Georgian House Hotel
33 Unthank Road
Norwich, Norfolk NR2
Continuing from the previous entry, the Procession/Benediction service takes place at 4 PM on Sundays, and is the climactic service of the weekend for parishes who make the Friday-Sunday pilgrimage during the season. With me in the services Saturday and Sunday were pilgrims from:
St. Alban, Birmingham
St. Chad, Stafford
St. Paul, Croxteth, Liverpool
All Saints, Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent
Parishes of Cheam, Surrey
St. Alban, Ilford, Essex
Holy Trinity, Amblecote, Stourbridge, Worcs.
St. Barnabas, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
St. Peter, Horbury, Wakefield, W. Yorks.
...so a big shout out to anyone from those parishes who might stumble across this site!
Here's the run down on the service, which was quite similar to the previous day's but with a different thing being processed.
"Get your Real Presence ON at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Little Walsingham, Norfolk
Denomination: Church of England
The building: The Shrine Church (described in the 10 May entry).
The cast: Fr. Philip North (Administrator of the Shrine), about 6 assisting presbyters, looked like 2 deacons, 2 torches, 1 crucifer, 2 thurifers, and someone I dubbed The Parasol Dude. The Parasol Dude's role was to walk behind Fr. North, who was carrying the monstrance, and hold an ornate parasol-like thing over it during the outdoor procession. As you might imagine, this required some serious coordination to avoid collisions.
The date & time: Sunday, 11 May 2008, 4:00 PM
What was the name of the service? Procession of the Host and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
How full was the building? As with yesterday, 150 or so, which filled the church to overflowing. I was able to get a decent seat by arriving 45 minutes ahead of the start time.
What were the exact opening words of the service? "Good afternoon."
What books did the congregation use during the service? The "Walsingham Pilgrim Manual." (See 10 May.) I much preferred "Lauda Sion" to Saturday's hymn...I do like my Aquinas.
What musical instruments were played? Organ.
Did anything distract you? Like yesterday, nothing at all.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? I thought it was transcendent (again) but others might find it a bit much for their taste.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? Singing "Crown Him with many crowns" as the monstrance was returned to the tabernacle.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? (again) Nothing.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 9, but only because you can't make it a regular thing, for obvious reasons. I would want to be in a parish with the sorts of people I met, though, that's for sure.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Yes. It made me glad to be an Anglo-Catholic Christian as well!
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? The huge monstrance and the Parasol Dude.
In summation, Walsingham certainly isn't for everyone. If Marian devotion makes you feel weird, you'll definitely be icked out here. But, as Fr. North says quite eloquently on the web site, it's all about getting a grip on what Marian devotion actually _is_ and what it _isn't._ For me it's about the mystery of the Incarnation...the specific, fleshy _reality_ of God-with-us. And, as for Benediction, former Archbishop of York David Hope has a good take on it when he says that Benediction is a way of slowing down and appreciating what actually happens during the Eucharist. Sort of a super-slo-mo look at the Real Presence.
Again, for me, these are things well worth doing. But I never claimed to be Low Church anyway! :-)
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
11 May 2008 - Feast of Pentecost (post saved until after return)
From here on out, it became far too difficult to blog in real-time since my internet connections were either slow or non-existent, and since I really didn't want to waste too much time trying to write and post polished efforts. So, I kept notes and pictures locally on my laptop and will be posting regularly now that I am back. Sorry for the delay, and I hope you enjoy what's coming soon!
Georgian House Hotel
33 Unthank Road
Norwich, Norfolk NR2
Exploring Norwich (and Norwich Cathedral), and back to Walsingham for Round II
The Holy Spirit arrived in a fairly big way today, with an Anglican 2-fer and an interlude of walking one of the most famous, but underrated, pilgrimage roads in England. Sunday morning was very quiet, but walking through the city center of Norwich towards the Cathedral I was treated to volleys of bells coming from every parish in town. (There must be a church about every 200 yards or so in the "downtown" area, and they were all ringing...) It turned out that many of the people who were in the area at that time were headed the same way I was, so I followed the flow of pedestrian traffic heading towards the bend in the River Wensum.
The spire of the Cathedral is famous for its height - and it is a good landmark to navigate by for walking.
I will confess that in this picture I was attempting to channel Elizabeth Matheson, with her wonderful talent for photographing curves in a landscape!
A number of pictures from the interior of the Cathedral and of Norwich in general, along with maps and so forth, can be found at: Tour Norfolk, and also the Wikipedia entry for the Cathedral.
I attended the principal Sunday service at Norwich Cathedral, which was a sung Eucharist to primarily observe Pentecost, but also to commemorate the culmination of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival - the yearly major arts festival that takes place in the city and surrounding county.
