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| 2033: St George the Martyr, Niagara Falls, New York, USA |
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Mystery Worshipper:
LQ.
The church:
Pro-Cathedral of St George the Martyr, Niagara Falls, New York, USA.
Denomination:
Independent
Anglican Church, Canada Synod.
The building:
The first St George's was a little white church built in 1915
by the Lithuanian Roman Catholic community in Niagara Falls,
New York. The present church, more recently made redundant by
the Roman Catholic diocese, dates to 1927 and is a designated
historic landmark. It is modelled in the neoclassical style
after Vilnius Cathedral. Inside, stained glass windows depict
the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, St
George, St Casimir, and other saints, and bear inscriptions
in Lithuanian. In addition to the high altar are a Lady altar
and one dedicated to the Sacred Heart with twin icons. The walls
are lined with beautiful carved and painted stations of the
cross.
The church:
The church is the new provisional seat of the bishop since the
sale of the synod's former St Matthew's Cathedral in Cambridge,
Ontario. The Independent Anglican Church, Canada Synod, traces
its ancestry to an Anglo-Catholic congregation in Hamilton,
Ontario, that split from the Anglican Diocese of Niagara in
the 1930s as a result of anti-ritualist persecution. The resulting
Independent Anglican congregation was seminal in the formation
of the movement that would give rise to most of the Old Catholic
and Liberal Catholic jurisdictions that later came to be active
in Canada.
The neighbourhood:
Niagara Falls, New York, is smaller and a little seedier than
its Canadian counterpart, and was established in the late 19th
century as an industrial centre, attracting immigrant labourers
from Italy, Poland, and elsewhere in Europe. The proximity of
the border town to its neighbour was made into a farce by Michael
Moore in the film Canadian Bacon.
The cast:
The Most Revd Peter Goodrich, archbishop, officiated. The Ven.
Michael William R. Stott, archdeacon and vicar of the cathedral,
preached. A full complement of assisting clergy were in attendance,
including ecumenical guests: a Lutheran pastor and a Croatian
National Catholic bishop. A pair of deaconesses – surely
the first I have ever laid eyes on – served as taperers,
their pink clerical blouses and collars visible under their
burgundy cassocks and surplices. William Renwick, Ph.D., associate
professor of music theory, McMaster University, was master of
music, with Paul Grimwood on the organ. The Hamilton Schola
Cantorum, a non-denominational choir of men and women dedicated
to the study of Gregorian chant and to its performance in concert
and in liturgy, sang the service.
The date & time:
The Sunday Nearest the Transfiguration, 8 August 2010, 5.00pm.
What was the name of the service?
Office of Dedication, Evensong, and Solemn Benediction.
How full was the building?
A little less than half full.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Archbishop Goodrich shook hands with us at the entrance and
directed us to one of the guest clergy who was distributing
leaflets.
Was your pew comfortable?
It was. Sliding from a sitting position to the "Anglican crouch"
was easy and the kneeler was adequately padded.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
It was fairly lively. A procession was forming at the back, the choir was at the ready in the loft, and a photographer was readying her camera up front.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
After the archbishop pounded on the door with his crozier, the
clergy invited him to re-dedicate the building for worship,
saying "Reverend Father in God, we pray you to dedicate this
church."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
An all-inclusive booklet contained the texts from the Book
of Common Prayer for the consecration of a church and evening
prayer, together with hymns from the old Book of Common
Praise. The Independent Anglican Church uses an adaptation
of the 1549 Prayer Book.
What musical instruments were played?
The singing of the Hamilton Schola Cantorum was beautifully accompanied by the organ.
Did anything distract you?
There seemed to be a lack of common understanding with respect
to posture. I found myself alone in sitting for the psalm at
evensong (as one would expect) and again standing for the canticles
(likewise).
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
The sign out front reading "Anglo-Catholic" could hardly be
called false advertising, but the liturgy was by no means fussy
or sombre. One of the assisting bishops wore a striking red
rochet, something one does not see every day. The service of
dedication consisted mostly of spoken prayers by the archbishop
blessing the space for liturgical use, but the choir sang a
setting of Psalm 150. Incense was offered during the singing
of Stanford's Magnificat at Evensong. Special intercession
was made for the mission to women living on the street, a special
outreach of the church. After the sermon, the archbishop stepped
behind the free-standing altar for the service of benediction.
Mozart's setting of Psalm 137 and a rousing hymn finished us
off.
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
13 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how
good was the preacher?
7 – Archdeacon Stott wove together the readings and underscored
the joyous yet solemn reclamation for which those present had
gathered.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
The temples we build with human hands are sacramental extensions
of our understanding of church. However, like the whole created
order, they shall pass away into something unimaginably wonderful.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
Stanford's setting of the evening canticles.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
I was a bit alarmed to be collared by one of the visiting clergy after depositing my card into the collection plate left out for free-will offerings, although we could not have been more welcomed. It turns out that her congregation has been hit not once but twice.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Directions to get to the parish hall had already been announced, and we made our way next door for supper.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
Coffee and fruit punch accompanied mixed trays of sandwiches, potato crisps, cheese and crackers, and coffee cake.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
10 – Niagara Falls has suffered a number of church closures in recent years, and if I lived here the lovely worship of St George's would be well worth the foray outside of Her Majesty's dominion.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
I cannot think of anything more gladdening as a Christian than the opportunity to join a nascent community in giving thanks for their establishment.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The ceremonial pontifical knocking at the door. |
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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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