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| 2657: Hope
Church Islington (St Mary Magdalene), London |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Aileen.
The church:
Hope
Church Islington (St Mary Magdalene), London.
Denomination:
Church
of England, Diocese
of London.
The building:
St Mary Magdalene was opened in 1814 as a chapel of ease to
the nearby St Mary Islington. It is Georgian, quite tall, very
pretty, yellow brick with Portland stone dressing. The tower
houses six bells, a maiden ring (never retuned or altered).
The old churchyard has been converted into a garden with trees
and places to sit. Inside, the ceiling has lovely white and
yellow pictures on the roof, with flowers on them. The choir
stalls and pews under the galleries were mostly removed in 1983
when the space was altered to provide meeting rooms. They have
a section inside where the children go with their parents to
play.
The church:
The congregation grew over the years as a result of a rather
intricate combination of amalgamations and plantings described
on their website. They relaunched themselves as Hope Church
Islington in 2013. There are people there from all over the
world who belong. Their many activities are well described on
their website. I'll mention only the Tuesday Tea Time, (quoting
from their website) "an opportunity to meet once a month
for a chat and/or support whilst enjoying a lovely cup of tea
and a cake."
The neighbourhood:
Islington is a mainly residential district of inner London.
In the British version of the board game Monopoly, The Angel,
Islington is the third cheapest property on the board, belying
the district's current status as home to celebrities, politicians,
solicitors, barristers and bankers. There is a long road beside
the church, with buses and tube station, cars and bikes. There
are also many shops.
The cast:
The Revd Paul Zaphiriou and the Revd Jonathan Rust, both described
on their website as "sharing the leadership of the parish."
The date & time:
Sunday, 9 February 2014, 11.00am.
What was the name of
the service?
"Hope Together." It is described on their website as
"welcoming and open."
How full was the building?
There were quite a lot of people, about 60, with children
too. All on the ground floor.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
There were many who smiled at me, welcomed me, and chatted with
me.
Was your pew comfortable?
It was a comfortable red seat.
How would you describe
the pre-service atmosphere?
People came in and chatted. The children gathered in their
play area.
What were the exact
opening words of the service?
"This is the world of God! Praise the name of the Lord!
Peace be with you! God will be forever!"
What books did the congregation
use during the service?
They gave me Songs of Fellowship and Common Worship
Service and Prayers for the Church of England. There were
also hymns shown up on the front of the church.
What musical instruments
were played?
Piano and drum kit were both played very well.
Did anything distract
you?
There were many children and I enjoyed seeing them, concentrating
on looking at them at times.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
As we sang hymns, many put up their arms to God, and also
jumped on their feet and went round! We all sang well.
Exactly how long was
the sermon?
30 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10,
how good was the preacher?
9 – I liked how the preacher tied his remarks in with
things happening in the world right now, but it seemed like
he was trying to talk about a lot of things that didn't seem
related.
In a nutshell, what
was the sermon about?
The Bible mentions light and water as essential for life,
but sometimes the elements appear to overwhelm us and life
doesn't always seem to be at its best. Look at the storms
that are now raging, and the political turmoil surrounding
us, especially in Syria. But God never gives up on us, and
he and his angels are looking down on us.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
The singing was lovely, and all the arm waving made it appear
that we were reaching our hands to God, to heaven. Also, is
it always good to hear about how God loves us.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
Being reminded of the terrible conditions in Syria.
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
Lots of people chatted to me.
How would you describe
the after-service coffee?
We had tea and coffee and also fruit juice, both during and
after the service. It tasted great.
How would you feel about
making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 =
terminal)?
9 – If I lived near this church I would enjoy belonging
to it. It is an excellent church.
Did the service make
you feel glad to be a Christian?
I felt very glad to be a Christian, as God still loves us.
And the hymns were also lovely as we sang to God, to love
God.
What one thing will
you remember about all this in seven days' time?
I will remember about God loving us all.
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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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