Mystery Worshipper: Cool Dude
Church:
St Giles-in-Reading, Reading
Location: Berkshire, England
Date of visit: Sunday, 1 June 2025, 10:30am
The building
The small medieval church on one of the historic routes out of Reading was extensively rebuilt in the 1870s on a grander scale by the architect JP St Aubyn. Some elements including the old west tower were retained, but as part of the makeover the square tower acquired a tall steeple on top, which is an eye-catcher from the centre of Reading. Inside the church boasts fine 19th century stained glass in nearly all its windows, and monuments in a variety of styles, some of them from the early 16th century. But the atmosphere is of a well-appointed Victorian church. There is an altar against the east wall with 12 huge candlesticks, and a nave altar too.
The church
St Giles has five Sunday services; the last, Compline, is online only. There are so many activities and resources on the parish website that it is a bit difficult to navigate, but it gives the impression of a thriving and busy community. In their diary are daily services throughout the week, Bible study, a Dante reading group, and semi-social activities including a Pint with the Vicar (which I guess is in a local pub) and Coffee with the Curate (for those who, like me, refrain from the booze). More seriously, they join with other churches in Reading to provide a hot lunch for 80 people in their parish halls twice weekly. The parish strapline is: ‘Catholic. Biblical. Faithful.’, and the parish has elected for alternative episcopal oversight (i.e. opted out of the local diocese) presumably because they do not accept the ordination of women or the consecration of female bishops. St Giles-in-Reading is part of the Urban Abbey movement, and there are face to face meetings and online resources associated with this.
The neighborhood
In the 1970s, road engineers did their very best to ruin the setting of St Giles and its historic churchyard. To one side of the church is a motorway size roundabout on top of which is an unnecessary overpass, while below it there is a very hostile environment for pedestrians. To the south, the historic street has been widened into a three-lane highway with huge gantries for signage. This encourages relentless high-speed traffic and the road engineers must be well-pleased with their work. Now known as St Giles-in-Reading, the church might be named St Giles-by-the-Flyover.
The cast
The rector, curate, preacher, an altar party of six, choir of five and organist. Members of the congregation led the readings and intercessions. At least, I think it was the rector; if so, he has grown a full beard since he was photographed for the parish website.
What was the name of the service?
Parish Mass.How full was the building?
About 65, plus a number of children who left at the beginning to go to Sunday School. We were an admirably diverse congregation in age, demographic and ethnicity, and made the church feel comfortably occupied. I feel fairly sure there were people with roots in every continent of the globe.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
The welcome started 200 yards off as the bells were being change-rung. Hearing them put me in a better mood as I negotiated the horrible traffic junction on my way to church. Inside the church, a lady gave me the paperwork and hymnal with a smile, and a gent spotted me as a visitor and asked my name before welcoming me by name. An impeccable welcome.
Was your pew comfortable?
A Victorian pine pew, not the most comfortable I have sat on, but solid and firm. For the standing, sitting and kneeling that we did in this service its solidity was welcome in a way that a chair would not have been.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
Quiet and reverent. A little conversation, but in low voices.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
‘In the name of the Father…’
What books did the congregation use during the service?
The English Hymnal, my copy inscribed as a donation by a parishioner in 1975. To be honest, the binding was time-expired and about to disintegrate, so I handled it respectfully and was reminded of the many worshippers who had used it in the last half century. We had a daily mass sheet with the readings, the mass setting with musical notation, and a Gift Aid envelope for the offertory. I used my envelope but I noticed not many others did, even though giving in cash.
What musical instruments were played?
An organ at the west end, well-played, which helped our singing a lot.
Did anything distract you?
The nave altar was compact in size and sported six monumental brass candlesticks that took up much of the space. I worried if the priest would have enough room to consecrate the eucharist with dignity, but he managed!
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
A sung catholic mass with incense, considerable candle-power, Marian devotions, lovely vestments and a certain amount of action with birettas. Four hymns and a folk version of the mass which was OK, though unknown to me. The readings by a member of the congregation were outstanding in their clarity and authority, but done in a non-pompous way. There was a gospel procession but it only went from the high altar as far as the lectern; I do like it when the procession goes the whole hog, to the heart of the congregation in the nave
Exactly how long was the sermon?
14 minutes.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 — He had a good preaching voice and spoke from notes – but not exactly reading them, so there was spontaneity to what he said. I might be wrong, but I believe the rector had a faint Canadian twang.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
He preached to the strange 10 days in the church calendar after Christ rose on Ascension Day, but before Pentecost, an ambivalent time during which Jesus intercedes for humankind and asks the Father: ‘Just as you are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us’ (John 17:20-26). He riffed on the difference between being of the world and being in the world and admitted it was a difficult question to be certain of the difference. I am not sure what he said answered it for me; but perhaps that was precisely his point.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
The first and second readings (Acts 7:55-60 and Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20), because they were read so well and because they are such remarkable texts.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
There was a medical emergency at the back of the church and I think an ambulance was called. It was handled promptly and with kindness, without fuss and without interrupting the mass. So make that a heavenly moment, instead.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
There was lots of hanging around after the service and several people spoke to me. There was sherry to thank the long-serving outgoing churchwarden. I asked if there was a WC and someone kindly showed me to it – tucked away beyond the choir vestry, through the clergy vestry and adjoining the cleaners’ store with various steps up and down. One needed a guide. She explained that the WC in the church hall next door was not available as the parish had let that building to a dance school.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
Instant in disposables for those who wanted a boost with – or instead of – sherry.
How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
8 — It’s 40 miles from where I live so it might be a while before I have an excuse to visit St Giles again. More’s the pity, as it was a heart-warming visit, tainted only by the hint of schism over women priests (something I support) when one yearns to fulfil our gospel reading of the day ‘that we be perfectly one.’
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Definitely.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time ?
The type of incense they used, sparingly, for the liturgy. It was ineffable, but I can bring it to mind vividly as I write this. You don’t get that with online worship!