cword

I am planning a trip to England in October. The first week we will be staying in the Cotswold, the last 3 days in London. There are 7 of us in total, 3 generations! My Father and my children along with my husband and a friend. The children are all teenagers. We would like to attend Sunday morning worship services at one of the local churches. Whenever I visit a different country I like to experience the local church, as I find it fascinating to experience how different denominations express themselves in worship. While there is much to be found here regarding the physical structure of the various churches London is famous for, I have not seen much on the board dealing with the different worship experiences. Music is at the top of my list. Beautiful religious music takes me to a spiritual place that nothing else can match. I am from US and the trend here is away from anything traditional be it hymns, organ, choir, etc. Our religious services are becoming concerts that are more about entertainment than leading you into a place of worship and self reflection. Even the local Presbyterian Church that I have been attending recently because of its wonderful mixing of the old with the new has gone to all "plugged in" at the service we attend, and the huge pipe organ has become the "Elephant in the room." Does anyone on here care to share their opinions of where to attend services on Sunday that combines the wonders of man's handiwork, with the very reason for their existence?

londonengland

Sounds like evensong at Westminster Abbey may be your cup of tea (provided you are in London on the Sunday)

waring

Wells
http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/

flanneruk

In the mainstream Cotswolds, I'd say the best church choir I've encountered is probably Burford, though I've not attended service there. The most inspiring religious experience I've found - though available only one Sunday a month - is the service at Shorthampton.

In the countryside, the thing to look for with your sensible views on liturgy is the acronym BCP against the service timetable. This means they use the 1552/1662 prayerbook - the ultimate guarantee of sanity, beauty and not a single bit of happy clsppiness. There are few non-Anglican churches worth visiting in the Cotswolds. The handful of Cotswold meeting houses are, though they don't meet your criteria.

In London it's quite different. The churches that take music seriously are listed at http://tinyurl.co.uk/p1q1

You can tell a bit about what to expect from the order of listing. Churches are listed:

- first Anglican/Episcopalian cathedrals, alphabetically by city name within UK province. But to confuse you, the Catholic Westminster Cathedral has been chucked in with the English Anglican churches.
- then Catholic cathedrals ditto
- then Orthodox cathedrals
- then London Royal Peculiars (non-parish churches with a major royal connection
- then London Anglican churches, alphabetically by dedication
- then London Catholic churches, jumbled up
- then Church of Scotland, Methodist and Lutheran churches.

The listings aren't always complete, since not all churches remember to tell The Times what they're going to perform. All those listed have properly-rehearsed choirs, and the Catholic, Orthodox and Lutheran churches are every bit as worth going to as the Anglican ones. There's at least one happy-clappy Anglican church (Holy Trinity Brompton) on the list: there may be more, so check.

All the listed Catholic churches and have sung Latin High Mass as their main Sunday service.

flanneruk

I meant to say "The handful of Cotswold Quaker meeting houses are (worth visiting), but...."

Underhill

The choir at St. Paul's Cathedral sings at Evensong sometimes.

sunny16

Last year, while visiting Southwark Cathedral (Anglican) in London, I had the pleasure of hearing an organist practice. It was truly a heavenly experience. I imagine the music during the services must be even better. Here is the schedule of services:
http://tinyurl.com/gus4y

jsmith

Your request was so intriguing, cword, that it prompted me to do a little googling for my benefit as well as yours.

Here are some of the sites I found:

St Luke's, Chelsea
http://www.vinumbonum.org.uk/

Temple Church, London
http://www.templechurch.com/

British Choirs on the Net
http://www.choirs.org.uk/

UK Cathedral Music Links
http://tinyurl.com/o45yd

Anglican Church Music
http://www.churchmusic.org.uk/index.php

The first two are in London and with all the hoopla for The Da Vinci Code, Temple Church would be my first choice.

The last reference is a list of worldwide Anglican churches that emphasize music. A good website to know for your future excursions.

Thanks for the idea.

SB_Travlr

cword, we like to do the same thing -- though if we can also add a first-rate sermon to the mix, so much the better.

We're just back from England. On our Sunday in London, we went to morning prayer at St Helens, Bishopsgate (we have been there several times). Right in the city of London, it is best known as a teaching church (lot of young people and families in attendance). Music is a mix of traditional and some contemporary. Not happy-clappy, as flanneruk disparagingly says. ;-) It's an Anglican service, but not traditional -- no vesting. Nearest station is Liverpool Street. Just thought to add, after the service we were talking to one of the members, a young bassoonist. His suggestion for high choral Evensong was to go to Cambridge, Kings College Chapel. Excellent idea, and we'll try that next visit. It's about an hour from London by train, I believe.

