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The church: The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit, Guildford, Surrey.
Denomination: Church of England.
The building: Guildford is the first Anglican Cathedral to be built on a new site in the south of England since the Reformation. Built in a traditional style on the summit of Stag Hill, work began in 1933 and the cathedral was consecrated in 1961. Outside, the building looks rather drab and plain in brown brick, but the interior is more attractive in light stone.
The neighbourhood: Houses and the town centre stand on one side of the cathedral, while the University of Surrey is on the other.
The cast: Rev Sir John Alleyne.
Mattins.
How full was the building?
There were about 50 people, in a building which can seat 1,200.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Server: Have you come for Mattins?
Me: Yes.
Server: Oh well, you're early. Here, have one of these (handing me an order of service).
Me: Thanks...
Was your pew comfortable?
An individual seat: metal frame with plywood formed over it and a little bag for the books on the back. Quite comfortable.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
'It is our custom to keep silence before services' (from the Order of Service). Generally, this was adhered to, giving an atmosphere of quiet reverence.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
The choir began the service without a spoken introduction. The first words were: 'Please sit while the choir sings the next song...'
What books did the congregation use during the service?
The Book of Common Prayer, plus 'Hymns Ancient & Modern' (revised).
What musical instruments were played?
Organ.
Did anything distract you?
Tourists wandering around. They were looking at us like some kind of museum exhibit.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
The service was very, very traditional. Worship was led by the choir, with little congregational participation.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
The sermon was 6 minutes. The prayer after it was 4 minutes. Maybe they have got the ratio between the two about right?
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
5.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
In Haggai's time, they were commanded to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, but Paul writes to the Corinthians that we are to build for God's temple, not using the ideas of the pagans as a foundation. Short, sweet and to the point.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
I don't really know – I've never been to such a traditional service before. Although choral music is not really my cup of tea, the choir was impressive.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
I guess the worst part was the tourists...
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Everyone left quite quickly. I didn't see anyone talking to another person they obviously didn't know. Nobody talked to me.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
I don't think there was any.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
2. More a service that you 'attend' than 'join in' with.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Not really. Such a huge building, and only 4.2 per cent full.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The time before the service. The bells were ringing quietly in the background and the whole place was very tranquil. It gave me a sense of the peace of God in the middle of stockbroker Surrey.
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