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| 2443: Berrymead
Evangelical, Acton, London |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Aileen.
The church:
Berrymead
Evangelical, Acton, London.
Denomination:
They are an independent evangelical church in the spirit of
the Plymouth Brethren or Open Brethren or Christian Brethren.
They are a member of the Evangelical
Alliance as well as
Partnership and Churches Together in Action/Ealing Common.
The building:
Built in the late 19th century, it is a plain stone building
from the outside. Inside, it has a pretty grey floor and some
bright mauve-pink paint on the walls. There are a few old little
pretty bits on some windows, but others have had to be mended
and are now just plain.
The church:
They run a Monday Club for young teenagers, a Thursday Club
for children ages six through eleven, and a Friday club for
older teenagers. Coffee morning is held every Tuesday. There
is also Bible study and a prayer meeting.
The neighbourhood:
Acton is a district of west London primarily in the borough
of Ealing. Several natural springs were discovered in the 17th
century, and for a while Action enjoyed a reputation as a health
spa. By the end of the 19th century the area was known as Soapsuds
Island due to the large number of laundries located there. Many
of the wealthy families in London's West End, and many of London's
most fashionable hotels, had their laundry done in Acton. The
district became a major industrial centre in the 20th century
and was subject to bombing raids during World War II (most of
the bombs missed their targets due to cloud cover). Today's
Action is an eclectic mixture of Australian, Japanese, Somali,
Polish, and several other ethnic immigrant communities. There
is a large tree-filled garden near the church, a favourite playground
for children. Up the road there are plenty of shops.
The cast:
Mr Peter Dean led the service.
The date & time:
Sunday, 16 September 2012, 7.00pm.
What was the name of the service?
Evening Communion Service.
How full was the building?
There were 18 people present – a mixture of people from
all over, in keeping with the ethnic makeup of the area. There
was plenty of room.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
Someone said, "Nice to meet you! Welcome!"
Was your pew comfortable?
Very comfortable chairs had been arranged in a circle. We stood
for hymns, prayers and Bible readings, and sat for communion.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
People chatted to each other as Bibles and hymnbooks were being
passed around.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Let us worship God."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
The Holy Bible, New International Version, and Songs
of Fellowship.
What musical instruments were played?
None. A piano stood silent.
Did anything distract you?
We sang quite a lot of hymns and it was somewhat of a fuss to
find them all in the hymnal. People around me were very helpful,
though.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
One woman clapped and put her arm up, but the rest of us were
more demure. A table had been set up in the centre of the circle
of chairs, with bread and wine for communion. We were each given
a bit of bread to share and a little wine to drink together.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
5 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 – The preacher spoke clearly and on a personal level.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
His texts were Luke 23:20 (the crowd demands that Pilate crucify
Jesus); 2 Corinthians 8:9 (Jesus became poor for our sake);
and 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (Christ died for all). Jesus died
for all who lived. He died for me so that I could live for him.
We acknowledge the cup, his blood shed so that we may be forgiven.
Jesus gave himself unconditionally for us. We must always remember
that.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
The prayers and hymns were very moving, as was the communion
service.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The fact that no one was on hand to play the piano.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
The gentleman who collected Bibles and hymnbooks said, "Good
to see you tonight."
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
I was led to believe that none was on offer.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
5 – It's a four hour round trip from where I live.
Did the service make you
feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes – I felt the great love and care of God, and Jesus
rescuing me and the others.
What one thing will you
remember about all this in seven days' time?
The positive message about Jesus as the means by which we get
to heaven and to God. |
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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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