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| 2154: York
Minster, York, England |
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Photo:
Rowan of Ravara
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Mystery Worshipper:
Cornerstone.
The church: Cathedral
and Metropolitical Church of St Peter, York, England.
Denomination: Church
of England, Diocese
of York.
The building: One
of the most magnificent liturgical settings in Europe, York
Minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York as both primate
of the Province of York and bishop of the diocese. It is the
cathedral church of the diocese of York. The great east window
is the largest surviving expanse of medieval stained glass in
the world. There has been a church on this site since the year
627. The present building was begun 1220. Construction took
250 years – it was not consecrated until 1472.
The church: As
a cathedral, the community is both eclectic and gathered; it
is welcoming to strangers and feels like a family as well. It
has an archival library and a prominent ministry in the areas
of learning and education, and has some very creative school
visit plans that always seem to include a treasure hunt.
The neighbourhood: The
city of York, in northern England, preserves over 2000 years
of history in its beautiful architecture. Other cities pale
by comparison. King George VI famously remarked that "York's
history is the history of England." Since Roman times the
city has been surrounded by walls, substantial portions of which
remain to this day, including four main gates, or bars. One
of these, Micklegate Bar, once displayed the severed heads of
traitors. Modern day York is a lively and busy city full of
contemporary shops and restaurants. The minster dominates the
town – a stone island in an ocean of asphalt.
The cast: The
Revd Peter Moger, canon precentor, led the service. The Revd
Dr Gavin Wakefield, diocesan director of training, mission and
ministry, preached.
The date & time: First
Sunday in Lent, 13 March 2011, 10.00am.
What was the name of the service?
Sung Eucharist.
How full was the building?
The nave was reasonably full.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Yes. An elderly white-haired man with an official looking badge
shook my hand, welcomed me to the minster, and encouraged me
to sit forward to leave seats at the back for latecomers.
Was your pew comfortable?
It was a chair, with a space in the back of the seat in front
for books, in which roosted a copy of the (brand new, hot off
the press) order of service along with other materials.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
There was a hesitant and expectant atmosphere, broken by the
precentor explaining who the preacher was, what the service
was, and that the service books were new. He offered a prize
for anyone who spotted any mistakes in the text.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good morning and welcome to any visitors worshiping with us this morning."
What books did the congregation use during the service?
The newly printed order of service, a notice sheet, and The
English Hymnal. Readings appeared to be taken from The
Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version, but I couldn't
be sure.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ.
Did anything distract you?
The precentor's challenge to find any printing errors in the
new order of service was a bit of a distraction, and during
the service we found four: two in the Latin canticle sung by
the choir and two in the English translation of the same canticle.
A few screaming babies and a couple of mobile phones echoing
round the nave and some ignorant tourists added to the distractions.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Stiff and liturgical, with the emphasis on the latter. The choir processed round and sang in beautiful harmony.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
11 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7 – It was Dr Wakefield's first time in the minster and his nervous jokey start was echoed by a subdued giggle from the congregation. He read his sermon from prepared notes, in a stiff way not expected from someone with his credentials.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
It meandered from wilderness experiences, the Japanese tsunami
(which had just happened), Jesus engaging with the non-human
part of creation, temptations we face, the diocesan environmental
policy, and our need to reflect on how scripture encourages
us to be strengthened to live as God intended.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The wonderful singing of the choir, especially as they left
the building at the end of the service. A real tingle factor
that transported me to the ceiling of this magical building.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
Definitely the après service time in the chapter house:
the coldness of the space and the queue for coffee, which was
well stewed. The fairly uninspiring sermon was a close second.
Coming in third were four blank pages in the order of service
– so much for the diocesan environmental policy, I thought!
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
A man wearing a badge reading "Official Welcomer" encouraged
me to join the queue for coffee. I was quickly swept along in
a sea of human flotsam into the chapter house for coffee. The
best biscuits appeared to have been gobbled by the choir before
we got there!
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Stewed, probably a well known commercial brand of instant judging
from the taste. Slightly cooler than warm, and served in a plastic
cup. I wouldn't want a second cup. It was good to see the chapter
mingling with the congregation, although the preacher seemed
to have beaten a hasty retreat.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
4 – It is all too big and done-to. It felt as though it would be all right if you want to be an anonymous worshipper in the hold, but not very conducive to being a member of the crew.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes, on balance, but through what I gained from the texts, not from the preaching.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The singing of the choir, the harmonies of which lifted my spirits on an otherwise dull day. |
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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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