from other denominations
in attendance.
The date & time:
Sunday, 31 January 2010, 6.00pm.
What was the name of the service?
Holy Communion, with collation of an archdeacon, installation
of a canon, commissioning of a lay education officer and licensing
as archdeacon emeritus and canon emeritus.
How full was the building?
Comfortably full on a hot evening.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
As we parked our car, someone came up to us and mentioned that
there were refreshments in the hall. But as we entered the cathedral,
we saw that the three sidespersons were talking amongst themselves.
I had to interrupt their conversation to ask one of them for
a service booklet.
Was your pew comfortable?
Wooden but comfortable pew. Comfortable individual tapestry kneelers.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Expectant and friendly as worshipers met from the far corners
of the rural diocese. A half an hour of bell ringing clashing
with the organ didn't encourage prayerful preparation.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
A bell rang and all stood as we sang the introit hymn "God is
love, let heav'n adore him." The bishop then offered the grace.
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
There was a specially prepared 20-page booklet with all the
service text, hymns and responses.
What musical instruments were played?
One of the few pipe organs in Western New South Wales, a 1963
Walker, was well played and supported a small coolly uniformed
choir. They came down from the choir loft to lead "Brother,
sister, let me serve you," accompanied on piano, after communion.
Did anything distract you?
The organist began to play before the service began while the
great peal of bells was in full swing. This created such discord
that both were spoilt for anyone who was not tone deaf.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Formal and dignified but with a familiar family feel. Everything
was done beautifully but with modesty. The master of ceremonies
led each of the readers and later inductees and their supporters
forward. Acolytes and crucifer, book carrier and deacon appropriately
honoured the Holy Book.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
21 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7 – The bishop was quietly but expressively spoken, smiling
and making contact with his far-flung gathered flock. However,
I would have rated him a 9 had his sermon been half the length
it was.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
Against the odds, the bishop managed to tie Luke 4:21-30 (the
people, angry at Jesus' prophesying, want to throw him off a
cliff) in with the roles of the inductees of the day.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The communion, simply and reverently conducted by a prayerful
bishop with his flock gathered from over 300 kilometres on such
a hot Sunday evening.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
Lack of welcome at the door. Many cathedral parishes are guilty
of this. They are so used to tourists and visitors, they cling
to those they already know. Understandable but ineffective outreach
even within their own communities.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Supper was available before and after the service. We met up with friends from afar.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Country spread with home cooked goodies, cold drinks and juice
in real glasses, tea/coffee in real cups and saucers.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
7 – All of the cathedral staff seem delightful. I could
even join the choir!
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes. The prayerfulness of those in the sanctuary and the body
of Christ gathered together.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The seamless conduct of the service, despite the large number of people involved in the bringing forward of those to be inducted by their parish communities. |
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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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