Oxford, Day 4

So this morning Holly and I woke up to go to church. We walked downtown to go to St. Aldates, and on the way down I was describing to Holly some Anglican traditions so that she would understand more of what was going on. Well, she didn't end up needing any of it. Maybe if I had described to her the way the Baptist church I attend in Abilene works she would have been better off. Something was different right from the start. The building is structured like a traditional Anglican church, much like my Cathedral at home. However, there was a stage and a portable altar set up on the side wall, and instead of many smaller rows facing the front of the church, there were less longer rows facing the side. No one was in robes, which didn't bother me, and at first I thought that this would be like the River service that I attend in Dallas. However, after five or six worship songs, I knew that something was different.

Now let me stop for a minute and make a clarification. The worship was wonderful. It was spirit filled, God-centered, and very moving. It did remind me of Beltway Baptist in Abilene. And I love Beltway. That's one of the reasons why I go there. But Beltway is not Anglican. And neither was the format of this church. Not that that is in any way a bad thing. I loved the service, but I want to find something that shows me the root of where my church got its traditions.

Back to the service. After a confession that sounded something very like what my high school youth minister Nate would have created, and some extended worship, including some led by the children with hand motions, we moved directly into the announcement and then the sermon. The sermon was wonderful. The speaker was engaging, and he talked about worship, and the point of worship. It was a powerful message, full of truth. After the sermon, we moved directly into Communion. The rector (they don't call him priest, and he's in plain clothes) blesses the bread and the wine with a few of the lines from the Book of Common Prayer (Anglican/Episcopalian Prayer Book), but not many, most of them are different. I didn't see any BCP's in the church. After communion (which had a separate line with grape juice and glutton free bread), we finished the last song, the rector prayed a blessing over us, and we left.

For the kind of service that it was, it was wonderful. However, while in Oxford, I really want to experience some of the wonderful liturgy that the city and country has to offer.

After church, we went to the Eagle and Child, but it was full, so we decided to try again another time. After that, I came back, had a sandwich, and took a nice nap.