No, this is not a comment on the PBS music program.. Marjorie and I attended a sung Eucharist service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. For us it was quite unusual.

At about 11:15 Marjorie and I walked up out of the Underground into a typical cloudy London day, dripping rain. We were greeted by the sounds of a magnificent set of bells pealing an invitation to attend a church service. We joined a steady stream of people entering from the west. Once inside, the atmosphere changed instantly. The bells were not heard, but instead the enormous interior was filled with stirring organ music.

Christopher Wren’s building is not just a church; but also a world renowned tourist attraction. Knots of people were gathered around a person talking to them in a hushed voice. Large tasteful plaques described the function of the building and welcomed visitors in at least six languages. As Marjorie and I walked forward down the long nave, we were met by warders and vergers, very formally dressed with large medallions on ribbons around their necks, whose job was to separate the worshipers from the tourists. We were warmly welcomed and sent forward to a block of temporary seats set out under the dome. By the start of the service, about 200 of those 400 chairs were filled with people of all ages and ethnicities, reflecting the diverse population of London itself. An equal number of tourists watched the proceedings from far back.

The order of service we were handed showed that the service was to be a "Sung Eucharist." If I had thought about it, I would have expected a high Episcopalian service and that is what we got. The service could only have been higher if the Pope himself had presided. It started with a procession headed by at least eight clergy preceded by a person holding a short ceremonial pike and including a man holding aloft a bible bearing a likeness of Jesus and followed by a large golden crucifix in a long pole flanked by two candle bearers. The procession walked the length of the church twice and included an 18-member Vicars Choral which sang the service. For the New Testament reading, the Bible was ceremoniously brought forward and held in front of the Gospeller, who read the stated passage, after which the crucifix carrier, who had taken his position behind the reader, raised the crucifix on high and all returned to their seats.

The communion service itself was initiated with much elevation of the host (and cup), bowing, and kissing. Then, after the clergy had served themselves, the congregation was invited to come forward in four lines to participate.

All this activity was quite strange to me and naturally lead to speculation if all this pomp and circumstance in a multi-million dollar building for 200 people was what Jesus had in mind when He initiated the service.

I do not know what went through the minds of the participants as the service progressed. Only He does. But I do know that everybody appeared to take his or her part seriously and reverently. All Christians were invited to participate, all were made to feel welcome, and Christ was preached. The service even included a hymn with words by Charles Wesley.

This service was not the only one of the day. There were four others plus an organ concert. Each day there are at least three services and during Holy Week there are at least 42 services, one of which is three hours long. There are obviously procedural and even theological differences between the practices used here and the ideas with which we Presbyterians are comfortable, but there are many ways to follow Christ. Especially in a society with a long history of ceremonies, it is appropriate the He be given the highest honors. In any case all were welcomed, the same Gospel was read, the same words of institution were used, the same creed was affirmed, and the same God worshiped.

Alex Burr

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Last update 2002-06-24 12:44:16