"Remembering our Baptism at Norwich Cathedral"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Norwich, Norfolk
Denomination: Church of England
The building: Norwich Cathedral is famous for its Romanesque style and soaring spire. 900 years old, it was the site of a thriving Benedictine community until the 16th C. Its ties to the OSB continue, though, as the identity of today's guest preacher attests. (He holds the status of Titular Prior of Norwich.) Much of the stone for the Cathedral was imported from Caen in France, which adds to its Continental look.
The cast: The Rt. Rev. Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, celebrant, Dom Henry Wansbrough, OSB (Ampleforth Abbey), guest preacher, musical participants as listed below, and assorted assisting clergy, acolytes, readers, etc. It was a big service, for sure. Sadly for me, no thurifer.
The date & time: Sunday, 11 May 2008, 11:00 AM
What was the name of the service? Norfolk and Norwich Festival Sung Eucharist
How full was the building? 400? 500? I am no good at counting in large churches.
What were the exact opening words of the service? "Good morning."
What books did the congregation use during the service? Service leaflet with hymn texts and prayers.
What musical instruments were played? Organ with some wind and string accompaniment by the Norwich Cathedral Players, who were very good. The service setting used was Haydn's St. Nicholas Mass, and the choir was under the direction of choirmaster David Lowe.
Did anything distract you? The 2 or 3 18-year-old folks right behind me chatting continuously for 20 minutes before the service.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Is there such a thing as "bog-standard Cathedral Festal Mass?" I guess not...but it was a smooth, well-done, middle-of-the-road service. No surprises here.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? The Mass setting was certainly glorious, but honestly I most enjoyed hearing the chatty young people behind me belting out "Come down, O Love divine."
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? All the pre-service noise.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 7.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? Being sprinkled by the Bishop as he processed from the Font, and a line from the sermon: "No one has ever been converted to Christianity solely by instruction."
Norwich, like many places in England, had a problem in the 17th century with the Puritans. (This will be a running theme throughout the rest of my blog posts from the trip, as you will later see.) In 1643 a Puritan mob sacked the Cathedral and did their usual Puritan mob thing, as described by Joseph Hall, the understandably furious Bishop:
"It is tragical to relate the furious sacrilege committed under the authority of Linsey, Tofts the sheriff, and Greenwood: what clattering of glasses, what beating down of walls, what tearing down of monuments, what pulling down of seats, and wresting out of irons and brass from the windows and graves; what defacing of arms, what demolishing of curious stone-work, that had not any representation in the world but of the cost of the founder and skill of the mason; what piping on the destroyed organ-pipes; vestments, both copes and surplices, together with the leaden cross which had been newly sawed down from over the greenyard pulpit, and the singing-books and service-books, were carried to the fire in the public market-place; a lewd wretch walking before the train in his cope trailing in the dirt, with a service-book in his hand, imitating in an impious scorn the tune, and usurping the words of the litany. The ordnance being discharged on the guild-day, the cathedral was filled with musketeers, drinking and tobacconing as freely as if it had turned ale-house."
(Of course, the problems would only become worse, as 2 years later Archbishop Laud, of blessed memory, would be beheaded by other "lewd wretches.")
After lunch, it was back to Walsingham again for the second service I would attend here, but first it was time for a bit of walking. The last mile of the ancient pilgrimage route to Walsingham is called the "Holy Mile," though it is more like a mile and a half. The "Slipper Chapel" at the start of the Holy Mile is where pilgrims used to remove their shoes (thus the name) and walk barefoot to the Shrine. Today the Slipper Chapel serves as the RC Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, which sets up an odd situation. While walking _out_ from the village to the Slipper Chapel, I was passed by a procession of RC's with THEIR statue of OLW, heading in the opposite direction towards the village, though where they were going when they got there, I have no clue. So within a mile of each other there are 2 completely separate entities playing a centuries-long game of "my Marian devotion is bigger/purer than yours."
The road (really more of a paved footpath) about half way along the "Holy Mile" between the Slipper Chapel (now the RC Shrine) and the Anglican Shrine in the village itself comes to this fork - and thankfully, a place to sit down.
Most of the way along the Holy Mile, the narrow road is surrounded with wildflowers on both sides. Very Marian, eh?
The road primarily follows the path of a stream, where this duck family was going about its business.
From the same spot in the opposite direction was this bridge which carried another footpath over the stream. I wonder how many people over the last thousand years have stopped at this point, as I did, to cool off their feet at the ford.
The tiny Slipper Chapel surrounded by the grounds of the RC shrine.
