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The church: St Paul's Cathedral, London.
Denomination: Church of England.
The building: An awe-inspiring building which has rightly been described as Wren's masterpiece. The fact that people have worshipped here for some 400 years strongly adds to the atmosphere.
The church: The cathedral has a very special place in the hearts of the city and the nation. It also features high on the "must do" list of the millions of visitors to London. And that is its problem: is it a museum, a tourist site or a church with a congregation? The dean and chapter have tried to blend those three elements, but the concept of a living church seems to have been placed last.
The neighbourhood: Climbing the steps to the great west doors involves an obstacle course of dodging the pigeons and tourists – the latter either sitting on the steps or leaving the cathedral as they discover that tours do not take place on a Sunday. I noticed a dead pigeon on the steps as I entered. Part of the crypt has been used for a restaurant, a coffee house and a shop; and any objections that the authorities may have had to "Sunday working" must have been resolved.
The cast: The preacher was Rev. Canon Philip Buckler, treasurer and canon in residence. The names of the other seven priests and one religious officiating were not stated.
Sung eucharist.
How full was the building?
Several hundred people were present, but the building could have taken a lot more.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
"Good morning" (with a smile) several times as we were passed from one sidesman to another (acting as guardians at the various gates) until we were seated under the great dome. Then we felt lost amongst the sea of visitors.
Was your pew comfortable?
No pews, but chairs which were linked together, and comfortable for the short period of time we occupied them. The service was mainly conducted with the congregation standing; at least it felt as if we stood for most of the time. But, given the closeness of the rows, it saved having to worry about kneeling: you couldn't!
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
Surprisingly quiet, given the numbers present, with only the odd tourist's arm thrust heavenward to point out a feature of the dome to their neighbour.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
"Good morning. On behalf of the dean and chapter, let me welcome you to St Paul's Cathedral."
What books did the congregation use during the service?
No books, in that a complete service sheet (including the music for the hymns) was given to each member of the congregation as they were seated. Given the number of tourists whose first language is not English, it seemed a good idea. The real reason for the booklets became apparent during the service: the acoustics!
What musical instruments were played?
The great organ.
Did anything distract you?
I felt we were an audience, rather than a congregation, in a church that isn't sure whether it is a museum, a tourist site or a church with a congregation. Also, it has been said that the Church of England is now an African church. I found it interesting to note that the Africans in the congregation were very well dressed; but the Europeans (women in particular) seemed to think that jeans were the appropriate dress code. As my friend pointed out, they would have difficulty entering an Orthodox church wearing such items of clothing. Somehow I feel that those facts are all connected.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
Towards the high end of the Church of England range. Vestments and candles were used; the Gospel was processed (even if it was only six feet from the altar and did not reach the congregation), but no bells or smells.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
15 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
6 – It was difficult to hear every word clearly, which does not encourage concentration. Also, it seemed to be assumed that the congregation had left their brains at the door.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
At least half of the time was given to explaining the great fire of London and the fact that the then king declared 2 September (the day of the service) a day of "fasting and humiliation". Several quotations from a 1699 sermon were read and the preacher tried to link the fire to the concept of why God punishes us. The answer was that God's ways are beyond our understanding. Not gripping, but I am sure that the tourists enjoyed the history lesson.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
Before the service, the peal of the bells drifting through the cathedral; and during the service the singing by the vicars choral.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The commercialism and the acoustics. As we entered the cathedral, the Friends' desk was very busy selling souvenirs, and thoughts of the "cleansing of the temple" were hard to resist. Also, although at least 30–40 bags were distributed for the collection, only one was presented as the congregation's offering. Why, and what happened to the rest I do not know. But I felt that it added to the feeling that we were an audience witnessing a performance rather than a group of people gathered in the sight of God.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
We stayed lost! We had remained seated to listen to most of the organ voluntary, but as we left none of the officiates were to be seen. A pity. And the sidesmen were busy coping with the tourists.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
None provided. But meals, refreshments and souvenirs can be purchased in the crypt.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
3 – We have recently moved to the City of London, and are thus looking for a regular church that does not involve too much travel. However, while the singing is truly heavenly, the commercialism and the apparent lack of interest in people becoming regular worshippers means that St Paul's will not be it.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes it did. The obvious mixture of nationalities also helped with that sentiment.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The singing.
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