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| 2332: St Erme,
St Erme with Trispen, Cornwall, England |
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Photo:
© Rod Allday and used under license
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Mystery
Worshipper: Rorate.
The church:
St
Erme, St Erme with Trispen, Cornwall, England.
Denomination:
Church
of England, Diocese
of Truro.
The building:
The church dates from the middle ages but only the tower survives.
It was rebuilt in 1819-20 following two long incumbencies in
the 18th century that had left the fabric of the church in ruin.
The Cornish historian and antiquarian Charles Gordon Henderson
described the new plan as "unhappily chosen." Even
so, it seemed to me to be a very pretty church set in a spacious
churchyard. The tower has a ring of six bells.
The church:
The church is part of the Upper Fal Churches Cluster, with seven
churches in the cluster. Their website lists a number of activities,
but it is not clear which of them take place at St Erme as opposed
to the other churches in the cluster.
The neighbourhood:
Located about four miles north of Truro, St Erme with Trispen
is the result of the amalgamation of two hamlets in the 1970s.
Other than a shop (including post office), church and pub, it
is mostly a dormitory village for folk who work in Truro.
The cast:
The celebrant was referred to only as Andrew, but I presume
he was the Revd Canon Andrew Wade, although the Revd Andrew
Yates is also listed on their website. Not sure who the preacher
was.
The date & time:
Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas),
5 February 2012, 9.30am.
What was the name of the
service?
Family Communion.
How full was the building?
Not very full. There were eighteen of us in total, including
six children.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
A woman setting up the coffee table at the back of the church
offered a hello as I entered.
Was your pew comfortable?
It was a good and solid pew, not uncomfortable but not exactly comfortable either.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
The bells were ringing, which was lovely to hear and they added
to the pre-service atmosphere. However, during a pause in ringing,
the ringers were chatting away, which was very noticeable.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good morning. It is very good to be at St Erme, where
we will be celebrating Candlemas."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Celebration Hymnal Volume 1; St Erme Hymn Supplement;
Hymns Ancient and Modern Revised; Service Sheet
for the Presentation of Christ in the Temple; and the Family
Communion Booklet.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ.
Did anything distract you?
It was cold, but the radiators around the side of the church
were definitely on. At least Cornwall had avoided the snow that
had hit the rest of the country! I was confused because I had
already celebrated the Presentation the Sunday before and knew
that it shouldn't have been transferred to this Sunday, but
in the end does it really matter?
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Good old middle of the road Anglican worship. The celebrant
was wearing alb and stole. There was not a lot of ceremony but
it was all done in a dignified manner. The children lit candles
and processed to the font for the Nunc Dimittis.
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
14 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
9 – Not sure who the speaker was, but everyone else knew
her, as she popped out from her pew at the front of the church.
It was a family service and the talk reflected this, getting
the children involved.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
Celebrations. Tying in the celebration of presenting Jesus in
the temple and meeting the elderly Simeon and Anna, with the
celebrations in the UK this year of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
and the Olympics. A nice link with the light of the Olympic
torch arriving in Cornwall and Candlemas.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The church had a lovely feeling of being a prayerful place.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
"Shine Jesus Shine." Nothing wrong with it as a hymn, but it
was played in a key where singing the chorus was nigh on impossible.
We all attempted it first time round, but with such high top
notes everyone just about gave up trying after this!
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
It was impossible to try to look lost. I was immediately spoken
to by a member of the congregation, and whilst we were chatting,
someone else came and asked if I would like a coffee. There
was more chatting with a lovely family. I tend to hate this
part, but it was a delight to stay and have coffee.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
In a church with no kitchen, it was a very acceptable and hot
cup of coffee, served in a cup and saucer and just right to
warm us up. Coudn't see if it was fairly traded, but the church
does advertise that is supports Fair Trade.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – If it was my parish church I would be delighted to make this my regular church.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes. It may have been small in number but it felt prayerful
and spiritual.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The children processing with candles to gather at the font. |
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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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