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| 2335: Sidmouth
United Reformed, Sidmouth, Devon, England |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Thornbury Neil.
The church:
Sidmouth United Reformed, Sidmouth, Devon, England.
Denomination:
United Reformed Church.
The building:
A seaside lancet styled stone chapel dating from the 1850s in
what I call Seaside Gothic. The interior, with a fine blue hammer
beam roof, is clearly mid Victorian and looks quite Anglican,
with choir stalls and central communion table. There didn't
appear to be any heating on in the church – and it was
a very icy cold winter's day.
The church:
They minister to a small seaside town that attracts many elderly
people who come here to retire, and I'm told this reflects itself
in church attendance.
The neighbourhood:
Situated at the mouth of the River Sid (hence its name), Sidmouth
is a pleasant seaside town overlooking a fine beach with huge
cliffs on either side. In 1819, Edward Duke of Kent, son of
King George III, took a cottage in Sidmouth with his wife and
baby daughter Victoria. While walking along the beach, the Duke
caught chill and shortly thereafter was dead from pneumonia.
His father, George III, died six days later, and George's son
William ascended the throne as William IV. When William died
in 1837 leaving no legitimate heirs (but a bevy of illegitimate
ones), Victoria became Queen. The Duke's cottage is now the
Royal Glen Hotel, and a plaque on an exterior wall records the
visit. The chapel is hemmed in on a rather narrow and quiet back street.
The cast:
The Revd Jessie Clare, minister.
The date & time:
12 February 2012, 10.30am.
What was the name of the service?
Morning Service.
How full was the building?
A scattering of 18 elderly people over a large Gothic church.
However, we were spread across the whole building. All of the
congregation appeared to be in their 80s and 90s, and I had
the impression that they sat in the same pews every week.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
One gentleman greeted me but appeared a bit suspicious as I
walked through the lobby (I was 40 years younger than the rest
of the church!). Also, I don't think he heard my reply. After
I sat down, a lady in front of me told me she was 94! She said
that she used to come here on walking holidays and that this
is where she married her husband. A friendly Scottish lady came
and sat next to me too.
Was your pew comfortable?
A mid Victorian pew that appeared not to have changed since
the day it was put in.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
The organ didn't start up until a few minutes beforehand. The
minister brushed by and said she was late and had forgotten
her cassock! She had to go back and pick it up. People filed
into their pews and spread out quite a bit.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good morning. I had to dash back to get my cassock. Welcome
to all visitors."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Rejoice and Sing (denominational hymn book).
What musical instruments
were played?
An organ at the east end in a Gothic case. I was expecting a
village chapel harmonium-grade instrument but this looked and
sounded rather good. The elderly organist played some Victorian
music, which contributed to the atmosphere of the place.
Did anything distract
you?
I felt like a ghost of modernity haunting the church –
I really did! The interior looked as if we had been transported
back to the Victorian age, with its blue hammer beam roof, Gothic
pews, and a row of Gothic ministers' seats. I half expected
some bearded Victorian characters to step out of the vestry
as if from out of a sepia photograph! Not one of the congregation
was aged below 80. There was nothing here to indicate that we
were in the 21st century, except for the seagulls visible through
the east lancet window.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
It was standard United Reformed Church hymn sandwich. Traditional,
but I liked it! The hymns were Anglican in style (like the interior
of the church) and timeless.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
20 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how
good was the preacher?
9 – I half expected to switch off and think about other
things, but the Revd Clare's anecdotes held my interest and
her talk was actually quite engaging. The message really touched
me. I had the feeling that bereavement appeared to be an issue
for this congregation and maybe the town.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
The theme was taken from Jeremiah and was based loosely on the
notion of "What would you do today if you knew the world
was going to end tomorrow?" Life is for living. In many
areas of the world people don't get to "live." She
also told us that her husband, just before he died, had told
her to invest in some particular shares. But she felt that when
he passed, she had already lost her life. But the shares did
well and she picked up her life. She also talked about her call
to the ministry.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The sermon touched me, as did the friendly nature of the people
in the congregation. It is clear that their church community
is a caring one.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
There was an air of inevitable closure. As I left, one lady
said to me, "This is a dying congregation – quite
literally!" The building and the worship were clearly from
an age that had upped and left. I felt rather sad to think that
I had probably walked in on the last chapter of a story.
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
The organist played a Victorian piece of music and the congregation
made its way to the hall. The elderly gent who had greeted me
earlier said good-bye, but again appeared to mishear my answer.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
I was offered some but had to get back to my hotel.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
7 – It would be lovely to come back and breathe some life
into this church. However, the town is awash with livelier churches.
It is inevitable that should I return to Sidmouth in ten years
time, I would find that this building had been transformed into
an antiques emporium or holiday flats. It is sad to see a friendly
group of people struggle.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
A lonely one maybe!
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
Being a "ghost of modernity" in a place that hasn't
really moved out of the 19th century! |
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