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| 2090: Family
Church, Portsmouth, England |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Holy Cow.
The church:
Family
Church, Portsmouth, England.
Denomination:
Independent. They are a member of Portsmouth
Churches, a loose association of churches of 16 denominations
in the Portsmouth area, and Synergy
Network, which describes themselves as "a fellowship
of like-minded ministers who desire inspirational relationships
and growth in their leadership, ministries and lives."
The building:
The congregation meet in City Girls' School, a modern looking
structure. Worship is set up in the gym and there is a café
in the assembly hall. Other rooms are used for the crèche and
children's groups. The church makes good use of the space and
benefits from the large school car park. I do pity the poor
volunteers who have to set everything up and cart it to and
fro every week, though!
The church:
The church is one of three set up by the same team in this part
of Hampshire. It has a huge, multicultural congregation with
an enviable number of young people attending. Their many activities
are well described on their website.
The neighbourhood:
Portsmouth, on England's south coast, is England's only island
city. It has been a seaport since ancient times and may have
been home to the Roman Classis Britannia. The school
sits on a busy traffic junction between two highly populated
areas and is overshadowed by a large, beautiful but rather imposing
11th century Anglican church across the road.
The cast:
Executive Pastor Steuart Payne.
The date & time:
Sunday, 19 September 2010, 11.15am.
What was the name of the service?
Sunday Meeting.
How full was the building?
Absolutely packed! I gave up counting after 300.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
I got a cheery "Good morning" from one of the fluorescent-tabarded
car park attendants and a "Welcome" from a greeter on the door.
Volunteers wearing "Host" t-shirts barred our entry to the worship
area until exactly 11.15, when a friendly team directed everyone
to seats.
Was your pew comfortable?
The chairs were a fairly standard school-issue plastic. They
did the job and, to be honest, it soon became clear that we
wouldn't get to spend much time sitting!
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Very busy, with people arriving for the service and others lingering
for a coffee after the earlier one.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good morning, Church. Let's see you on your feet!"
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
There were none. Lyrics were displayed on two large screens. I noticed that quite a few worshippers had their own Bibles with them.
What musical instruments
were played?
I counted a keyboard, four guitars, drums, and four singers.
The singers were particularly bouncy and moved around the stage
a lot – I may well have counted one twice.
Did anything distract
you?
Bouncing is a big thing in this church, and they were all at
it. It was very joyful and energetic but perhaps a bit much
for this non-morning person!
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Happy clappy doesn't even begin to do it justice. If you like
your worship energetic and loud, this place is for you.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
25 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
6 – Pastor Payne is likeable and speaks enthusiastically.
I'd probably enjoy having a pint with him. His sermon was quite
light and accessible, which would suit the seekers and new believers
who I think make up a fair proportion of the church. It did,
however, lack any of the depth that seasoned believers might
expect.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
The sermon was based on Mark 10:13-16 (Jesus blesses the children).
It was preached to coincide with the Sunday school graduation
ceremony. In brief, he spoke about why we should do everything
we can to ensure children can connect with God and how we might
do it.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
Seeing such a large number of young people engaged in worship.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
Watching a step-by-step video demonstration of how to fill in my credit card details on the offertory envelope and which other payment options were available.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
No chance of that. Visitors were asked to raise their hands
and were given bright yellow goodie bags. The bag may as well
have been a target! I was whisked off for a coffee by an enthusiastic
woman who was ready to sign me up for everything the church
had to offer!
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
There is a café where you pay for your drinks and snacks. As
a visitor I had a free coffee voucher in my goodie bag, but
I had to fill my details in on the back before handing it over.
I didn't feel ready to be on the church database after just
one service, so I declined the coffee.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
5 – I felt a bit lost in the crowd, to be honest. The style
of the service wasn't really my cup of tea either, but those
who enjoy lively, energetic worship would love it.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes it did. Despite my reservations about aspects of the service,
it was fantastic to see so many worshippers of all ages.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
Seeing almost the entire congregation bounce in unison! |
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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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