After all that walking, out to the Slipper Chapel and back again, it was a relief to finally reach the village. Coming into the village, along the "main drag" is the gate to the site of the former Priory of Our Lady of Walsingham. Note that the statues over the gate are missing, and have been since 1538.
At the primary intersection is the location of the old pump.
Another shot of the Priory Gate.
The service at the Shrine could best be described as an extended-dance-mix Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. No preaching this time - instead it launched right into the procession after the opening hymn and Collect. For this one, the HUGE monstrance containing the Body of Christ is processed around the gardens outside the Shrine as everyone sings the Thomas Aquinas hymn, _Lauda Sion_. The procession then returns to the church for the actual Benediction. (Continued in next post.)
Georgian House Hotel
33 Unthank Road
Norwich, Norfolk NR2
Exploring Norwich (and Norwich Cathedral), and back to Walsingham for Round II
The Holy Spirit arrived in a fairly big way today, with an Anglican 2-fer and an interlude of walking one of the most famous, but underrated, pilgrimage roads in England. Sunday morning was very quiet, but walking through the city center of Norwich towards the Cathedral I was treated to volleys of bells coming from every parish in town. (There must be a church about every 200 yards or so in the "downtown" area, and they were all ringing...) It turned out that many of the people who were in the area at that time were headed the same way I was, so I followed the flow of pedestrian traffic heading towards the bend in the River Wensum.
The spire of the Cathedral is famous for its height - and it is a good landmark to navigate by for walking.
I will confess that in this picture I was attempting to channel Elizabeth Matheson, with her wonderful talent for photographing curves in a landscape!
A number of pictures from the interior of the Cathedral and of Norwich in general, along with maps and so forth, can be found at: Tour Norfolk, and also the Wikipedia entry for the Cathedral.
I attended the principal Sunday service at Norwich Cathedral, which was a sung Eucharist to primarily observe Pentecost, but also to commemorate the culmination of the Norfolk and Norwich Festival - the yearly major arts festival that takes place in the city and surrounding county.
"Remembering our Baptism at Norwich Cathedral"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, Norwich, Norfolk
Denomination: Church of England
The building: Norwich Cathedral is famous for its Romanesque style and soaring spire. 900 years old, it was the site of a thriving Benedictine community until the 16th C. Its ties to the OSB continue, though, as the identity of today's guest preacher attests. (He holds the status of Titular Prior of Norwich.) Much of the stone for the Cathedral was imported from Caen in France, which adds to its Continental look.
The cast: The Rt. Rev. Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, celebrant, Dom Henry Wansbrough, OSB (Ampleforth Abbey), guest preacher, musical participants as listed below, and assorted assisting clergy, acolytes, readers, etc. It was a big service, for sure. Sadly for me, no thurifer.
The date & time: Sunday, 11 May 2008, 11:00 AM
What was the name of the service? Norfolk and Norwich Festival Sung Eucharist
How full was the building? 400? 500? I am no good at counting in large churches.
What were the exact opening words of the service? "Good morning."
What books did the congregation use during the service? Service leaflet with hymn texts and prayers.
What musical instruments were played? Organ with some wind and string accompaniment by the Norwich Cathedral Players, who were very good. The service setting used was Haydn's St. Nicholas Mass, and the choir was under the direction of choirmaster David Lowe.
Did anything distract you? The 2 or 3 18-year-old folks right behind me chatting continuously for 20 minutes before the service.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Is there such a thing as "bog-standard Cathedral Festal Mass?" I guess not...but it was a smooth, well-done, middle-of-the-road service. No surprises here.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? The Mass setting was certainly glorious, but honestly I most enjoyed hearing the chatty young people behind me belting out "Come down, O Love divine."
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? All the pre-service noise.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 7.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? Being sprinkled by the Bishop as he processed from the Font, and a line from the sermon: "No one has ever been converted to Christianity solely by instruction."
Norwich, like many places in England, had a problem in the 17th century with the Puritans. (This will be a running theme throughout the rest of my blog posts from the trip, as you will later see.) In 1643 a Puritan mob sacked the Cathedral and did their usual Puritan mob thing, as described by Joseph Hall, the understandably furious Bishop:
"It is tragical to relate the furious sacrilege committed under the authority of Linsey, Tofts the sheriff, and Greenwood: what clattering of glasses, what beating down of walls, what tearing down of monuments, what pulling down of seats, and wresting out of irons and brass from the windows and graves; what defacing of arms, what demolishing of curious stone-work, that had not any representation in the world but of the cost of the founder and skill of the mason; what piping on the destroyed organ-pipes; vestments, both copes and surplices, together with the leaden cross which had been newly sawed down from over the greenyard pulpit, and the singing-books and service-books, were carried to the fire in the public market-place; a lewd wretch walking before the train in his cope trailing in the dirt, with a service-book in his hand, imitating in an impious scorn the tune, and usurping the words of the litany. The ordnance being discharged on the guild-day, the cathedral was filled with musketeers, drinking and tobacconing as freely as if it had turned ale-house."
