We Go to Church with a Saint We Didn't Know

Saint Columba Church, Fresno, California
“Would you like to hear the story of the stained glass?” Father Jim Snell asked us after the 8:00 am Holy Eucharist service. Though Mindy had noticed stained glass in another part of the church as we walked to the sanctuary, from inside we only saw the clear glass windows behind the altar with a cross hanging before them. The windows provide a lovely view of evergreen trees just outside.

The stained glass was elsewhere. Father Jim took us first to the chapel to see the two beautiful abstract glass windows representing the Resurrection and Heaven. “The Third Day” is a work by Corky Normart, a local artist and a parishioner of the church. The heart of the window was his first work in stained glass, along with a window for the fellowship hall representing creation. (Most impressively, Normart in was selected in 1997 to work on the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, traditionally believed to be built on the location of Christ’s tomb).

Father Jim has served at Saint Columba for the last two decades. We told him about our project of visiting churches, and that though we’ve been to a number of Episcopal churches, we hadn’t been to any Anglican churches. Jim jokingly referred to the Anglican Church as “Catholic lite.”

There certainly were elements of the worship service that reminded us of worshiping in a Catholic church, like the vestments worn by those leading the worship service, the procession before the reading from the Gospel of John (chapter 1, verses 1-18), responses like “and with your spirit,” responsive readings and bowings toward the altar, and making the sign of the cross at several points during worship. There was the “passing of the peace” (though I often slip up and say “Good morning” rather than “Peace be with you”). But there are differences. For instance, it was so much easier for a newcomer to follow along in the worship booklet than we’ve found it to be in Roman Catholic masses, with much clearer directions of what’s being read and what we’re expected to do at any moment during the service. (Mindy mentioned that she also appreciated being addressed as “sisters and brothers” rather than “brethren” or even “brothers and sisters,” but we weren’t sure if this was a St Columba’s thing or an Anglican thing or just something we hadn’t noticed before.)

There are, of course, theological differences. In a Roman Catholic Church, only those who are Catholics in good standing are to receive the Eucharist, but we noticed in the worship booklet that all baptized believers in Jesus Christ were invited to partake. Mindy also noticed that some people ate the wafer and then drank from the cup while others received the wafer dipped in the wine. Father Jim said they tried to accommodate people for their comfort with regard to germs or alcohol consumption. The important thing, he said, was that all who desired to received the sacrament (“Whether that be the bread or the cup or both,” Father Jim added).

Another thing that the Anglican Church has in common with the Catholic Church is that Christmas does not end on the 25th. When we entered the church, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” was being played on the organ, and we sang “Joy to the World” during the service. The Twelve Days of Christmas continued on this New Year’s Eve morning, including the draped evergreens around the sanctuary, poinsettias in various corners, and the carved wooden nativity scene just inside the door. Father Phil, the congregation’s curate, even included a Santa shout out during the sermon about becoming a child of God (from the John 1 Gospel reading).

I appreciated the way Scripture was read by lay readers, shared as congregational responsive readings, and declaimed by the clergy. The congregation also read the Nicene Creed aloud. During the prayers of the people, birthdays and anniversaries were acknowledged along with illnesses and struggles.

We enjoyed worshiping at Saint Columba, and after we got back home, I was curious about the man the church was named after. Mindy had done a quick Wikipedia search, but the church website had information, too. Saint Columba was an Irish monk who sailed to Scotland in 562 and is credited with bringing the Gospel to that part of the world. In Iona, he and his companions formed a community devoted to prayer, singing Psalms, studying Scripture, and sharing the Gospel with others. The church website says, “Like those Christians at Iona, Saint Columba Church is a community of worship and prayer, dedicated to the Lord Jesus and to one another. We have heard God’s call. And we too are on mission, serving those around us, bringing the good news of Jesus to our friends, neighbors, and everyone we meet.”

Mindy and I are glad to be among that community, met and made to feel most welcome.

