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| 1996: St Francis
of Assisi, Gulf Breeze, Florida, USA |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Preacher's Kid.
The church:
St
Francis of Assisi, Gulf Breeze, Florida, USA.
Denomination:
The Episcopal Church, Diocese
of the Central Gulf Coast.
The building:
A tidy little contemporary-styled red brick church with parish
hall. The church and the parish hall are connected via an atrium-like
cloister that also serves as the narthex to the church. The
interior features a vaulted ceiling and a frieze with all the
members of what was at the time the diocese of Florida.
The church:
The congregation is made up of folks from a variety of lifestyles,
ranging from families with small children all the way up to
and including retired military and naval brass. They sponsor
all the usual church groups. Of special note is Laughter Yoga.
From their website: "Laughter is the best medicine...we're
told...and yoga is a great physical and spiritual activity.
Together it's a winning combination!" The church maintains
a lending and research library that houses a substantial collection
of books on church history, contemporary theology and biblical
literature.
The neighborhood:
Gulf Breeze is a small suburb of Pensacola, which lies to the
north across Pensacola Bay. It sits on the leftmost tip of a
narrow peninsula and thus is surrounded on three sides by water.
The city is often called Gulf Breeze Proper to distinguish it
from communities to the east that have a Gulf Breeze postal
address but lie outside the city limits. For the most part Gulf
Breeze enjoys a quiet, small town lifestyle, but in 1987 the
city achieved fame for a series of UFO sightings that were witnessed
and photographed by several residents; some claim the area receives
visitors from outer space to this day. When the Kid was in high
school some 50 years ago, Gulf Breeze was a mere crossroads
with a single flashing traffic signal; today the city has been
labeled a "strict enforcement area" by the American
Automobile Association – one designation short of a speed trap.
To the east of the city is the Naval Live Oaks Reservation,
the home of America's first experimental tree farm, established
by President John Quincy Adams in 1828 to provide lumber for
shipbuilding. The reservation is part of the Gulf Islands National
Seashore, a unit of the National Park Service.
The cast:
The Revd B. Massey Gentry, interim rector; Jane Ellis, lay eucharistic
minister and chalice bearer; and Cathy Griffing, organist. The
church has called a new rector, the Revd Christiana Olsen, who
preached at a service some time ago that was the subject of another Mystery Worshipper report by Preacher's Kid.
The date & time:
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Fathers Day, June 20, 2010, 9.00am.
What was the name of the service?
The Holy Eucharist, Rite II.
How full was the building?
About 85 per cent. The building appears to have a capacity of
about 200 to 225.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Yes. There were about a half dozen people who greeted us and
inquired about us. We were invited to stay for the after-service
repast.
Was your pew comfortable?
The pew was comfortable – padded and at a proper rake. The
kneelers were easy to use.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Quiet and reverential, with an admonition in the service leaflet
to "be thoughtful, be silent, be reverent, for this is the House
of God."
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good morning. This is Fathers Day."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Prayer Book 1979; Hymnal 1982; service leaflet.
The pew Bible was the New International Version.
What musical instruments were played?
Electronic organ, electronic piano.
Did anything distract you?
There was a cell phone that went off regularly throughout the service.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
The service was typical north Florida low church with the addition
of the ding-a-ling type of sanctus bells. The only singing was
the hymns.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
10 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
9 – The interim rector preached from the gap in the altar
rail leading into the sanctuary rather than from the pulpit.
His sermon was extemporaneous and without notes, and well thought
through.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
The gospel reading was Luke 8:26-39 (Jesus drives demons out
of a man and into a herd of pigs). The demons of the Bible are
present today in the form of mental illness and personal discontent
suffered by mankind. Some of us really don't want our demons
cast out!
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
The church is a beautiful small church. The organist was talented
and imaginative. The sermon was cogent and to the point.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
Well, er, the choir could stand professional leadership and
some significant training. And here is another church that keeps
giving you the page numbers as if you had never crossed the
threshold of an Episcopal church in your life!
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
No time to be lost. We flowed into the parish hall with everyone else.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
We were told that the spread was special for Fathers Day. There
were at least three kinds of brownies, along with watermelon,
cantaloupe, half dozen or so cakes, cucumber sandwiches, coffee,
tea, and iced tea. The drinks were great, but in styrofoam.
We met at least 25 or 30 people.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
9 – The Kid has fond memories of the new rector's preaching
and would gladly come to hear her preach every Sunday once she
has been installed (which will be in August).
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The cell phone. |
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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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