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| 2635: St Bride's,
Glasgow, Scotland |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Church Mouse.
The church:
St Bride's,
Glasgow, Scotland.
Denomination:
Scottish
Episcopal Church, Diocese
of Glasgow & Galloway.
The building:
A red stone church designed by the 19th century Gothic Revivalist
George Frederick Bodley, although only the north aisle of the
planned north and south aisles was built. It is one of only
two Bodley churches in Scotland. Work began in 1903 and the
church was dedicated in 1907, although not consecrated until
1915 due to problems with the original workmanship. It has a
soaring roof and a feeling of spaciousness inside. There is
some lovely stained glass, well
described on their website.
The church:
They see themselves as a bastion of the Catholic tradition,
with choral eucharist each Sunday being the focus of their worship.
They also observe the daily offices, weekday celebrations of
the eucharist, meditations on the Rosary, exposition and benediction
of the Blessed Sacrament, and the sacrament of confession.
The neighbourhood:
This is Glasgow's West End, with several other churches nearby,
plus the university and hospital.
The cast:
The Revd Dr Kevin Francis, honorary assistant curate, was the
celebrant; and the Revd Kenneth Roach, non-stipendiary priest,
preached.
The date & time:
Fourth Sunday of Advent, 22 December 2013, 10.30am.
What was the name of the service?
Eucharist (1970 Liturgy).
How full was the building?
About 30 people present. The main nave has seating for about
80 and the north aisle can accommodate additional seating, which
is where two latecomers chose to sit. The Episcopal Church of
Scotland tends to find congregations among English expatriates
in Scotland. The people we met and spoke to had English links.
I saw no children save for one little girl who was obviously
with her grandmother. But just as well, as nothing had been
provided specifically for children in the service.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
Yes. The couple handing out books at the door wished us a good
morning. The rector came over, shook hands and greeted us. After
we'd chatted briefly to the rector, someone else came over to
chat more.
Was your pew comfortable?
We were seated in comfortable wooden chairs joined together in rows, with kneelers and pockets in the back for books. I suspect they were to the original Bodley plans, as he tended to design spaces that could be used in different ways, and chose not to put pews in many of his churches. There were cushions available on request.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
It was quiet and reverential, with people kneeling to pray or
using the font or stoup before coming to their seats and sitting
quietly. We were 10 minutes early and people were already in
their seats when we arrived.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
The words of the service book. No additional welcome was made
until the notices after the eucharist.
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
New English Hymnal; self-published booklet with the
liturgy and notes to follow; service sheet for the day with
hymns, psalm, readings and settings plus notices.
What musical instruments
were played?
Organ, the first to be lawfully installed and used during worship
in a Scottish Presbyterian church. Its original home was Anderston
Established Church (later Anderston and St Peter's), from which
it was removed and placed in storage in 1969 and reinstalled
in St Bride's in 1972.
Did anything distract
you?
The eucharistic prayer from the liturgy. The wording and order
were dissimilar enough from the Roman Missal my companion is
used to, and the variations I know from Common Worship, to break
the flow of the worship for both of us.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Formal, with aspersing at the beginning of the service, robed
minister and assisting ministers, choir, sung settings, incense,
bells, and gospel, complete with procession and censing. However,
it didn't feel stiff-upper-lip, just carefully and reverentially
joyous. Interestingly, they exchanged the peace at the conclusion
of the eucharistic prayer, although there was no intention for
anyone to shake hands with anyone!
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
10 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how
good was the preacher?
7 – Quite conversational. I did wonder if the Revd Kenneth
Roach was a lecturer at the university as well as chaplain.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
Advent is a time of change, and for us to grow we have to embrace
change and endure God's will. So Advent should be a time of
taking up challenges as we remember the birth of Jesus and the
challenges that Mary and Joseph accepted.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The atmosphere of the church and the warmth and friendliness of our welcome.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The wording of that eucharistic prayer.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
We didn't get a chance to look lost, as we were chatted to by
lots of people, and my companion also got chatted to when I
was engaged by others.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Hot coffee in cups with biscuits on offer.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – The welcome was amazing, but this is the only church
I've visited in Glasgow. If I were looking in the area, I would
like to see other churches. That said, I could see me coming
back to this one.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes. It was fantastic to be a part of such a warm friendly congregation
and to see such care taken over worship.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The friendliness of the church. |
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