(Of course, the problems would only become worse, as 2 years later Archbishop Laud, of blessed memory, would be beheaded by other "lewd wretches.")
After lunch, it was back to Walsingham again for the second service I would attend here, but first it was time for a bit of walking. The last mile of the ancient pilgrimage route to Walsingham is called the "Holy Mile," though it is more like a mile and a half. The "Slipper Chapel" at the start of the Holy Mile is where pilgrims used to remove their shoes (thus the name) and walk barefoot to the Shrine. Today the Slipper Chapel serves as the RC Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, which sets up an odd situation. While walking _out_ from the village to the Slipper Chapel, I was passed by a procession of RC's with THEIR statue of OLW, heading in the opposite direction towards the village, though where they were going when they got there, I have no clue. So within a mile of each other there are 2 completely separate entities playing a centuries-long game of "my Marian devotion is bigger/purer than yours."
The road (really more of a paved footpath) about half way along the "Holy Mile" between the Slipper Chapel (now the RC Shrine) and the Anglican Shrine in the village itself comes to this fork - and thankfully, a place to sit down.
Most of the way along the Holy Mile, the narrow road is surrounded with wildflowers on both sides. Very Marian, eh?
The road primarily follows the path of a stream, where this duck family was going about its business.
From the same spot in the opposite direction was this bridge which carried another footpath over the stream. I wonder how many people over the last thousand years have stopped at this point, as I did, to cool off their feet at the ford.
The tiny Slipper Chapel surrounded by the grounds of the RC shrine.
After all that walking, out to the Slipper Chapel and back again, it was a relief to finally reach the village. Coming into the village, along the "main drag" is the gate to the site of the former Priory of Our Lady of Walsingham. Note that the statues over the gate are missing, and have been since 1538.
At the primary intersection is the location of the old pump.
Another shot of the Priory Gate.
The service at the Shrine could best be described as an extended-dance-mix Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. No preaching this time - instead it launched right into the procession after the opening hymn and Collect. For this one, the HUGE monstrance containing the Body of Christ is processed around the gardens outside the Shrine as everyone sings the Thomas Aquinas hymn, _Lauda Sion_. The procession then returns to the church for the actual Benediction. (Continued in next post.)
10 May 2008 - Eve of Pentecost
Georgian House Hotel
33 Unthank Road
Norwich, Norfolk NR2
2300 BST
I went to the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham for the first of the two "procession" services of the weekend. This one was the Procession of Our Lady of Walsingham (preceded by an Address/Homily and followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.) Now, I know not everyone is "into" Marian devotion - some may think it subtracts from focus on the Lordship of Jesus Christ. But I find that Anglican Marian devotion POINTS TO the Lordship of Jesus Christ and does so through a focus on the thing that "everyone" (whoever that is) says that Anglicans understand about as well as anyone: the Incarnation.
Walsingham is a beautiful village in the middle of nowhere, made all the more interesting by the fact that it is still focused on pilgrimage to the Shrine. It is one of those places where to be a Christian (and to be an Anglican Christian, at that) is a completely NORMAL thing. You don't have to explain why you're there - everyone else is there for the same thing. Clergy have no qualms about walking around in their cassocks there (which they would certainly never do in, say, central London!) Here are a few shots of the church and its environs.
Below is the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Walsingham ("OLW") looking towards the West door. It is, quite obviously, a 20th century construction.
At the intersection where the Shrine Church is located (90 degrees from previous picture), there is a fairly high wall on one side, with a crazy traffic control system since the road narrow. The sign says, essentially, "wait here if there is an oncoming car."
Walking through the village of Little Walsingham around the wall of the Shrine, which actually contains a complex of buildings including several small chapels, a refectory (with a very attractive bar on the ground floor!), and the education department, along with offices, etc.
A horticultural triumph in an unexpected place.
Many of the houses in the village have dates on the capstone over the door. This one is from the 18th C., but I later found another one from around 1650.
