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mystery worshipper home reports from the uk and ireland reports from the usa reports from australia and new zealand reports from canada reports from elsewhere famous and infamous reports comments and corrections
 
What is this?
Since ancient times (ok, 1998), Ship of Fools has been sending Mystery Worshippers to churches worldwide. Travelling incognito, they ask those questions which go to the heart of church life: How long was the sermon? How hard the pew? How cold was the coffee? How warm the welcome?

The only clue they have been there at all is the Mystery Worshipper calling card, dropped discreetly into the collection plate.
If you would like to become a Mystery Worshipper, start here.
See our archive of reports
Famous/infamous
UK & Ireland
USA
Oz & NZ
Canada
Elsewhere
 
 
 
Latest reports

> Here comes the sun... Greenbelt communion, UK
> Eraserhead moment in Mar Ibrahim, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
> Danger of tongue hernia in St Mary's, Ambleside, UK
> Peace and tranquility in Buckfast Methodist, Devon, UK
> Singing out of sync at St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh

> Cut off from Welsh culture: St Mary's, Cas Gwent, Wales
> Youth service by candlelight in Vineyard, Glendale, AZ
> Old school singing in London City Presbyterian, UK
> Angelic voices in St Paul's, K Street, Washington DC
> At St Paul's, Pensacola, FL, USA, in the summer slump

> Terrific descant in All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, Kenya
> Mass with mariachi band at St Augustine's, Tucson, AZ, USA
> "What happened in 722 BC?" St James, Scarborough, UK
> 18-minute mass at St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland
> Great welcome, dire organ at St Paul's, Prescott, AZ, USA

> A late start to the service at St Saviour's, Riga, Latvia
> Goodbye to the choristers at Durham Cathedral, UK
> Pentecostal disco at Victory, Quezon City, Philippines
> Invisible young people at North Leith, Edinburgh, UK
> Keeping silence in the Dresden Frauenkirche, Germany

Special reports

> Funeral Service for Mormon President, Salt Lake City
> Shrill music, friendly people at St Pixels Internet church
> Ted Haggard's church before and after the Big Bang
> Honoring the martyrs in Lowndes County Courthouse, AL
> Rev. Billy rises after attack by Mickey Mouse in NYC
> Mystery Worshipper visits the world's smallest church
> Mystery Worshipper Sunday: 70 London churches visited

Comments, corrections and removals

For the latest comments on and corrections to Mystery Worshipper reports, please go here. Reports over two years old can be removed at the request of the church reviewed. Please email here for further details.
 
 
camino pilgrimage
The Mystery Pilgrim
One of our most seasoned reporters, Augustine the Aleut, travels 1200 kilometres on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and reports from the churches he visited along the ancient route. Read here.
mystery worshipper sunday
London churches
Read reports from 70 London churches, visited by a small army of Mystery Worshippers on one single Sunday. Read here.
 
 
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