| What was the name of the
service?
Morning Service with Children's Church.
How full was the building?
Surprisingly full considering it was the summer holidays!
Did anyone welcome you personally?
The church was extremely welcoming! A lady at the door greeted
me as she handed me a notice sheet, and as I entered the preacher nodded
and said good morning. As I took my seat, a lovely, friendly elderly lady
came and spoke to me, asking who I was and what had brought me there.
During the peace, a family sitting behind me spoke to me and shook my
hand.
Was your pew comfortable?
The pews were spacious, but after sitting for a time one noticed that
they really weren't all that comfortable. I'm afraid I developed a case
of pins and needles.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
Nice, comfortable, friendly, soft music was playing in the background.
I thought this helped to focus on God.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
"A very warm welcome to Holy Trinity Church, especially if you are
a visitor with us today. We hope you enjoy your morning with us."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
In the pews could be found The Holy Bible, New International Version.
We were given a notice sheet at the door. The order of service, plus responses
and prayers, were projected onto a screen.
What musical instruments were played?
Keyboard and drums plus two female vocalists.
Did anything distract you?
There was a very attractive family sitting a few rows ahead of me. It
was a pleasure to watch them worship God together.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy,
or what?
The worship confused me slightly. The worship leader seemed to be stuck
on fast forward and so all the songs were twice as fast as they should
have been. But the songs were modern and the worship humble. The congregation
raised a few tentative hands in worship but many remained seated. Others
were concentrating on fitting all the words in to the over-quick tunes.
A highlight occurred toward the middle of the service, when the children
came out to treat us to an action song. Brilliant!
Exactly how long was the sermon?
22 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
9 Father de Berry was very amusing and referred often to scenes
from TV commercials.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
'The most satisfying drink," based on John 4:13-26, the confrontation
between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well. Nothing in this
world can satisfy us, and so we shouldn't waste our time searching after
things that will fade. Rather, we should invest it in our relationship
with Jesus.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
The sermon was brilliant and the people were friendly and loving.
And which part was like being in... er... the
other place?
The projectionist kept getting his slides mixed up, and so the order of
service was in the wrong order. I had to mumble the parts I didn't know.
What happened when you hung around after the service
looking lost?
The lady who spoke to me at the beginning showed me to the tea and coffee.
I stood around only for a moment before another friendly lady came to
speak to me and then introduced me to the student worker, who encouraged
me to fill in a welcome card.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
Tea was hot and perfectly brewed, and served in a white mug. There was
also a nice selection of biscuits, including those delightful chocolate
sandwiches known as bourbons.
How would you feel about making this church your
regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 I think that if this were my regular church I would be supported
and challenged.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes, it did, actually. I had warm fuzzy feelings all around.
What one thing will you remember about all this
in seven days' time?
The friendliness.
|