Anyway, the first part of the service involved a fairly vigorous homily from Fr. Philip North, who is the Administrator of the Shrine. Surprisingly, he is a young guy - I'd be surprised if he were older than I am. It being the Eve of Pentecost, he talked about the gift of the Holy Spirit and the disciples' confusion in being told they would receive it (in John.) What really hit me hard was his part about a particularly Anglo-Catholic pneumatology. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not for our personal enjoyment or security - it is to enable us to go into the world and be the hands and feet of Christ. Then, everyone lit their candles and the procession began: crucifer, two torches, two (TWO!) thurifers, about 6 priests, 2 brothers of an unidentified order, and the statue of OLW carried on the shoulders of four laymen of parishes on pilgrimages there. Everyone else followed, singing the VERY LONG "Walsingham Pilgrim Hymn." (Notable for its imprecatory verse against Henry VIII for sacking the original Shrine!) Everyone returned to the Shrine Church in an amazingly orderly fashion for Benediction, during which the incense was so thick it was impossible to see the top half of the church. It was an incredibly moving, incredibly reverent event.
"Anglo-Catholic, not spiky, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Little Walsingham, Norfolk
Denomination: Church of England
The building: The Shrine Church (destroyed utterly in 1538) was rebuilt around 1930. It is fairly small (see below) but quite ornate on the inside.
The cast: Fr. Philip North, preacher and priest for Benediction, and many, many assisting clergy and laypeople.
The date & time: Saturday, 10 May 2008, 8:15 PM
What was the name of the service? Address, Procession of Our Lady of Walsingham, and Benediction
How full was the building? I would guess about 150-170, but it was PACKED! The Shrine Church is not that big, and probably has permanent seating for about 100. People were standing in the back, kids were sitting in the aisles...
What were the exact opening words of the service? "Welcome to this evening's liturgy."
What books did the congregation use during the service? The "Walsingham Pilgrim Manual" is purchased by every person going with their parish on a pilgrimage to the Shrine - it is a very helpful wire-bound book about the size of a pocket calendar which contains the words to all the hymns and the prayers for the (many) services.
What musical instruments were played? Organ.
Did anything distract you? NO.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Transcendent, nosebleed-high, Anglo-Catholicism.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? Kneeling on the stone floor during Benediction and getting a serious sense of the Real Presence.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? Honestly? Nothing.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 9, but only because you can't make it a regular thing, for obvious reasons. I would want to be in a parish with the sorts of people I met, though, that's for sure.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Yes.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? I don't think I'll forget any of it, to tell you the truth.
33 Unthank Road
Norwich, Norfolk NR2
2300 BST
I went to the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham for the first of the two "procession" services of the weekend. This one was the Procession of Our Lady of Walsingham (preceded by an Address/Homily and followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.) Now, I know not everyone is "into" Marian devotion - some may think it subtracts from focus on the Lordship of Jesus Christ. But I find that Anglican Marian devotion POINTS TO the Lordship of Jesus Christ and does so through a focus on the thing that "everyone" (whoever that is) says that Anglicans understand about as well as anyone: the Incarnation.
Walsingham is a beautiful village in the middle of nowhere, made all the more interesting by the fact that it is still focused on pilgrimage to the Shrine. It is one of those places where to be a Christian (and to be an Anglican Christian, at that) is a completely NORMAL thing. You don't have to explain why you're there - everyone else is there for the same thing. Clergy have no qualms about walking around in their cassocks there (which they would certainly never do in, say, central London!) Here are a few shots of the church and its environs.
Below is the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Walsingham ("OLW") looking towards the West door. It is, quite obviously, a 20th century construction.
At the intersection where the Shrine Church is located (90 degrees from previous picture), there is a fairly high wall on one side, with a crazy traffic control system since the road narrow. The sign says, essentially, "wait here if there is an oncoming car."
Walking through the village of Little Walsingham around the wall of the Shrine, which actually contains a complex of buildings including several small chapels, a refectory (with a very attractive bar on the ground floor!), and the education department, along with offices, etc.
A horticultural triumph in an unexpected place.
Many of the houses in the village have dates on the capstone over the door. This one is from the 18th C., but I later found another one from around 1650.
Anyway, the first part of the service involved a fairly vigorous homily from Fr. Philip North, who is the Administrator of the Shrine. Surprisingly, he is a young guy - I'd be surprised if he were older than I am. It being the Eve of Pentecost, he talked about the gift of the Holy Spirit and the disciples' confusion in being told they would receive it (in John.) What really hit me hard was his part about a particularly Anglo-Catholic pneumatology. The gift of the Holy Spirit is not for our personal enjoyment or security - it is to enable us to go into the world and be the hands and feet of Christ. Then, everyone lit their candles and the procession began: crucifer, two torches, two (TWO!) thurifers, about 6 priests, 2 brothers of an unidentified order, and the statue of OLW carried on the shoulders of four laymen of parishes on pilgrimages there. Everyone else followed, singing the VERY LONG "Walsingham Pilgrim Hymn." (Notable for its imprecatory verse against Henry VIII for sacking the original Shrine!) Everyone returned to the Shrine Church in an amazingly orderly fashion for Benediction, during which the incense was so thick it was impossible to see the top half of the church. It was an incredibly moving, incredibly reverent event.
