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.   2947: Grace Episcopal, Astoria, Oregon, USA Mystery Worshipper: Meet and Right So to Do. The church: Grace Episcopal, Astoria, Oregon, USA. Denomination: The Episcopal Church, Diocese of Oregon. The building: A circa 1886 wooden edifice with some carpenter Gothic architectural details situated on the bluffs overlooking Astoria and the majestic Columbia River, only miles from where the great American explorers ‎Meriwether Lewis and William Clark discovered the Pacific Ocean. Entrance is through a 1950s-era parish house and then up a flight of stairs, where one finds a typical wooden nave, simple stained glass windows, and what appear to be original pews. The altar also appears original, as it's fixed against the liturgically east wall (more on this later). The baptismal font and stained glass east window are from the original 1864 building. The church: Grace isn't just Astoria's oldest religious congregation, it's also the oldest parish within the Diocese of Oregon, having been founded in 1864. They are an officially designated Jubilee Ministry Center, a program that is (quoting from their website) "dedicated to improving the lives of the poor through programs of outreach, evangelism, empowerment, and advocacy [with] a direct and dynamic link between our theology and our ethics." The neighborhood: Astoria is one of the oldest settlements west of the Rocky Mountains, as Lewis and Clark wintered nearby in 1805 and fur baron John Jacob Astor made his fortunes in this part of the Pacific Northwest. The small city was once known for its fishing and canning industry. It's a popular weekend getaway and is connected to Washington State via the Astoria–Megler Bridge, which spans the Columbia River. The cast: The Revd Lance Peeler, rector and pastor, wearing a black clerical shirt with tab collar, white alb and pale green chasuble. An unknown female acolyte, wearing a white alb with cincture and pectoral cross, served as the crucifer. The acolyte also did the readings from the epistle side lectern. The date & time: Sunday, November 8, 2015, 8.00am. What was the name of the service? Eucharist. How full was the building? There were about 15 congregants scattered across the otherwise empty nave. Did anyone welcome you personally? I was welcomed by a gentleman who introduced himself as Art. He returned a few moments later with a small welcoming packet that consisted of a brochure on the church's history, a religious poem, and a fossilized seashell. He was extremely kind and gracious. This is also one of those congregations where everyone greets each other during the peace, which I find somewhat annoying and superficial. Several of the congregants said "welcome" when shaking my hand. Was your pew comfortable? Extremely comfortable, with generously padded kneelers. The kneelers themselves were barely used as the Rite II liturgy calls for mostly standing. How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere? Quiet. You could have heard a pin drop. 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? The 1979 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church, the Hymnal 1982 and Lift Every Voice and Sing II were all in the pews. Most of the liturgy was contained in a service leaflet. The liturgy was essentially Rite II, although the traditional language Lord's Prayer and psalms were retained. What musical instruments were played? Unfortunately, the service was said and not sung. I spotted a small pipe organ and what appeared to be a guitar tucked under the pulpit. Did anything distract you? The service booklet, which was actually only accurate for the 10.00 sung eucharist. The said service didn't have hymns and the processional and recessionals were said canticles. Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? It's tough to classify a parish church by its early service, but I would consider this to be a somewhat stiff and broad service with little trappings of high churchmanship, outside the rector's chasuble and the processional cross. Exactly how long was the sermon? 15 minutes. On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher? 5 – The rector spoke from the crossing, not from the carved wooden pulpit. In a nutshell, what was the sermon about? It mostly recapped the sermon delivered by the recently installed presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. Which part of the service was like being in heaven? The minute or two of quietness for reflection and contemplation after the rector preached. It was so peaceful. And which part was like being in... er... the other place? The rector didn't use the altar, as it would have required him to face east. Instead, he used a small table placed underneath the chancel arch – it was literally the size of a small end table – and covered in what looked like a white runner. At communion time he quickly moved up to the altar as the acolyte put in place the altar rails and the congregation came forward to receive the bread and wine. This was confusing and disorganized. What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost? The rector invited me to coffee but I had other plans and politely apologized. How would you describe the after-service coffee? See above. How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 5 – I could get by at the 8.00 service, but I would prefer Rite I, 1928 or 1662. Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? The warmth of the congregation was comforting. What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? How empty the church was.   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.             More Mystery Worshipper reports