The Episcopal Tourist, an occasional series

Today in Boston I attended the Church of St John the Evangelist. The priest in charge describes it as a liturgically ceremonial, socially progressive church.

It was snowing as I made my way up the steep front steps. I found out later that handicap access is not available because of difficulties complying with historic district regulations.

As I entered, a special needs woman gave me a service leaflet. I found a pew, sat and took in the lovely interior of the church, built in the mid 19^th century. It had begun as a congregational church, but the Episcopalians have tarted it up quite well. The focal point is a beautiful reredos with wood carving and painting with gold leaf. The altar faces out, above it were seven brass lanterns and above that a large elaborately carved ornamental Cross hanging from the ceiling. There are also wooden choir stalls that are not used as such. The choir, organ and organist are in the rear balcony. Everett Titcomb, the noted organist and composer of church anthems played here for many years. The organ prelude was Bach’s O Mensch Bewein Dein Sünde Gross.

The Crucifer, Priests and Thurifer entered engulfed in clouds of incense. We began immediately with the Great Litany in procession. The congregation followed along as instructed. We processed out to the narthex and up and down both aisles and across the Altar. The lay chanter was expert and his words were crystal clear. Copious clouds of incense wafted throughout the sanctuary.

The psalm was done in simplified Anglican Chant and the gospel was accompanied by much more incense. The thurifer stood beside me and I was engulfed.

The priest in charge was on vacation in the Virgin Islands. So the sermon was delivered by a young African American seminarian from EDS April Alford. She did very well in tying the readings together and asking us what we would make out of the Lenten season.

I had been concerned that the small congregation of about forty seemed rather distant, but all exchanged the peace with warmth and inclusiveness

The choir, actually a quintet of excellent voices, sang an offertory anthem by Alessandro Scarlatti

As we sang the hymn Forty Day and Forty Nights, the thurifer censed the altar and vessels, unfortunately also knocking over the chalice. At this point we had just finished the penultimate verse, and the organist skillfully improvised for about 5 minutes as the mess was cleaned up and a new chalice prepared. We were led into the last verse and then a guest presider, the Rev Kathryn Piccard celebrated the Eucharist. We came up to the Altar and received standing up. The choir sang a short anthem by Richard Farrant. The closing hymn Lead us heavenly Father was played with spirit and I enjoyed singing it.

The postlude was more Bach Ich Ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ.

I spoke with the celebrant and preacher on the way out and they invited me to coffee hour. There was quiche and Irish soda bread. I chatted with several people including the organist Jeffrey Mills and a retired priest whose son is an opera singer in Berlin at the Stadtsoper Unter den Linden.