"Anglo-Catholic, not spiky, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Little Walsingham, Norfolk
Denomination: Church of England
The building: The Shrine Church (destroyed utterly in 1538) was rebuilt around 1930. It is fairly small (see below) but quite ornate on the inside.
The cast: Fr. Philip North, preacher and priest for Benediction, and many, many assisting clergy and laypeople.
The date & time: Saturday, 10 May 2008, 8:15 PM
What was the name of the service? Address, Procession of Our Lady of Walsingham, and Benediction
How full was the building? I would guess about 150-170, but it was PACKED! The Shrine Church is not that big, and probably has permanent seating for about 100. People were standing in the back, kids were sitting in the aisles...
What were the exact opening words of the service? "Welcome to this evening's liturgy."
What books did the congregation use during the service? The "Walsingham Pilgrim Manual" is purchased by every person going with their parish on a pilgrimage to the Shrine - it is a very helpful wire-bound book about the size of a pocket calendar which contains the words to all the hymns and the prayers for the (many) services.
What musical instruments were played? Organ.
Did anything distract you? NO.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Transcendent, nosebleed-high, Anglo-Catholicism.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? Kneeling on the stone floor during Benediction and getting a serious sense of the Real Presence.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? Honestly? Nothing.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 9, but only because you can't make it a regular thing, for obvious reasons. I would want to be in a parish with the sorts of people I met, though, that's for sure.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Yes.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? I don't think I'll forget any of it, to tell you the truth.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
8-9 May 2008
Georgian House Hotel
33 Unthank Road
Norwich, Norfolk NR2
1624 BST
Must catch up a bit as last night was spent in travel until very late indeed, and then I have had to catch up on some sleep before heading over to Little Walsingham tonight.
Thursday the 8th was mostly spent in enjoyable but unremarkable pursuits involving the last bits of clothing replacement. I deeply regret spending any money to enrich the execrable Mr. Al Fayed, but unfortunately Harrods did have an easily findable selection of American boat shoes in ladies' sizes so that I could replace my L.L. Bean ones at twice the cost. (Not Bean's or Sperry's, sadly, but a close Timberland approximation.) Much happier was the recovery of my suit thanks to the talents of Matthew Leonard of Jay Leonard & Co. in the City. For any peeps who may be looking for very conservative, very well-cut suits in black, blue, or dark grey for less than you might expect, look up their web site. They do men's suits as well.
Friday the 9th was taken up during the day with a trip to the parish church of St. Magnus the Martyr in Lower Thames Street.
If you don't see this sign, you may never find the door to the church!
One interesting London phenomenon is that parishes have notice boards somewhere near the church where the local councilman's name is listed and so forth. A lot of times, vestry minutes are posted as well, and can make for interesting reading.
West door is under the arch to the left.
Looking along the east-west axis from beyond the east wall.
I actually took this from about the 4th floor of an office building, out on the mezzanine. The round windows have an amusing history - originally they were deep arch-type windows like you expect to see in churches, but 17th century sound pollution was a problem. Apparently the constant stream of obscenities coming from fishwives on this side of the church disturbed the congregation. The windows on the other side are still "normal" shaped.
"Inexplicable splendor at St. Magnus the Martyr"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: St. Magnus the Martyr, Lower Thames Street, City of London
Denomination: Church of England
The building: Made semi-famous by former usher T. S. Eliot ("walls of Magnus Martyr hold/inexplicable splendor of Ionian white and gold"), it is stunning on the inside and unremarkable on the outside. The church, which used to stand prominently on the approach to the old London Bridge, has now been completely enveloped by the buildings and overpasses of the modern City. Like many other City churches, it burned in the Great Fire and was rebuilt. Then, in the early 20th century, it was "spiked up" considerably to, in the words of the rector, "make it look as if the Reformation never happened." The polychrome statue of St. Magnus, complete with horned helmet and battle axe, is really something to behold.
The cast: Celebrant: Fr. Philip Warner, rector (with Roman-style chasuble and biretta), and one adult acolyte (in cassock with a very lacy surplice.)
The date & time: Friday, 9 May 2008, 12:30 PM
What was the name of the service? Low Mass
How full was the building? Congregation of 5.
