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| 2464: All Saints,
Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Liturgist.
The church:
All Saints, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Denomination:
The
Episcopal Church, Diocese
of Southeast Florida. They are part of the New
River Regional Ministry.
The building:
Opened in 1951, the building might be described as combining
traditional and contemporary idioms. There is a central free-standing
altar (unusual at the time of building), clear glass in the
aisles but stained glass with images of several saints in the
clerestory – again in a modern style, but recognizably
drawn from more traditional sources. I found the appearance
and atmosphere conducive to worship. Clearly the building has
been very well cared for.
The church:
The parish had just celebrated its centennial when we were there,
and its history includes the planting of four other churches
in the area. One of these is associated with All Saints in an
active ministry to the community.
The neighborhood:
The church is located on the New River, which flows through
the city, and there is a park-like area, including a patio,
going from the church itself to the river.
The cast:
The celebrant was listed as the rector, the Revd Sherod Mallow,
but the Revd Ron Hoover, chaplain to a nearby rehab center and
associated with the parish, did the actual consecration. The
rector did most of the heavy lifting and also was the preacher.
Daniel Copher, Ph.D., organist and choirmaster, was in charge
of the music. Other assistants included two vergers, several
acolytes and other lay ministers, and a seventeen member adult
volunteer choir (with, unusually, ten men to seven women).
The date & time:
November 18, 2012, 10.30am.
What was the name of the service?
Sunday Eucharist.
How full was the building?
About three-quarters full; maybe 150 or so.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Mrs Liturgist and I arrived, with another friend, about an hour
early. There were a few people in the narthex who immediately
greeted us, found a place for us to stash our baggage (we had
just come from a cruise and were flying home in the afternoon),
and directed us to the patio where coffee and iced tea were
being served. We were greeted again as we moved into the church
for the service. This is one of the most welcoming churches
we have visited.
Was your pew comfortable?
Yes. It was a well designed pew with a cushion and enough space
between pews to stretch a bit and to kneel comfortably.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
The building was fairly well filled when the prelude began, and remained fairly quiet as people entered.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Good morning."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
The hymns were from the Hymnal 1982 and most of the
other texts were printed in the bulletin. The service was taken
from the Prayer Book 1979.
What musical instruments
were played?
Only the organ – nothing more could really have been needed
or desired.
Did anything distract
you?
There were a number of small distractions, including: the preacher's
unwillingness to use the pulpit (I know it has become common,
but with a sizable congregation it suggests to me a lack of
regard for the message); a window of Samuel Seabury, the first
American Episcopal bishop, showing him with crosier (which he
seems never to have used) but without mitre (which he did use);
and a somewhat unconventional distribution of roles among the
clergy. All of these, however, were outweighed by the solid
devotional atmosphere of the place.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or
what?
The worship was both formal and enthusiastic, with the congregation singing everything except the choir anthems, and taking full part in the service.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
12 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
7 – Father Mallow spoke extemporaneously and sometimes
tended to ramble a bit. (The Liturgist must admit to the same
tendency, so this should not be taken as a negative!) His speaking
voice was clear and easily heard. He did, however, twice say
"apocalypse" (revelation of that which is hidden)
when he obviously meant "eschaton" (judgment day).
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
The sermon spoke of the end-times as it appears in the scriptures
read just before Advent. He concluded with the affirmation taken
from Psalm 16 (used as the gradual that day), "Save me, O God,
for I take refuge in you."
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The beauty of the building, the fine and well-played organ,
the quality of the singing (both by choir and people)and the
carefulness of the liturgy all helped draw us toward heaven.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
None of the distractions I noted would qualify for that, but
getting there was a problem. I had located the church via the
Internet before we went, but foolishly assumed that any taxi-driver's
GPS would get us there even though the street was off the grid.
It did not work that way. If there is a next time, I'll be sure
to print out directions first!
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
Not a chance. We were quickly invited back to the patio, where
we found a very satisfying cold buffet lunch.
How would you describe the after-service
coffee?
There was coffee, but most people seemed to elect cold drinks
(tea and juices), which were served in plastic tumblers. The
food, too, was offered on plastic ware, and everything was very
good.
How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 – We do occasionally take cruises out of Ft Lauderdale,
though this was the first time we had been there on a Sunday.
If that happens again, we would certainly return to All Saints.
If we ever settled there, it would certainly be at the top of
our list.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Emphatically.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The music and the appearance of the church (and yes, I know
that makes two, but they went together). |
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