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| 2406: Church
of the Atonement, Chicago, Illinois, USA |
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Photo:
© Gerald Farinas and used under license
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Mystery
Worshipper: Vagrant Congregant.
The church:
Church
of the Atonement, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Denomination:
The
Episcopal Church, Diocese
of Chicago.
The building:
An English Gothic style red sandstone building dating from 1889.
It was originally the work of Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb,
known for several historic Romanesque and Gothic style buildings
in the Chicago area. The church was expanded in 1910 and again
in 1919 under the guidance of architect John E. O. Pridmore,
famous for his early 20th century cinema palaces. Pridmore was
a member of the parish and lived just a block away from the
church. The interior features Gothic lamps and stone arches
that give it a very medieval quality. It has a beautiful chapel
as well as a Lady shrine that is very well done.
The church:
They pride themselves on their Anglo-Catholic tradition. Among
their ministries and outreaches are programs to provide food
and shelter to the homeless, plus hats, scarves and gloves to
needy children at Christmas. There are three masses each Sunday
plus mass on weekdays and the Rosary on Saturdays.
The neighborhood:
The immediate area is tree-lined and full of condos and apartments.
Loyola University is close by the church. Ample parking, which
is sometimes hard to find in Chicago, is also available.
The cast:
The Revd Jacqueline Cameron, assisting priest, was the celebrant.
There were also four other priests whose names I did not get.
The date & time:
July 1, 2012, 11.00am.
What was the name of the service?
High Mass.
How full was the building?
It was roughly 75 per cent full – comfortably full so that
it didn't appear empty, but not so full that seating was not
still available.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
Someone opened the door and another person gave me the service
booklet for the mass.
Was your pew comfortable?
Yes, it was surprisingly comfortable. I was very glad to see
kneelers.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
It was respectful. Thankfully, there was not a lot of chatter
as is common in many parishes.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Hymnal 1982 and the mass booklet, which had the text
for Rite II.
What musical instruments
were played?
Organ and a lovely choir. The organ dates from 1915 and was
originally an opus of the Quebec firm of Casavant Frères.
It was substantially rebuilt and enlarged in 1965, with many
subsequent additions and modifications.
Did anything distract
you?
A child who was screaming. There was also a service dog that
started barking during mass.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
It was typical Anglo-Catholic high church worship, but not rigidly
so – just formal. The celebrant wore a fiddleback chasuble.
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
15 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how
good was the preacher?
8 – The Revd Dr Cameron is a medical doctor and her sermon
was on healing, which was especially appropriate. She included
her own painful story about her parents' death in an avalanche.
I thought her story was very moving.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
We desperately want healing, and sometimes it comes and sometimes
it doesn't. God does not place tragedy in our lives, and it's
a mystery why tragic things sometimes happen.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The precision of the liturgy and the respect given to the holy
eucharist.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
It was hot! Apparently the air conditioning had not been turned
on in enough time to cool down the sanctuary. We sweated through
our clothing throughout the mass.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
There was an apple pie and ice cream social afterwards. People
were very friendly and greeted me personally. The clergy were
especially friendly.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Very good. There was coffee as well as ice cream and apple pie on this Sunday. I got the impression from the bulletin that there are a lot of social events at the parish.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
10 – The liturgy was inspiring and beautiful. The organist did a wonderful job, and really put a great deal of effort into making the service music outstanding.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Yes, definitely!
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The sermon and the beautiful organ music. |
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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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