What were the exact opening words of the service? "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
What books did the congregation use during the service? Laminated card with the congregational prayers and responses printed on it - they assume you know what you are doing!
What musical instruments were played? None.
Did anything distract you? Not at all. It was fabulous.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Nosebleed high, but not really spiky.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? Fr. Warner can say a good mass, for sure. The whole thing was good.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? This wasn't during the service, but it was a pain to find the church in the first place as it is almost invisible.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 10. 11. Fits my churchmanship, and the rector is a really great guy. It is worth the trip into the City for anyone in Greater London.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Absolutely.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? Smelling incense from outside the building.
33 Unthank Road
Norwich, Norfolk NR2
1624 BST
Must catch up a bit as last night was spent in travel until very late indeed, and then I have had to catch up on some sleep before heading over to Little Walsingham tonight.
Thursday the 8th was mostly spent in enjoyable but unremarkable pursuits involving the last bits of clothing replacement. I deeply regret spending any money to enrich the execrable Mr. Al Fayed, but unfortunately Harrods did have an easily findable selection of American boat shoes in ladies' sizes so that I could replace my L.L. Bean ones at twice the cost. (Not Bean's or Sperry's, sadly, but a close Timberland approximation.) Much happier was the recovery of my suit thanks to the talents of Matthew Leonard of Jay Leonard & Co. in the City. For any peeps who may be looking for very conservative, very well-cut suits in black, blue, or dark grey for less than you might expect, look up their web site. They do men's suits as well.
Friday the 9th was taken up during the day with a trip to the parish church of St. Magnus the Martyr in Lower Thames Street.
If you don't see this sign, you may never find the door to the church!
One interesting London phenomenon is that parishes have notice boards somewhere near the church where the local councilman's name is listed and so forth. A lot of times, vestry minutes are posted as well, and can make for interesting reading.
West door is under the arch to the left.
Looking along the east-west axis from beyond the east wall.
I actually took this from about the 4th floor of an office building, out on the mezzanine. The round windows have an amusing history - originally they were deep arch-type windows like you expect to see in churches, but 17th century sound pollution was a problem. Apparently the constant stream of obscenities coming from fishwives on this side of the church disturbed the congregation. The windows on the other side are still "normal" shaped.
"Inexplicable splendor at St. Magnus the Martyr"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: St. Magnus the Martyr, Lower Thames Street, City of London
Denomination: Church of England
The building: Made semi-famous by former usher T. S. Eliot ("walls of Magnus Martyr hold/inexplicable splendor of Ionian white and gold"), it is stunning on the inside and unremarkable on the outside. The church, which used to stand prominently on the approach to the old London Bridge, has now been completely enveloped by the buildings and overpasses of the modern City. Like many other City churches, it burned in the Great Fire and was rebuilt. Then, in the early 20th century, it was "spiked up" considerably to, in the words of the rector, "make it look as if the Reformation never happened." The polychrome statue of St. Magnus, complete with horned helmet and battle axe, is really something to behold.
The cast: Celebrant: Fr. Philip Warner, rector (with Roman-style chasuble and biretta), and one adult acolyte (in cassock with a very lacy surplice.)
The date & time: Friday, 9 May 2008, 12:30 PM
What was the name of the service? Low Mass
How full was the building? Congregation of 5.
What were the exact opening words of the service? "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
What books did the congregation use during the service? Laminated card with the congregational prayers and responses printed on it - they assume you know what you are doing!
What musical instruments were played? None.
Did anything distract you? Not at all. It was fabulous.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Nosebleed high, but not really spiky.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? Fr. Warner can say a good mass, for sure. The whole thing was good.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? This wasn't during the service, but it was a pain to find the church in the first place as it is almost invisible.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 10. 11. Fits my churchmanship, and the rector is a really great guy. It is worth the trip into the City for anyone in Greater London.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Absolutely.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? Smelling incense from outside the building.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
7 May 2008 - Happy Birthday, Mom !!
Dorset Square Hotel
39 Dorset Square
London NW1
2330 BST
I want to wish my Mom, who I know looks at this page sometimes, a very happy birthday, and no, I won't say how old you are! (And happy Mother's Day, too, even though I think that's more of a scam by the greeting card industry than an actual occasion.) Be on the lookout for a smallish package.
