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Ship of Fools: St Michael and All Angels, Bedford Park, London

The Mystery WorshipperThe Mystery Worshipper Shipmate
edited December 2018 in The Mystery Worshipper
imageShip of Fools: St Michael and All Angels, Bedford Park, London

Ghostly cut-outs in the pews – and an outbreak of conviviality

Read the full Mystery Worshipper report here


Comments

  • Baptist TrainfanBaptist Trainfan Shipmate
    The church is featured in the film "Nuns on the Run" - though the interior scenes were shot in another church entirely!
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited November 2018
    Ah well - C of E Anglo-Catholic churches often look much more like the accepted (?) idea of Roman Catholic churches!

    IYSWIM.

    A good Report, though perhaps they need to work on a better recognition of miserable sinners waifs and strays such as MWers...

    I like the idea of the ghostly cut-outs. I think I might put a few in the pews at Our Place - they might fool the Archdeacon, if no-one else....

  • Torin DouglasTorin Douglas Shipmate Posts: 1
    Dear Cool Dude. I’m reposting this because it seems to have disappeared from the page! Thanks for visiting St Michael & All Angels. As a member of the congregation, I’m pleased you liked most of the service - especially the wonderful solo by William Brooke and the Remembrance ‘There But Not There’ figures - but very chastened that no one offered you coffee or told you about it. Normally the first words of the Notices ahead of the sermon are ‘Welcome to St Michael’s - do join us for coffee after the service.’ The last word most people would associate with St Michael’s is ‘unfriendliness’ but if you felt that, we’ve obviously got to try harder! And what Ship of Fools calls ‘distractions’, we think of as ‘enhancements’. I’m delighted you thought the Remembrance displays were effective and poignant. You can read more on our main website and our WW1 Project website, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund: http://www.smaaawwi.org.uk/wwi/ . I hope you also noticed the other ‘distraction’ - our Cards for Good Causes shop which was open after the service. Christmas is a wonderful time at St Michael’s so do come back for our Nine Lessons & Carols at 6.30pm on Sunday December 16th. No coffee afterwards - but mulled wine and mince pies!
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    ISTM that Torin Douglas' remarks prove that MW Reports are both Useful and Instructive!

    On the whole, well done, St.Michael's....the sort of church I'd make a beeline for if I lived in the area, and the sort of church I long for Our Place to be again, one day. Lord, send us revival!
  • Hookers_TrickHookers_Trick Admin Emeritus
    I have just returned from Devon where I also encountered the 'ghostly cut-outs' but without context could not work out what they were about. It was either in Topsham or Totnes.
  • StephenStephen Shipmate
    Bishops Finger wrote: »
    ISTM that Torin Douglas' remarks prove that MW Reports are both Useful and Instructive!

    On the whole, well done, St.Michael's....the sort of church I'd make a beeline for if I lived in the area, and the sort of church I long for Our Place to be again, one day. Lord, send us revival!

    Yes I think I probably would, apart from those fiddleback chazzies!

    ( note to self - there is no such thing as a perfect church. And if you find one don't go there or you'll ruin it for everyone!)
  • BunburyORemusBunburyORemus Shipmate Posts: 5
    Lovely MW report - I did some God-bothering there once many years ago... But I confess was a little distracted by the photo which accompanied the report, one presumes not taken on the Solemnity of Christ the King - where White vestments should be the order of the day. And surely the Paschal Candle should have long snuggled up to the font? Perhaps its a snap from Pentecost?
  • Peter OwenPeter Owen Shipmate Posts: 14
    BunburyORemus wrote: »
    But I confess was a little distracted by the photo which accompanied the report, one presumes not taken on the Solemnity of Christ the King - where White vestments should be the order of the day.

    Common Worship gives Red or White for Christ the King.

  • Amanda B ReckondwythAmanda B Reckondwyth Shipmate
    In editing, I used the photo that the reporter supplied, but admittedly did not check its provenance.
  • CyprianCyprian Shipmate
    I'm never sure about drawing too many conclusions from people's responses to someone mooching about alone.

    If they're mixed in with the crowd but not engaged then yes, of course, I would reach out and involve the person in what was happening. However, given my own past health experiences and my knowledge of a number of other people's behavioural patterns and preferences, my natural response to someone physically withdrawn from everyone else is to respect that person's choice.

    It's difficult to gauge in natural circumstances, let alone the artificially created "looking lost" that comes with being a MWer, so I don't think I would judge a church too harshly on this point.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited December 2018
    Noted re Miss Amanda's comments regarding MW illustrations - the poor Lady can only work with what she's given).

    I think the photo probably depicts a Pentecost Mass, perhaps with other local churches and clergy taking part (I recognise one of the other priests), who may well have begged, borrowed, or stolen (!) ,the selection of chasubles seen.
  • Amanda B ReckondwythAmanda B Reckondwyth Shipmate
    Photo has been updated with a suitable exterior shot.
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