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| 2511: St Mary's,
Crawford Street, London |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Aileen.
The church:
St Mary's,
Crawford Street, London.
Denomination:
Church
of England, Diocese
of London.
The building:
It is the work of 19th century English Greek Revival architect
Sir Robert Smirke, who also designed the main block and facade
of the British Museum as well as dozens of churches, public
buildings and private homes. One enters through a side door
into a space dominated by brown, blue and white, with many decorations.
Tea, coffee and food are available just inside the entrance.
The church:
They describe themselves on their website as adventurous, religion-free,
human, messy and informal. Everyone seemed very friendly There
is also a school, St Mary's School, next door.
The neighbourhood:
There is a very busy road, Marylebone Road, with many buses
and cars. Just alongside beside the front of the church there
are some shops and a place where we can swim and exercise.
The cast:
The Revd John Peters, rector; the Revd Barry Kissel, associate
rector; the Revd Ed Flint, associate vicar.
The date & time:
Palm Sunday, 24 March 2013, 11.00am.
What was the name of the service?
Palm Sunday Service.
How full was the building?
It was very full, about 200, with many children.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
The clergy and others smiled, welcomed me, and asked if I wanted
tea or coffee. The people beside me chatted with me and asked
where I came from.
Was your pew comfortable?
We all had seats, yellow wooden ones, very comfortable.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Everyone was chatting and also many were having tea and coffee.
The children were about to put on a presentation for for Palm
Sunday. I was told that it would last for at least 20 minutes
before they went to another place in the church for religious
instruction.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
Rector John Peters said, "Welcome, all visitors."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
We did not use any books, although there were stacks of Bibles
(New International Version) at the entry area. Everything was
projected.
What musical instruments were played?
Piano, several guitars, drums. The drums were very noisy.
Did anything distract you?
I enjoyed the children playing and singing "Our God is a great
big God; God holds us with his hands" and was really enjoying
being distracted as an adult! Some of the children were dressed
as a large grey donkey that was being ridden about, and two
yellow creatures of some sort. We all followed around after
the children. This was very different from what has happened
in other churches.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Many people put up their hands, both or one. All this was after the children went to their place.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
25 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 – The associate vicar was pleasant to listen to. He said
that he was not a Christian as a child and teenager, but came
to be convinced of the truth about what Jesus did and his resurrection.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
His text was taken from Matthew 20 (On his way to Jerusalem,
Jesus predicts his death and heals two blind men). Jesus is
King, and yet is a humble servant. He knew he was going to die.
He prayed to his Father in heaven and asked his disciples to
pray for him also. He died on the cross, and yet three days
later all see him alive. Jesus recruits us for God. We are to
be directed by the love of God.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
Feeling happy that God loves us and rescued us and that we are
with God.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The associate vicar mentioned a dream in his sermon, and that
reminded me of a nightmare I had a while ago.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
People chatted to me and showed me where I could find some brochures
about the church and its programs, including an upcoming Maundy
Supper and the Easter services.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Tea and coffee were available before the service but not after.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – If I was near this church I would experience more in it!
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
I felt very glad to be a Christian, experiencing God's love for me.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
I remember, and will remember for a long time, the children
leading us about on the donkey. |
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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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