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| 2111: St John
the Baptist, Beeston, Nottingham, England |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Lambert.
The church:
St
John the Baptist, Beeston, Nottingham, England.
Denomination:
Church
of England, Diocese
of Southwell and Nottingham.
The building:
A medieval church restored in 1842 by the Victorian architectural
team of Scott and Moffatt, known for their churches, cathedrals,
and especially their workhouses. Only the chancel retains some
medieval fabric. The church has been extensively renovated in
the last few years, and was brightly lit and warm.
The church:
Lots of social activities, including Mothers Union, a singles
group, a historical foods group, a walking group, plus activites
for children.
The neighbourhood:
Beeston is a suburb of Nottingham. It has a large population
of students, as it is very close to the University of Nottingham.
Beeston was a village until the 19th century and the church
is in the historic centre of the village. Now the churchyard
is dominated by an ugly 1960s shopping precinct, which is thankfully
scheduled for demolition.
The cast:
The Revd Wayne Plimmer, vicar, was the celebrant and preacher.
The date & time:
Sunday, 2 January 2011, 10.00am.
What was the name of the
service?
Sung Eucharist, Feast of the Epiphany (Anticipated).
How full was the building?
Mostly full. There were about 80-90 people in the congregation
with perhaps 15-20 spare seats.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
A service sheet and service booklet was handed to me with a cheery greeting of "Happy New Year."
Was your pew comfortable?
Very. The chairs are new and upholstered.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
The organ played quietly before the service, but it was almost
impossible to hear above the sound of the bells ringing in the
tower.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"We stand to sing our first hymn: 'As with gladness, men
of old.'"
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
A Common Worship communion service booklet was handed
out at the door. The hymns, lessons and prayers were printed
in the pink service sheet.
What musical instruments were played?
The organ, an electronic instrument installed in 2008 that replaced
an old pipe organ that had been extensively renovated over the
years.
Did anything distract you?
Frequent interruptions to the flow of the service to tell us what page we were on, or that we were about to sing a hymn. Given that it was all printed, the announcements seemed unnecessary and distracting.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
The worship was moderately Anglo-Catholic but not so rigid and formal as to be unfriendly.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
11 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
9 – I enjoyed the sermon very much. I felt the vicar delivered
it well, addressing it to his congregation rather than just
reading it out. He also made some clear and memorable points
and didn't repeat himself, which is something I have experienced
from other clergy.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
The vicar preached on three aspects of the Wise Men: how they
were strangers in a foreign land, how they had a difficult journey,
and how they brought their best to Christ. He reflected on how
these three aspects were relevant to us now.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
It was a very cold day outside, but warm inside the church.
This was an unexpected surprise for a Victorian church.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The constant announcements. I think this was slightly patronising
and interrupted the flow of the service.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
A few people said hello and wished me a happy New Year as they
milled around at the back of the church.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
It was difficult to escape from having a coffee, as it is served
in the church by the west door. But I saw the brand name on
the coffee jar and decided against sampling it. I had a cup
of tea instead.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – A lovely building and good preaching, but I would look
for interactions other than simply "Hello, happy New Year"
and far fewer interruptions!
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The noise of the bells inside the church before the service. |
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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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