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| 1954: Holy
Apostles, New York City |
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Mystery Worshipper:
The Kid from Brooklyn.
The church:
Holy
Apostles, New York City.
Denomination:
The Episcopal Church, Diocese
of New York.
The building:
The architectural critic of The New York Times wrote
that Holy Apostles "provides the ambiance of a quaint country
chapel." The cornerstone was laid in 1846 and the building
was completed in 1848, with additions in 1854 and 1858 and major
alterations in 1908. Its architect was Minard Lafever (1798-1854),
who authored several influential architectural pattern books.
In 1990 a fire heavily damaged the building, which was restored
and rededicated in 1994. A handsome spire complements the otherwise
rather plain exterior. The interior is bright and cheerful,
with many beautiful stained glass windows by William Jay Bolton
(1816-1884), the first artist in the United States to design
and manufacture figural stained glass windows. Many of the windows
are said to be based on illustrations from the Bolton family
Bible and are not replicated in Bolton's other ecclesiastical
works.
The church:
The parish was founded in 1844 and from the start has been at
the forefront of social activism. The church operates the largest
soup kitchen in New York City, feeding over 1100 hungry persons
every day. The congregation is known for being very gay-friendly
and shares its space with a lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual
synagogue.
The neighborhood:
Holy Apostles is at Ninth Avenue and West 28th Street, on the
dividing line between the fashionable Chelsea residential area
and the gritty warehouse district that lies further west. General
Theological Seminary, an Episcopal institution, is only a few
blocks away.
The cast:
The Revd Glenn B. Chalmers, rector, was the celebrant. The Revd
Peter Carey, assisting priest, preached.
The date & time:
Sunday, March 21, 2010, 11.00am.
What was the name of the service?
Parish Eucharist.
How full was the building?
About 80 per cent full.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Yes. As it was "Welcome Sunday" I was asked to fill out and
wear a name tag. An usher also said hello.
Was your pew comfortable?
The pews were not replaced after the 1990 fire. Instead, they
use padded, stackable chairs, which I found quite comfortable.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Fairly quiet.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
A specially-printed booklet, the Prayer Book 1979 and
the Hymnal 1982.
What musical instruments
were played?
A magnificent tracker organ sitting in an ornate Dutch Baroque
case, an opus of the van den Heuvel firm of Dordrecht, the Netherlands.
It originally graced a private home in Texas. There are only
50 van den Heuvel instruments in existence.
Did anything distract
you?
During the service a man opened a newspaper and rustled it noisily.
But this was thankfully brief.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
Middle to high Anglican. Much of the service was sung. According
to their website, they strive to strike "an Anglican balance
between the formal and the solemn, and the informal."
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
20 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 – Father Carey, whom I have heard before, is a very engaging
speaker. He tried hard to relate the readings to current goings-on
in the world.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
A reflection upon the gospel reading, specifically "The poor
you shall always have with you." This is often quoted out of
context. While the Bible does not prescribe specific policies
for eliminating poverty, it certainly does not advocate indifference
toward the poor. Quite the contrary.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The beautiful organ and choir.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
The PA system is inadequate. Sometimes it was heard to hear
who was speaking. But I was most saddened by the knowledge that,
come Monday morning, over 1,100 people would need to come to
the church for their main meal.
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
Nothing! It's ironic that, on "Welcome Sunday," nobody approached
me.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Disappointingly weak. But there was a decent selection of fresh
fruit, pastries and sandwiches.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
7 – The liturgy and music at Holy Apostles are excellent.
It is also definitely a church that "walks the walk" through
its soup kitchen ministry. However, people there seem to be
more interested in talking amongst themselves than in welcoming
outsiders and potential members.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Absolutely.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The bright, yet dignified, feel of the sanctuary. |
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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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