We also wanted some good traditional choral singing, and checked the Saturday Daily Telegraph where the service times are listed. Evensong at Westminster Abbey was at 3, and there were special services earlier in the day (it was Battle of Britain Sunday) -- don't know if those were all open to the public: apparently some royal family attended. Anyway, we went to Evensong at the Abbey. It was the day to recognize new choristers, and those who were moving up in the ranks. Music was good, but a bit too much Walton for me (not my favorite) -- plus was a very good sermon on the virtues of sound untrendy music education.

There was an organ recital later in the afternoon, and maybe an evening service too.

Problem is, I am trying to recapture the time when we went to Evensong at York Minster. It was outstanding...

Ackislander

May I recommend "The Mystery Worshipper" on the website "Ship of Fools?" Althought the site is Anglican, Mystery Worshipper provides anonymous reviews of worship services in churches of all denominations in all sorts of countries. Think of it as a Fodor's for churchgoers, though probably a lot funnier.

That being said, our family enjoyed morning Eucharist at Westminster Abbey, and Princess Margaret smiled at our children, both of whom are long since grown. As my wife said, "It must have been nice for her to see two such well-behaved children in church!" ;-)

carolyn

We like to attend services at St. Paul's and were once fortunate enough to hear the boys' choir. Lovely.

Underhill

You can always attend services at the Chapel Royal--you just might see some of the royal family there.

kswl

Warmly second the mystery worshipper site for you, cword. You may be able to find a "review" of a few churches in the area of your visit.

I am a Mystery Worshipper, myself. We are honest in our appraisal of the building, friendliness, style of worship, music, etc. It is meant as a guide for people exactly like you--wanting to worship but wanting to know a bit about it beforehand. Good luck!

(I know what you mean about the new services. We're members of a traditional Episcopal church, so we've been spared some of the more recent indignities of worship since the 1979 prayer book was introduced. But if we ever come to projected words on the wall set to three-chord tunes, I'm out!)

cword

I just wanted to say thank you to all that responded to my request for help. I have been researching all the suggestions and I think I will need to go to church everyday to fit them all in! On thing I will add about Wells Cathedral. I found on their website that starting at 2pm on Sundays they ring the bells for any hour before the evensong service. Now that is something that really "speaks" to me! We don't have those fabulous bells over here (at least not anywhere I have lived) and they are magnificent to me. I hope to spend the hour prior to worship just walking around and taking up the sights around the cathedral for the hour before evensong, letting the sound of those bells resonate through me, then follow that up with the evensong worship. What a blissful way to finish off any day. I also plan on attending one or 2 of the services in London as several were recommended, and we will be there on a Sunday as well. I loved the tip about the "Secret Worshipper." That is a fabulous idea. I have often sat in church and thought what a good idea it would be if there were a section in the newspaper that reviewed the local worship services to help people in their search. In US, with no state religion, we have hundreds of different denominations and there is literally a church on every corner. It can be a daunting task finding a church home as they are all so different now, and with the move toward contemporary worship you cannot judge what sort of worships to expect by the name on the sign anymore. Anyway, thanks again for all the help!

flsd

What an interesting thread! Thanks for posting, cword.

Saraho

We are traditional Episcopalians, too and very much enjoyed Evensong at Westminister Abbey. The Boys' Choir was excellent and the music was traditional. We also spent a day at Canterbury Cathedral. It happened to be their Open Garden Day, so after the morning service, we were shown around the church by members of the church and then spent the afternoon having tea in the six different gardens. Then we went to the Evensong service where there was a mixed choir of men and boys- beautiful music!

samting

Go to Westminster...you won't regret it...history comes alive there, and the music is heavenly. I was in a dream state when I left (even tho I am catholic) and felt very close to God.

momofrajah

so glad you are going to Wells - one of my all-time favorite Cathedrals. I was also surprised that no one mentioned St Martins in the Fields in London. They are noted for their fine music program. I was lucky enought to sing an evensong there (4th of July - they were being gracious to their "brethren across the sea"!!!) Lovely acoustics and a fun little tea shop in the crypt below!!!

kswl

St. Martins ITF is just about my favorite church anywhere, momofrajah. The music is heavenly.

mes2525

In London, St. Paul's, Westminister Cathedral and Westminster Abbey have Evensong every day. Check their websites for the schedule. Many other Anglican churches have Evensong either on Sunday or another day i.e. St. Brides, St. Bartholomew's the Great. As far as the Cotswolds, check Gloucester and Oxford Cathedrals and the local bigger towns like Broadway, Burford, Chipping Camden and phone for schedules. I've been to Gloucester and Oxford for Evensong and both have excellent choirs. Can't really say what local churches in the Cotswolds might offer, but a call to one of the tourist offices might be helpful in obtaining schedule times. I've never been to a Methodist service in the UK, and the above information is about the Church of England.