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| 1841: St Dunstan's,
San Diego, California, USA |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Mary McKillop.
The church:
St Dunstan's,
San Diego, California, USA.
Denomination:
The Episcopal Church, Diocese
of San Diego.
The building:
This 40 year old A-frame church was designed by the architectural
firm of Mosher and Drew, known for their unique humanist/modernist
style. The interior didn't strike me as particularly attractive,
although there are some nice stained glass windows at the west
end that must have come from an earlier building. There is a
free-standing altar with tabernacle behind – I think the altar
was moved forward at some point.
The church:
There are two churches in the Episcopal diocese of San Diego
known for their music: All Saints, the Anglo-Catholic parish
near downtown that offers traditional music; and the charismatic
St Dunstan's. Along with a variety of music groups, St Dunstan's
also supports a number of youth programs, a chapter of Daughters
of the King, a Good Samaritans group who bring the eucharist
to residents of a nearby nursing home, a quilting group called
Prayers and Squares, and many other activities listed on their
website. Sunday afternoons at 5.00 they hold a contemporary
worship service that they call TGIS ("Thank God it's Son-day").
The neighborhood:
St Dunstan's is located in a nice suburban area with spacious
homes – typical of San Diego. Some large parks and lakes
are nearby.
The cast:
The Rt Revd James Mathes, Bishop of San Diego, presided at the
eucharist and at the installation of the Revd Kevin Warner as
rector. Preaching was the Revd Geoffrey Piper.
The date & time:
Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 6.00pm.
What was the name of the service?
Induction of the Revd Kevin Warner as Rector of St Dunstan's.
How full was the building?
About two-thirds full. I guessed maybe 160 present. I was surprised
that most were elderly.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
I was given a friendly welcome and offered a service book by
one of four people on duty.
Was your pew comfortable?
Average wooden pew, no cushions.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Noisy – impossible to pray.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Bishop Mathes, we come together this evening as people of this
parish..." I wasn't sure if this was the official beginning
for an induction service or if it was written for this occasion.
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Everything was in a large booklet, including hymns, songs and
readings. Most songs were included, but they were to tunes I
did not know and I found them hard to sing. The organist had
written the mass setting and many of the hymns.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ, piano, guitars, trumpets, drums and hand bells. There
were two other music groups who sang in addition to the choir.
Did anything distract you?
The music dominated the whole evening. The choir were on the
left of the altar, facing the congregation, and sat when the
rest of us knelt. As distracting as this was, it was worse during
the eucharistic prayer. They sat facing us, completely ignoring
the consecration as it took place immediately to their left!
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
We started and finished with two traditional Episcopal hymns,
but everything else was a eucharist in a charismatic style,
complete with clergy raising their arms in the songs. The bishop
wore a lovely cope and mitre, changing to a matching chasuble
at the offertory.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
20 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
1 – This was one of the worst sermons I have ever heard!
After introducing himself, Father Piper spoke at length about
the close friendship between himself and the new rector, and
how lucky the parish was.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
Father Piper said how much he and the new rector like to go
fishing, and he even produced a photo of the rector with a huge
fish in his arms. He tried to link all the fishing stories with
the gospel ("I will make you fishers of men") but it did not
work. After 10 minutes I was bored.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
Gregory Funk, St Dunstan's organist, did a great job on the
recessional, the Carillon-Sortie by the 20th century
French organist and composer Henri Mulet.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
The choir facing the congregation – and the awful sermon.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
I went over to the hall for the reception. Basically the only
people who spoke to me were the ones serving the drinks. I helped
myself to the food without being spoken to and was left alone.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Red and white wine – very nice.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
1 – Not my style! Another unappealing Episcopal church.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Not really. It was more like a music concert with holy communion
thrown in.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The awful sermon on fishing! |
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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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