Movie Churches - Oscar Division: "Mrs. Miniver"

"Mrs. Miniver," winner of the 1942 Oscar for Best Picture, is one of the most overtly religious winner of an Academy Award ("Going My Way", "Ben Hur" and "Chariots of Fire" would be the other contenders).  It tells the story of an average middle class English woman and her family in a small English town in the first days of the Second World War. An important character in the film is local vicar, and an important location is the local Anglican church. As to whether it is a Christian film, well, that's another thing.

The film has one fan that certainly wasn't about to be trumpeted by the MGM publicity department. Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler's Reich Minister of Propaganda, said he couldn't help but admire "a masterpiece of propaganda, a first class production which no doubt will make a certain impression upon the broad masses of the people in enemy countries." Note he didn't say the film led him or would lead others to repentance.

There are four obviously religious scenes in the film, and I'll use them as the basis of the answer to this column's question, "Would I go to this movie church?"

The second conversation Mrs. Miniver (Greer Garson) has in the film is with the local vicar. Her first conversation was in the city (London?), between Mrs. Miniver and the milliner who sells her a rather silly hat. She then happens upon the vicar in the train on her way home.

She tells him about the hat she bought, and admits to feeling guilt about the extravagance of buying this unnecessary item. The vicar then confesses to buying expensive cigars he really can't afford. They both then laugh about their "lovely guilty feelings." Mrs. Minniver says that's why she's sure the vicar can do much good in their town because of his understanding of the people.

I'm not sure whether the vicar is doing much good here. It can be a fine thing to buy a silly hat or good cigars. But if a Christian feels guilt about the purchase, I believe examining one's own heart is important. Perhaps the purchase isn't a good use of what,  really, is the Lord's money. I'm not sure a blanket endorsement of consumerism is really good ministry. Throughout the film, the vicar always feels at one with the culture of the world.

The "religious" scene in the film is in the local church. Everyone in town seems to be there, including Lady Beldon (played by Dame May Whitty) the rich town aristocrat. She has her own pew, which has a door with her name on a brass plate. I couldn't help of think of James 2, where the writer tells readers not to show preference in church to the rich.

A nice little boys' choir opened the service, and the vicar then led the congregation in a prayer of confession. Then the service is interrupted when someone brings the vicar a message. The vicar announces that the nation is at war. And then the vicar says a rather amazing thing. He says, "Many of you have other duties to perform," and he dismisses the congregation. Now it's true that some people have other duties to perform, but it seems like he's discounting the importance of prayer and worship at such a time.

There is a nice little scene in the film between Mrs. Miniver and station manager and church bell ringer Mr. Ballard (played Henry Travers, Clarence of "It's A Wonderful Life"). Mrs. Miniver's husband has gone off in his boat to aid in the retreat at Dunkirk. Ballard encourages her by quoting Psalm 107, "Some went out on the sea in ships... They saw the works of the Lord." That says something about the church (and perhaps the schools) of the time and the teaching of Scripture. Ordinary people could quote Scripture. In fact, in "The Miracle of Dunkirk," England was notified of their need with three little words, "And if not." People of the time knew that was a quote from Daniel 3, the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and the rescue was on its way. An amazing thing.

My big problem with the film comes in the finale. There is a memorial service in the church for those who died in a German air raid (including two characters that were quite dear in the film).

At the service, the vicar asks the question that all are thinking at such a time, "Why?" -- always a difficult question, particularly when the young and innocent die. A minister at such a time must wrestle with Scripture (perhaps looking at Luke 13 when people ask Jesus about people killed in the fall of a tower and by Roman soldiers).

But after reading a Psalm, the vicar ignores the Bible altogether and recruits the dead into the war effort, for this is "not just a war of soldiers in uniform, but of all the people." Abraham Lincoln was asked the place of God in the  American Civil War, and he was not quick to claim God was on his side. But the vicar jumps right to it: God is English.

Perhaps it's not an accident that the church in this film is a state church. It is at one with the English culture and government. So if I was in the world of this film, I'd probably go to the church because it's the only one in town. But the vicar would be hearing from me on a fairly regular basis.

