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| 2407: St James,
Paddington, London |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Aileen
The church:
St
James, Paddington, London
Denomination:
Church
of England, Diocese
of London.
The building:
The present building, replacing an earlier one, dates from 1882
and is the work of George Edmund Street, noted for his many
churches as well as the courts of justice in London. Damaged
by bombing during World War II, it was repaired and rededicated
in 1958 by Her Royal Highness Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent.
It's a very grand building, quite tall, with lots of arches.
The sanctuary area with altar is rather squarish in appearance.
The windows are beautiful but don't let in much light, so artificial
lighting is a necessity.
The church:
From their website: "We see ourselves as a community of
forgiven sinners still constantly in need of forgiveness and
the grace of God. We believe that since the love of God is universal,
all in the world are held in its embrace and constantly called
to recognise this and to act upon it." They
are an inclusive church – each year, in conjunction with
the Oscar Wilde Society, they commemorate the wedding of Oscar
Wilde and Constance Lloyd.
The neighbourhood:
St James is very close to Hyde Park, one of the largest parks
in central London, where many people go regularly. There are
many homes close to the church, with lots of big trees by the
roads. Also, there are many hotels along the road opposite the
church.
The cast:
The Rt Revd Richard Chartres, Lord Bishop of London.
The date & time:
Wednesday, 4 July 2012, 10.00am.
What was the name of the service?
Service of Thanksgiving for the 150th Anniversary of St James
and St Michael's Church of England School.
How full was the building?
The church seemed very full, about 150 school children and hundreds
of parents, teachers, the Lord Mayor of London, etc.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
As we entered, someone helped us get our baby buggy up the steps.
School children and adults welcomed us and gave us a paper with
the service in it. We were smiled at by others sitting close
to us.
Was your pew comfortable?
We were on one of the extra seats that had been set up –
comfortable black seats.
How would you describe
the pre-service atmosphere?
Lots of chatting and smiling.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit. Peace be with you. Let us rejoice and be glad!"
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
We were given a paper with the hymns, prayers and readings.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ, a detailed description of which can be found on the church's
website.
Did anything distract you?
I was really pleased to notice my friend's child singing in the choir, and I was tempted to take a picture of that, but I couldn't.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
The children were dressed in their red school jumpers, and the
bishop wore red too! All the adults and children stood and sang
hymns, and sat down and stayed silent for prayers. The babies
and toddlers were kept quiet. The bishop presented a cross to
the school, with a blessing.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
11 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 – The Bishop of London has a good clear voice and we
could all hear what he said. His style was simple and designed
to teach us. And at the beginning of his sermon he praised the
singers!
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
This is the 150th anniversary of the school, which has always
served the whole community in Paddington. The school has always
taught the children reading, writing, singing and art, but it
has also taught them to know right from wrong. To know happiness,
we must be spiritually aware.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
It was lovely to see how the children sang hymns and acted well
in the church.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
A couple of times a toddler near me dropped what she was holding
and drinking. Each time, her mum picked it up and gave it back
to her so she would stop crying. I felt worried!
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
We were all told to follow all the children. Many people chatted
to us about their children and said they hoped the food would
be good.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
The food we all had was nice, and we had juice and wine with
it.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
7 – If I was near, I'd have to see what a normal service
would be like.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
I was glad to hear good things about God and good things taught about God to the children. I'm glad I'm a Christian.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
Seeing the bishop dressed in red and the children wearing red
for their school! It looked good on them all. |
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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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