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| 2061: Timothy
Eaton Memorial, Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Mystery Worshipper:
Transformed.
The church:
Timothy Eaton Memorial,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Denomination:
United
Church of Canada.
The building:
The building was completed in 1915 and originally housed a Methodist
congregation. It was named in honour of the founder of the Eaton's
department store chain, once one of the most important retail
institutions in all of Canada. Neo-Gothic in design, the building
immediately catches the passer-by's attention with its oversized
windows featuring delicate tracery. It has a huge sanctuary
that seats 800, plus many meeting, concert, and Christian education
rooms in a separate wing. There is some interesting stained
glass, with several windows commemorating various members of
the Eaton family.
The church:
This is a large, fairly conservative, wealthy congregation with
a huge endowment fund. They sponsor several social and community
service groups.
The neighbourhood:
Timothy Eaton Memorial Church is located in the Forest Hill
area of Toronto, one of the city's wealthiest districts. Like
heaven, there are many mansions.
The cast:
The Revd David McMaster, minister of congregational life, and
an unnamed liturgist.
The date & time:
July 18, 2010, 11.00am.
What was the name of the service?
Sunday Service.
How full was the building?
There were about 175 people there – less than one-quarter full.
Decidedly an older congregation, with fewer than ten people
under the age of 50. I saw no children, nor was there a children's
time. If there were any children at Sunday school, I imagine
that they would have come to church with their great-grandmothers.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
I walked in the side door off the parking lot and went to find a seat. Apparently that's a no-no. An usher came running after me and insisted on walking me to my pew. I felt like I had done something wrong!
Was your pew comfortable?
Traditional wooden pew with pads. There were wooden kneelers,
which is unusual in the United Church.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
Silent!
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"The apostle Paul called out to the people: 'Encourage
one another with hope!'"
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Voices United, the United Church hymn book.
What musical instruments were played?
The organ was the only instrument. It was played fairly well.
The pipe organ is opus 583 of the Casavant firm, installed in
1914.
Did anything distract you?
During the announcements, the liturgist listed all the radio
stations that were carrying the service. This felt quite ridiculous
for a worship service. The sound system made a buzzing noise
during the sermon.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
Very stiff! This would not be a clapping congregation.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
30 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how
good was the preacher?
4 – The minister's manner was quite conversational, but
he was trying to cram too many points into one sermon. It was
way too long! He talked about so many different things that
the main thread was lost. It sounded more like a university
lecture than a sermon.
In a nutshell, what was
the sermon about?
His text was 1 John 1:1-4; 2:24-29 (John, as an eyewitness to
Christ's ministry, exhorts the faithful to stick to what Christ
taught). He mentioned the Gospel of Judas and The Da Vinci
Code as examples of false teachings, full of misinformation
and distortion. He gave a long dissertation on children talking
about a playground brawl as an example of how facts can be distorted
by second or third-hand reporting. Compared with all the false
and heretical teachings that have accumulated over time, the
books of the New Testament have a certain integrity to them.
The Church today often limps along amid much doubt. If we go
back to the original teachings of Christ, we may re-experience
the meaning that faith has had for countless generations.
Which part of the service
was like being in heaven?
The building is beautiful.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The liturgist, who was not named at all, was very sedating.
The length of the rambling sermon was unnecessary.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Nobody spoke to me. I just left. It was obvious that I don't
fit in.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
If there was any, no mention of it was made.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
2 – I don't fit in here. I can't be in a church with no
kids! To have children away in Sunday school and not part of
the congregation at all, even for a short time, is not the Body
of Christ, in my opinion.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Not really. The sermon did not connect with me. I can stand
an intellectual challenge, but I also need to connect with God.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The long, boring sermon and no kids! |
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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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