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| 2437: Crown
Court Church of Scotland, Covent Garden, London |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Maggie.
The church:
Crown
Court Church of Scotland, Covent Garden, London.
Denomination:
Church
of Scotland.
The building:
It dates from 1909, replacing a building that the kirk had occupied
since 1719 for a rental of one peppercorn paid to the Duke of
Bedford (His Lordship later raised the rent to £14 per
year). It's a high building, built of red brick with Portland
stone dressings and a slate roof. The interior is in free style,
with two levels. There are windows at one side: one of St Paul
and the others of groups of many people. The organ pipes are
on the left, just behind the choir, but the console is on the
right side. There is a special entrance for handicapped people.
The church:
They support Borderline, which seeks to help Scots homeless
in London, and ScotsCare, which provides housing for the elderly
and aid to students and low-income families. They seem to be
friendly Scottish people, and they have Gaelic services for
those who can understand and speak that, as well as ordinary
Scottish services every week, Sunday and Thursday.
The neighbourhood:
The kirk is very close to Covent Garden, next to the Fortune
Theatre. Covent Garden is famous for its many little shops,
as well as street musicians and dancers.
The cast:
The Revd Philip Majcher, minister, was the preacher. He wore
a business suit. The reader was Jennifer Laird. David Knight,
Ph.D., presided at the organ.
The date & time:
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, 9 September 2012, 6.30pm.
What was the name of the service?
Evening Service.
How full was the building?
There were about 25 people, and so we all had plenty of places
to choose from.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
We were greeted with a smile and given a Church Hymnary.
I was asked if I preferred one with music or big letters.
We were also given a service sheet.
Was your pew comfortable?
We all had wooden pews, very comfortable.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
People were chatting as they arrived. A man carried in the big
Bible, and then the minister followed him. The organist played.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
I didn't write them down, but they were general words of welcome
and encouragement to help others.
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
The Holy Bible, New International Version, and the
aforementioned Church Hymnary and service sheet.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ, no choir; the choir assists only at the morning service.
The organ was a gift from the Scottish-born American 19th century
industrial magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.
Did anything distract you?
The windows as seen through diminishing light as it got dark
outside.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
The organ was played at just the right volume to support singing,
and everyone sang well, standing. The evening service is advertised
as being a more informal version of the morning service, but
there was no hand-waving that I could see.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
15 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
9 – The minister spoke well.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
His text was Matthew 6:1-18 (Jesus instructs the disciples to
avoid ostentation in charity, prayer and fasting). There is
much that can lead us to disaster, removing us from our relationship
with God. Christians will live for God, and others will learn
from that. God is just. He loves and forgives and saves. Be
kind to others. Christians are expected to be better than others.
People who see it will learn to praise God. We give glory to
God, not to us. We must humble ourselves to God, and pray for
those in the world who have needs. As the old hymn goes, "It's
me, it's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer."
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
I was reminded to be very close to God, and to obey God. The
songs, prayers and sermon were very inspiring. It really felt
appropriate to say "Amen" after the blessing.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
Knowing that there are those who do not listen to or obey God.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
As we left, we were given a handshake by the minister, and we
were told that there were tea and coffee downstairs. People
all chatted with us.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
There was lots of tea and coffee served to us, and biscuits
too.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – Maybe if I lived in London somewhere not too far away.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
I did feel glad that I was a Christian, feeling God's love for
me.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
I'll remember to be kind and gentle to those who need help, and to pray for the world. |
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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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