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| 2506: All Saints,
Streetly, England |
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Mystery
Worshipper: St Marcus of Birmingham.
The church:
All
Saints, Streetly, England.
Denomination:
Church
of England, Diocese
of Lichfield.
The building:
The cornerstone for the original church was laid in 1908,
and the church was consecrated a year later as a mission church.
The parish was not formed until 1918. The building was enlarged
in 1953 to include a new nave, chancel and sanctuary; the
Lady chapel and south aisle now constitute the original structure.
There is some lovely stained glass as well as fixtures from
the early to mid 20th century.
The church:
All Saints enjoys a rich eucharistic and choral tradition.
Combined with this, the church likes to explore new ways to
worship, such as Messy Church. Theologically, the congregation
are broadly liberal and seek to welcome all who come to worship
with them. The service sheet indicates there are a large number
of services and activities taking place.
The neighbourhood:
Streetly is situated approximately seven miles north of Birmingham
in an affluent area. It takes its name from a Roman road,
the line of which can still be seen. Boasting a small number
of shops, the area has a lovely feel and is only a couple
of minutes walk from open fields.
The cast:
I’m not sure of the name of the gentleman who led the service.
The website indicates he may have been the Revd Jeremy Blunt,
ordained local minister. A lay member, Carol, delivered the
sermon. The vicar, the Revd Mandy Walker, was greeting people
as they arrived.
The date & time:
Sunday, 17 March 2013, 11.00am.
What was the name of
the service?
All Age Worship with Communion.
How full was the building?
There seemed to be around 45 people, including the children.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
As I arrived, the vicar gave me a very warm welcome and seemed
very pleased to see me. Nevertheless, I managed to make it
through the two sets of doors, down the aisle and into a pew
without acquiring a hymn book or service sheet. Being astute,
I made the executive decision to replay my arrival, this time
being sure to pick up the necessary materials.
Was your pew comfortable?
The pew was simple in design and made of wood. The cushion
made it perfectly comfortable for the 45 minute service. Beware,
however, of the open back to the pew – high risk of disappearing
coats!
How would you describe
the pre-service atmosphere?
Pre-service, the church seemed a little quiet, although there
were adults and children milling about. All in all, they created
a warm family atmosphere. On further inspection, I noticed
people partaking of a warming cup of tea next door between
the previous service of sung eucharist and the upcoming all
age worship.
What were the exact
opening words of the service?
"Good morning, everybody."
What books did the congregation
use during the service?
Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New and Service
of Worship for All Ages (printed specifically for All
Saints Streetly).
What musical instruments
were played?
Piano and violin. The violin was impressively played by the
service leader.
Did anything distract
you?
The first hymn was played at a furious rate, although even
at a normal rate the congregation seemed to struggle with
the hymns.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Somewhere in the middle, the congregation didn't seem very
confident at singing. It felt like I was leading the singing!
Exactly how long was
the sermon?
7 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10,
how good was the preacher?
7 – Carol's preaching style was appropriately informal
and drew out relevant questions from the passage.
In a nutshell, what
was the sermon about?
Carol spoke about how Mary expressed her love for Jesus by
anointing his feet with oil. How can we express our love for
Jesus? By giving our best and giving our lives.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
The communion had an amazing family atmosphere where everyone
lined up in the aisle. The children helped the service leader
with communion and then served all the members of the congregation
– really interesting format.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
The congregation's lack of confidence with the hymns made
it feel like I had turned up as a guest lead singer for the
band. The best bit of all is that I sound like an asthmatic
moose shouting through a tannoy.
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
The congregation entered into the usual post-service hubbub.
After a short period of time a lady spoke to me.
How would you describe
the after-service coffee?
No after service-coffee; coffee was served prior to the service.
How would you feel about
making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 =
terminal)?
8 – This is a lovely family church with a real community
atmosphere. It would be great
to join the community.
Did the service make
you feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes, the family atmosphere was excellent. The church seems
to be a well knit community who are genuine and authentic
in what they do.
What one thing will
you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The service leader's multiple roles: service leader, violinist,
reader, chief candle manager and families worker.
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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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