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| 1740: St Peter
and St Mary, Fishbourne, West Sussex, England |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Fluffy Bunny.
The church:
St
Peter and St Mary, Fishbourne, West Sussex, England.
Denomination:
Church of England, Diocese of Chichester.
The building:
An old building recently refurbished and newly decorated. Very
light and airy inside. Old fashioned pews without cushions.
Some stained glass. Small font near the main door. The oldest
part is the nave from the 13th century, and the latest a 20th
century extension, which I was told has caused some later problems.
Major work had been done thanks to a legacy from a parishioner.
The church:
They have three eucharists plus evensong each Sunday, and either
morning prayer or eucharist during the week. They also hold
junior church at Fishbourne School, and sponsor Lazer Club and
YOOF for teenagers.
The neighbourhood:
Fishbourne is a small village very close to Chichester, known
as the location of a major Roman archaeological site accidentally
uncovered by workmen when a water main was being laid. The church
is a bit apart from the village and sits in a well tended churchyard.
The cast:
The Revd Clive Ashley, vicar.
The date & time:
Trinity Sunday, 7 June 2009, 9.30am.
What was the name of the service?
Parish Eucharist and Baptism.
How full was the building?
Mostly full.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
I was greeted by more people here than at most other churches
I have visited. There was a friendly interrogation about where
I had come from and was I going to make Fishbourne my regular
church. The congregation were an extremely friendly bunch.
Was your pew comfortable?
Yes , but I think this was due to the fact that I found the
service so engaging that my mind at no point wandered to the
comfort of my posterior.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Warm, lots of subdued conversation and people greeting each
other. People arrived well ahead of the service time.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Common Worship, Order One; Hymns Old and New;
a weekly leaflet which had the readings and special prayers
for Trinity Sunday. There was also at the pew end a copy of
The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ.
Did anything distract you?
I had such a good time at this service, I can say the only distracting thing was the smell of paint, but I soon became accustomed to it.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Quite middle of the road. The standard worship was used. The
priest wore a chasuble, but there was no incense. The bell was
rung during the eucharistic prayer, which was Eucharistic Prayer
E. The worship was sung to a setting by Richard Shepherd. The
baptismal candidate was the daughter of a church member who
will be ordained later this month and then move on to his first
parish as curate, and so it was a very personally moving occasion
for the vicar.
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
13 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
9 – Father Clive apologised for forgetting the banns book
so that the banns could not be read this week. He radiated a
warmth to his congregation. His delivery was quiet and measured.
He had a clear voice. We also had "Thoughts to take away" from
his sermon in the weekly news sheet.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
The vicar spoke on the day's readings, Isaiah 6:1-8 (Isaiah's
vision of unworthiness before the Lord) and John 3:1-17 (believers
who are born again will have eternal life). It is impossible
to define the Holy Trinity in words alone. The Trinity is not
about words but persons. Nothing can teach us about God, he
has to be met. Isaiah tells us about his meeting with God and
something about the nature, wonder and majesty of God. Jesus
then teaches us a more homely and personal way of approaching
God by calling him Father – but we must never lose the
majesty of God. It is proper to kneel before him. None of us
is perfect, but God has still chosen us serve him. Baptism celebrates
a new life, and it is a privilege to take part.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
The wonderful welcome, the thoughtful sermon, the baptism.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The high altar was very tight, and after receiving communion
I was almost knocked over by another communicant.
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
There is no church hall, and so refreshments were served in
the church after the service. We were all invited for coffee,
and the newly baptised's mum had also made some cake. I was
again chatted to enthusiastically. I didn't leave until almost
an hour after the service ended!
How would you describe
the after-service coffee?
Coffee, piping hot and very tasty, in polystyrene cups. There
was a fair trade sign.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
10 – I was moved during this service in a way I haven't been for a long time. What a friendly bunch!
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Absolutely. Father Clive and his congregation show how fantastic it is to be a Christian.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The warmth and friendliness of the welcome I received and the
Christian glow I had when I left, and still have as I write
this report. |
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| The Mystery Pilgrim |
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| One of our most seasoned reporters makes the Camino pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read here. |
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