-- Dean

Church of the Incarnation, Santa Rosa

The Sunday after Christmas Day is traditionally a morning of sparse attendance in churches, but when we entered the sanctuary at 9:10 a.m. for the 9:15 a.m. service and no one was there...Well, we thought something might be amiss. Another person entered the building and said to us, "Did you see the 9:15 time on the internet as well?" Fortunately, someone else came and told us that the 9:15 and 11:15 had been combined into a 10 a.m. service for that morning, but we were welcome to join others for coffee. We instead took the time to run home to change the laundry.

Back at ten, there were pews open to choose from, but the sanctuary was inhabited, mostly with older folks, but also a couple of families with kids. The priest began the service with greetings and informed us that it would be a special service of Lessons and Carols. "Usually," he said, "the Carols and Lessons don't include Communion, but we're patching it on. Or rather, I should say, we're patching Carols and Lessons on to Communion."

I should say something about the church architecture, which is gorgeous. A flyer included in a bag of welcoming materials (with mini Snickers - score!) gives information about the art in the church and the church building itself. The congregation began in 1861, but building was begun on the present location in 1872. Though Ripley's Believe It Or Not immortalized the Church of One Tree in Santa Rosa, Incarnation's original structure was built with two redwood trees. In 1885 the church was quartered, drawn apart and enlarged, and then survived the 1906 earthquake. The church building is the oldest church structure in continuous use in Santa Rosa. One of those uses is ministry and meals to the homeless, including breakfast every Sunday morning before the first worship service.

It goes without saying (but apparently not, because here I am saying it), that it was appropriate and cool that we were celebrating the Incarnation at the church so named.

I was familiar with the choice of Scriptures, since they were pretty much the ones used at the Christmas Eve services I attended at First Presbyterian growing up. Something I've noticed about the reading from Genesis is that people always seem to chuckle appreciatively when Adam blames Eve and Eve blames the Serpent for the Fall. Everyone relates to the rebellion that made the Incarnation necessary.

I was struck by how many of the Carols we sang were of the variety that set Jesus' birth in the setting of a snowy European village (such as "In the Bleak Midwinter" and "The Snow Lay on the Ground") but another Carol was quite obviously set in Canada. "Twas in the Moon of Wintertime" includes such lyrics as "Within a lodge of broken bark the tender babe was found, a ragged robe of rabbit skin enwrapped his beauty round" and "The Chiefs from far before him knelt with gifts of fox and beaver pelt". Fortunately, the theology of these Carols is far better than the seasonal and geographic details.

All the Carols were sung from the Hymnal accompanied by the organ. (Except "O Come All Ye Faithful." It was played on the organ during communion and people began to hum and then spontaneously sing.) I enjoyed most all the Carols, but a note for what it's worth, "Go Tell It on the Mountain" is not at its best accompanied only by organ sung primarily by Caucasians.

This was the second Sunday in a row without a sermon, which was okay by Mindy. I'll share her dark secret -- which readers of this blog should probably be aware of -- she doesn't like sermons. Her father preaches, and her husband preaches, and she claims to enjoy and profit from both of our sermons (it seems best for family comity to believe this and not dig too deeply into the matter). But she often gets restless during the sermons of others, even other pastors she loves. But Scripture reading and singing bring her unending delight.

I'm always torn when churches have "the Passing of the Peace". Only saying "Peace be with you" to those around you seems rather impersonal at times. But as church pilgrims, knowing we won't return the next week, impersonal sometimes suits us best.

  

Service Length:                       1 hour 5 minutes

Sermon Length:                      No sermon

Visitor Treatment:                   During announcements near the end of the service, the rector came into the body of the sanctuary, asked first-time visitors to raise hands and gave each a bag with candy and information about the church

Our Rough Count:                  60

Probable Ushers' Count:         70

Snacks:                                    Coffee, tea, cookies, pie, yogurt pretzels, crackers with hummus, whole loaves of bread (seemingly available to take home)

Songs:

"Angels from the Realms of Glory"

"In the Bleak Midwinter"

"Comfort, Comfort Ye My People"

"Lo, How a Rose e'er Blooming"

"Twas in the Moon of Wintertime"

"The Snow Lay on the Ground"

"Of the Father's Love Begotten"

"Go Tell It on the Mountain"

-- Dean