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| 2394: Brighton
Road Baptist, Horsham, England |
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Mystery
Worshipper: Old Man from Scene
24.
The church:
Brighton
Road Baptist, Horsham, England.
Denomination:
Baptist
Union of Great Britain.
The building:
Very modern, having replaced the previous Gothic styled 1920s
building. Indoors it's a two tier affair, with younger members
observing the grey haired from above.
The church:
This is the largest Baptist congregation in the town, which
is host to a number of smaller (and stricter!) Baptist churches.
They sponsor a caring scheme that provides meals, transport,
babysitting, shopping, gardening, visiting, etc. to anyone needing
them in the short term due to emergencies. They also have a
team of church visitors and pastoral workers. They sponsor Soundwaves
Radio, which supplies a variety of religious programming to
radio stations around the world.
The neighbourhood:
Brighton Road is near the centre of Horsham and, unsurprisingly,
leads to Brighton. The stretch where the church is located features
some commercial establishments as well as residential side streets.
The cast:
The service was led by Robert Rierson, who was not further identified.
The Revd Dr Tim Carter, senior minister, preached.
The date & time:
Father's Day, 17 June 2012, 10.30am.
Comment: We
have received a comment
on this report.
What was the name of the
service?
Morning Communion Service.
How full was the building?
Mostly full, say 70 per cent.
Did anyone welcome you
personally?
I was welcomed with a smile, a handshake, and a "Good morning"
from a greeter who handed my a service bulletin and a letter
from God entitled "Father's Love Letter – an intimate message
from God to you."
Was your pew comfortable?
No pews, as everyone had padded and comfortable chairs to sit on.
How would you describe the pre-service
atmosphere?
I arrived just as things were starting to get moving. Notices
were being read out, with everyone listening in silence.
What were the exact opening words of the
service?
"Morning."
What books did the congregation use during the
service?
Although two books were available, Songs of Fellowship
and Baptist Praise and Worship 1991, all songs were
displayed on two large screens at the front of the church.
What musical instruments were played?
I could see an electric piano, violin, guitar, flute, oboe and
drums. In addition, I think I heard a trumpet but couldn't tell
from where I was sitting.
Did anything distract you?
The most distracting part of the service was Mr Rierson, who
would wave his hands about to conduct the music. It felt a bit
off putting and patronising. It was if he were attempting to
control how we worshipped, rather than let us get on with it
ourselves. It was also striking how he conducted the service
with such coldness and formality. I felt completely detached
from him personally.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip,
happy clappy, or what?
The musicians did their best, but aside from the last hymn ("Jesus
my Redeemer"), all the songs were so miserable and depressing
in tone that I simply gave up after the second one. Mr Rierson's
cold instructions of when to sit, stand, or sing another verse
created an atmosphere that was so tightly controlled and regimented
that it squeezed the life out of it completely. It felt more
of a chore than a chance to connect with Almighty God and praise
his name. At one point I carefully looked around at the congregation
and couldn't see a single soul who was either smiling or looking
remotely like they were enjoying themselves. When we shared
the peace, we all parroted something about "the peace of
God" in unison, with no opportunity to greet anyone personally
or shake hands. Communion was pew-style, with bits of bread
and wee cuppies of grape juice given out for all to hold onto
until instructed to down them in unison. There was no pause
for reflection or opportunity to appreciate the magnitude of
the eucharist.
Exactly how long was the
sermon?
15 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
2 – The Revd Mr Carter's delivery was fairly flat, although
his body language and tone made it appear as though he wanted
to talk with us rather than at us.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon
about?
It was a rather forgettable sermon, and I'm afraid I've already
forgotten it! Something about Acts with fatherhood crow-barred
in. At one point the preacher mentioned something about the
apostles and baptism in the Holy Spirit, adding "not really
Brighton Road." Which was a massive understatement.
Which part of the service was like being in
heaven?
The after-service atmosphere was such a contrast to the service
itself. Very busy, with everyone seemingly enjoying the warm
company of each other. I was made to feel very welcome by several
members who fussed over me and attempted to get me to attend
their barbecue next week.
And which part was like
being in... er... the other place?
The hour-and-a-half service was probably the most isolated experience
from God or my Christian brethren that I have had in a long
time. The worship was miserable, and the "not really Brighton
Road" remark about the Holy Spirit pretty much shut the door
on connecting with God. The whole service felt like the church
management was conducting a service around us – that interaction
between ourselves and God or our fellow believers was discouraged.
It was a performance from the front, rather than something we
could participate in ourselves.
What happened when you
hung around after the service looking lost?
I was ushered into the coffee area, where I had a pleasant chat
with a few members.
How would you describe
the after-service coffee?
It was OK – nothing special.
How would you feel about
making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
1 – The members were very pleasant and welcoming, but the
service left me with the sense of being isolated, miserable
and cold.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a
Christian?
Absolutely not. The service was a perfect example of how to
suck out the life and joy of being a Christian.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
The miserable worship and the cold detachment Mr Rierson had from anyone else during the service. |
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