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| 1904: Evangelical
Presbyterian, Annapolis, Maryland, USA |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Musical1.
The church:
Evangelical
Presbyterian, Annapolis, Maryland, USA.
Denomination:
Presbyterian
Church in America, Chesapeake
Presbytery.
The building:
A very large building that also houses a Christian school. From
the outside, the area that appears to be the sanctuary is actually
the fellowship hall/gymnasium. The sanctuary is at the other
end of the complex. There was no baptismal font or communion
table. Behind the pulpit was a lit up wooden cross. The sanctuary
had a large stained glass window depicting a cross in the center
and several biblical symbols (alpha, omega, 10 commandments
and others).
The church:
Very missions minded and large, with a high priority on education.
It would seem that the congregation draws from conservatives
seeking an alternative to more liberal Presbyterian churches
in the area. The congregation has started at least five other
congregations since the 1970s.
The neighborhood:
Annapolis, the capital of Maryland, sits on the western shore
of the Chesapeake Bay. It was founded in 1649 and, after several
name changes, was finally named in honor of Anne Arundel, the
wife of Lord Baltimore, founder of the Maryland colony. The
Maryland State House, built in 1772, is the oldest state capital
building in the United States still in legislative use. Many
of the older parts of the city are constructed entirely of red
brick, including not only the buildings but also the streets
and sidewalks, giving the city a unique and quite interesting
appearance. Annapolis is home to the United States Naval Academy.
The grounds of Evangelical Presbyterian Church include a cemetery
that predates the church. Also, there is a Southern Baptist
church across the street, and Catholic, Unitarian, and Metropolitan
Community churches as well as a Quaker meeting house within
two blocks.
The cast:
The Revd Bruce O'Neill, senior pastor, assisted by someone whose
name was not given. Lois White presided at the organ.
The date & time:
Sunday, January 31, 2010, 9.15am.
What was the name of the service?
The Lord's Day.
How full was the building?
The building seats 750 and was a little less than half full,
probably resulting from the fact that the area had a major snowstorm
the day before. The pastor made reference to the small crowd
that had gathered.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Sort of. I walked through the snow to the door, and someone
said, "It's treacherous out there!" Once in the narthex,
I stood around looking lost a few minutes. An elder whose name
tag identified him as Floyd Gilkey asked if he could help me.
I told him I was looking for a bulletin. He handed me one and
told me where I could find some hot coffee. (Alas, though, it
wasn't ready yet.)
Was your pew comfortable?
Yes, a wooden pew with a very nice green pad.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
I was a bit early and took a seat by myself. The choir were
warming up. The pastor walked by me without saying a word, as
did others. Two women passed me three times, then finally introduced
themselves. I felt very much the outsider!
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good morning and welcome." On the overhead projector was displayed
a quote from Herman Melville's Moby-Dick: "Heaven have
mercy on us all – Presbyterians and pagans alike –
for we are somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly
needing mending."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Trinity Hymnal and The Holy Bible, New International
Version were in the pews. The words to most things were
in the bulletin and on the overhead.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ, piano, guitar and drums.
Did anything distract you?
The fact that the paint colors and the woodwork looked very
much like my living room and dining room. Also, the young lady
in front of me decided that her boyfriend needed a backrub and
proceeded to indulge him.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
In the middle. Basically a hymn sandwich; no communion service.
There were some very formal hymns and some songs straight from
the contemporary Christian radio station, and one old hymn with
a very new tune.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
39 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7 – Pastor O'Neill spoke in a typical evangelical style
with a lot of ad libbing and Bible study features. He did keep
my attention, though.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
It was the first in an eight-week series on the book of Jonah.
He said that the first three verses of Chapter 1 speak to the
condition of all people: God calls, we run the other way, and
God pursues. In talking about the storm in Jonah 1:4-13 he read
the following quote (he said it was from a fairy tale but didn't
identify which one and I don't recognize it): "The misery
you know now is incomparable to the misery your comfort would
have brought you."
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
Everybody singing – although for some reason the pastor forgot
to announce the opening hymn (they sang it later on).
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The coldness of most of the people. Also, they changed the words
to some of the hymns, and it was noticeable when I was on automatic
pilot.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
I had to introduce myself to the pastor before he said anything
to me. Then I just left. No one said anything to me on my way
out.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Though I walked by the fellowship hall on the way out, I didn't
go in for the coffee hour. I hadn't seen any signs of fellowship
so far, and coffee hadn't been ready earlier. I had heard that
this congregation has a reputation for being cold.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
2 – It's a private club. The fact that two ladies introduced
themselves to me was remarkable.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Absolutely. The preaching was pretty good.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The quote about Presbyterians and pagans on the overhead. |
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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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| London churches |
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| Read reports from 70 London churches, visited by a small army of Mystery Worshippers on one single Sunday. Read here. |
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