Not much in the way of pictures from today, as a good bit of time was spent finishing the process of replacing the stuff British Airways lost. However, this morning I did have an extremely intense time at St. Paul's Cathedral. St. Paul's is not my favorite building - I find that with all the marble it is like trying to worship God in an enormous, cavernous bathroom. A luxurious bathroom, with good acoustics, but it still feels cold to me. I do have one picture of John Wesley (in statue form) in one of the gardens surrounding St. Paul's:
What to say about +Richard Chartres, the current Bishop of London? I find that I agree with him on several things, but his ordination policies are...extremely unhelpful. Given that, though, it's obvious that "Dickie C.'s" cathedral is a serious place with serious people working there. The Canons and staff say Morning Prayer at 7:30 each morning followed by the Eucharist at 8 - SHOCK HORROR! THEY ACTUALLY OBSERVE THEIR ORDINATION VOWS!
"The Big Kids' Table at St. Paul's Cathedral"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: St. Paul's Cathedral, London
Denomination: Church of England
The building:
The cast: Celebrant: the Rt. Rev. Michael Colclough, Canon Pastor of St. Paul's and former Bishop of Kensington and 2 young (female!!) acolytes
The date & time: Wednesday, 7 May 2008, 8:00 AM
What was the name of the service? Holy Communion
How full was the building? "Congregation" of about 18, although the majority were clergy in cassocks.
What were the exact opening words of the service? "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
What books did the congregation use during the service? Reusable booklet reprinted from the C of E's Common Worship, though no one really needed to look at it.
What musical instruments were played? None.
Did anything distract you? No.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Very quiet, very serious.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? The absolute silence in such a cavernous space.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? The bit during the overly-long Prayers when the celebrant prayed "for the cleansing of the Church," and it felt as if that sentiment was aimed directly across the Atlantic, though perhaps a bit north-by-east of Carolina... :-)
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 6. The architecture, again, is something of a loser in my view, but it's obvious that they are more sacramentally-focused today than in the 17th C.! It seems the sort of place that would be a blast to be a verger at, but not so great to be a member at. I really like the Canon Precentor, Lucy Plunkett, who was at the morning's service.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Not so much glad as _impressed._
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? The (unnamed) minor canon kneeling on the stone floor for 15 minutes between Morning Prayer and the Mass.
39 Dorset Square
London NW1
2330 BST
I want to wish my Mom, who I know looks at this page sometimes, a very happy birthday, and no, I won't say how old you are! (And happy Mother's Day, too, even though I think that's more of a scam by the greeting card industry than an actual occasion.) Be on the lookout for a smallish package.
Not much in the way of pictures from today, as a good bit of time was spent finishing the process of replacing the stuff British Airways lost. However, this morning I did have an extremely intense time at St. Paul's Cathedral. St. Paul's is not my favorite building - I find that with all the marble it is like trying to worship God in an enormous, cavernous bathroom. A luxurious bathroom, with good acoustics, but it still feels cold to me. I do have one picture of John Wesley (in statue form) in one of the gardens surrounding St. Paul's:
What to say about +Richard Chartres, the current Bishop of London? I find that I agree with him on several things, but his ordination policies are...extremely unhelpful. Given that, though, it's obvious that "Dickie C.'s" cathedral is a serious place with serious people working there. The Canons and staff say Morning Prayer at 7:30 each morning followed by the Eucharist at 8 - SHOCK HORROR! THEY ACTUALLY OBSERVE THEIR ORDINATION VOWS!
"The Big Kids' Table at St. Paul's Cathedral"
Mystery Worshipper: Civilized Engineer
The church: St. Paul's Cathedral, London
Denomination: Church of England
The building:
The cast: Celebrant: the Rt. Rev. Michael Colclough, Canon Pastor of St. Paul's and former Bishop of Kensington and 2 young (female!!) acolytes
The date & time: Wednesday, 7 May 2008, 8:00 AM
What was the name of the service? Holy Communion
How full was the building? "Congregation" of about 18, although the majority were clergy in cassocks.
What were the exact opening words of the service? "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
What books did the congregation use during the service? Reusable booklet reprinted from the C of E's Common Worship, though no one really needed to look at it.
What musical instruments were played? None.
Did anything distract you? No.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Very quiet, very serious.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven? The absolute silence in such a cavernous space.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place? The bit during the overly-long Prayers when the celebrant prayed "for the cleansing of the Church," and it felt as if that sentiment was aimed directly across the Atlantic, though perhaps a bit north-by-east of Carolina... :-)
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 6. The architecture, again, is something of a loser in my view, but it's obvious that they are more sacramentally-focused today than in the 17th C.! It seems the sort of place that would be a blast to be a verger at, but not so great to be a member at. I really like the Canon Precentor, Lucy Plunkett, who was at the morning's service.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Not so much glad as _impressed._
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time? The (unnamed) minor canon kneeling on the stone floor for 15 minutes between Morning Prayer and the Mass.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
