| |
 |
 |
|
| Comment on this report, or find other reports. |
|
| Our Mystery Worshippers are volunteers who warm church pews for us around the world. If you'd like to become a Mystery Worshipper, start here. |
|
| Find out how to reproduce this report in your church magazine or website. |
|
|
| 2477: St Michael's,
Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire, England |
|
 |
|
Mystery
Worshipper: Aileen.
The church:
St
Michael the Archangel, Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire,
England.
Denomination:
Church
of England, Diocese
of Bristol.
The building:
Thought to be 12th century, extended and restored in the 19th
century. The graveyard holds many ancient graves and plenty
of trees. The tower houses a peal of six bells. The inside is
beautiful, very high, and has brown wood up above, and white
paint on the walls. The floor is red, the pews are brown wood.
Behind the altar is a stone carving of the Last Supper based
on Leonardo Da Vinci's famous fresco. A Christmas tree had been
set up to the left of the altar. Lots of candles. There was
a banner of Mary and the baby Jesus at the back.
The church:
St Michael’s is a member of the Fromeside Partnership
of Anglican Churches and is an ecumenical partner with Salem
Methodist Church in Winterbourne. They have a Mothers Union,
prayer group and Bible study. The parish hall, called St Michael's
Rooms and located on the high street, is available for rental.
The neighbourhood:
Winterbourne is a village with a population of about 8600, located
on a hill and partially surrounded by woodlands and fields.
There are some nice old houses and lots of grass with horses,
cows and birds. JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter
books, lived in Winterbourne and attended St Michael's Primary
School. Indeed, the Potter family of Winterbourne was Rowling's
inspiration for Harry's surname. The church is nestled amidst
green fields and attractive cottages, and its spire can be seen
for miles around.
The cast:
The Revd Martin Clacker, vicar, and the Revd Jean Capstick,
assistant curate.
The date & time:
Sunday, 23 December 2012, 6.00pm.
What was the name of the service?
Parish Carol Service: Traditional service of carols and readings.
How full was the building?
Very full – more than 100 people, mainly adults.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
A smile and a welcome from the person who gave me the St
Michael's Hymn Book and the Christmas carol service paper.
Was your pew comfortable?
Comfortable pews with red wool padding.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
People chatted to each other and their friends, and marked the
pages in the hymnal that they would need.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"At Christmas time we delight to hear the story of the journey to Bethlehem, the song of the angels, the surprise of the shepherds, and their joy as they found Jesus in the manger."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
We used the St Michael's Hymn Book and the paper we
were given. I had brought my own Bible with me.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ.
Did anything distract you?
I had a supper engagement with friends for after the service
and kept hoping that I wouldn't be late.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
A traditional service of lessons and carols.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
12 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how
good was the preacher?
9 – The Revd Jean Capstick spoke clearly so we could hear
well, and what she said was helpful and good for us.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
Mary was a mere teenager when she was told she was pregnant.
Imagine how hard it was for her to travel on a donkey, with
nowhere to stay in Bethlehem. She had to give birth in a stable,
where animals were fed. But what miracles surrounded the birth:
shepherds in the field were amazed to see angels who told them
the news. And the wise men, who thought they knew all about
astronomy, were surprised to see a new star that would lead
them to the place. The gospel message is beautiful: Jesus is
one with God. It's a message of God's love for us. Faith comes
from that. God will be with us all of our lives. We can talk
to God and he will help us. May Christ be present and grow in
our hearts.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
We felt close to Jesus and filled by God, who saved and rescued
us. The hymns, scripture readings, sermon and prayers all made
it feel as if God was here with us.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
And yet, despite all our prayers, the world is still so full
of trouble.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
People beside me told me that there was tea and coffee available.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Tea and coffee, with plenty of biscuits too. We all enjoyed
it.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – The service was beautiful. I always like to see men
and women clergy together leading a service. The good preaching
was really nice to experience.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
I felt really glad to be a Christian, with God loving us and
rescuing us by Jesus' birth.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
That Mary was so young when she gave birth. How did she manage? |
|
|
|
 |
|
| We rely on voluntary donations to stay online. If you're a regular visitor to Ship of Fools, please consider supporting us. |
|
 |
|
| The Mystery Pilgrim |
|
| One of our most seasoned reporters makes the Camino pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read here. |
|
 |
|
| London churches |
|
| Read reports from 70 London churches, visited by a small army of Mystery Worshippers on one single Sunday. Read here. |
| |
|
|
|
|
