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| 1773: St John
sub Castro, Lewes, East Sussex, England |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Jacobsen.
The church:
St. John sub Castro, Lewes, East Sussex, England.
Denomination:
Church of England, Diocese
of Chichester.
The building:
A gloriously castellated 19th century church of flint and brick
construction – materials typical of the area. The site was
originally occupied by an 11th century church, some remains
of which can be seen in the churchyard. Inside, once you're
through the lobby painted a horrible peach colour, you find
yourself in a dignified church with a heavily timbered roof,
a small chancel, and large side galleries. There is some Victorian
stained glass and traditional gold heavy embroidered altar cloths.
The church:
There is plenty of evidence in the form of toys, drawings and
books that this is a lively church catering to all ages.
The neighbourhood:
Lewes has historically been a centre of rebellion and dissent.
Lewes Castle, dating from the time of William the Conqueror,
stands on high ground with a good view of the area. The words
"sub castro" in the church's name refer to its location
"beneath the castle." Lewes glories in its celebrations
of Bonfire Night (the annual commemoration of the foiling of
the Gunpowder Plot in 1605) with torch lit processions, crow
scarers and burnings in effigy. It is home to Harvey’s Brewery,
maker of several traditional English beers, and has two folk
clubs and a thriving folk music scene.
The cast:
The Revd Martin Sully, vicar.
The date & time:
Ninth Sunday after Trinity (or was it the Eighth – read on),
9 August 2009, 8.00am.
What was the name of the service?
Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer).
How full was the building?
Five, including myself.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
I arrived 15 minutes early to an open but empty church. I picked
up a Prayer Book and parish magazine from the table where they’d
been laid out in preparation, and went to examine the church
library collection. The vicar came out to light the candles
and, upon spotting me, came down to shake hands, say hello and
ask me my name. He told me that the congregation usually sat
in the choir stalls for this service and that others would be
coming.
Was your pew comfortable?
The choir stalls were very narrow front to back, and I found
it more comfortable to sit at an angle. The pews in the nave
had individual cushions to soften the effect of unrelieved wood.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Quiet and devotional. The other four attendees came in and mostly
prayed until the service began.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Our Father, who art in heaven ..." (The Lord’s Prayer).
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Book of Common Prayer (1662 version with 1968 revisions).
The choir stalls also contained Hymns Ancient and Modern
Revised, 100 Favourite Hymns, and a psalter.
What musical instruments were played?
There was no music at this service.
Did anything distract you?
The pew. Also, the vicar seemed to be using a different version
of the Prayer Book than those provided for the congregation.
His seemed to have slightly more modern language. This was particularly
noticeable in the readings.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
This was a simple and dignified service that followed the traditional
pattern. The atmosphere was accepting and intimate, and the
pace unhurried.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
5 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7 – The vicar's delivery, as throughout the service, was
clear and unpretentious.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
He began with a reference to how St Augustine had heard a voice
telling him to read St Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and how,
as his eyes fell upon Paul's admonition to clothe oneself with
Christ, Augustine's life was changed. He then went on to elaborate
on the idea of demonstrating our Christianity in our daily lives.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The simplicity and clear delivery of the service. It had an
inclusive effect. Being a stranger in such a small group could
have been isolating, but this wasn’t.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
Not being used to the Book of Common Prayer, I was
at first confused by the discrepancies between what I was reading
and what I was hearing. Also, the parish magazine announced
today to be the eighth Sunday after Trinity, but I knew it to
be the ninth. Had we read the correct readings for the day?
No one else seemed to be aware of the discrepancy, and it certainly
didn’t detract from the quality of the service.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
I didn’t have time to look lost. My neighbour in the choir stalls
introduced herself and explained that this was the vicar’s last
Sunday and that this would be the last eight o’clock service,
as the priest covering for him already had a parish and wouldn’t
be able to get to St John's at that hour. She also said that
there was a farewell tea party and other festivities planned
for later in the day.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
But alas, no farewell tea or anything else at this service!
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
7 – I would need to attend more services in order to explore
the workings of this particular church. Perhaps after its period
of upheaval has subsided. But today's atmosphere was extremely
welcoming.
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?
The lovely embroidery on the altar frontal. Obviously old, and
in need of slight repair, but beautiful. You can't keep an ex
costumier down. |
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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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| London churches |
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| Read reports from 70 London churches, visited by a small army of Mystery Worshippers on one single Sunday. Read here. |
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