Mystery Worshipper: Theophilus
Church:
Concord Church, Bristol
Location: England
Date of visit: Sunday, 16 February 2025, 10:30am
The building
The church meets at the Bristol Aerospace Museum. The 'sanctuary' is a conference room on a mezzanine floor in the Concorde hangar. No admission fee is required to attend the church service.
The church
Concord (without an 'e') is a church planted two years ago by St Nic's Bristol and Holy Trinity Brompton (of Nicky Gumbel and Alpha fame). It seeks to serve the residential area on its doorstep, with new-build estates that are growing fast, as houses are being built on the former airfields.
The neighborhood
No, nothing... unless you include the retired supersonic passenger jet, Concorde (with an 'e'), which one must pass on the way in and out of Sunday services. This particular Concorde is the last one that was built, and was the last one to fly, in 2003.
The cast
Coffee and pastries were served from 10.00am by church members. The church leader (aka minister) led the service, but it was another guy who preached. Neither were part of the music group. Special mention must go to the young man who stood out front and led the actions to the songs.
What was the name of the service?
Sunday ServiceHow full was the building?
The building is an aircraft hangar with a large aircraft in it. The room where the service took place was about half full, but the layout of the coffee area and the worship group meant it felt quite busy. The congregation was diverse in age and ethnicity. Lots of families. Some students. Some older people.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Yes. On the way in, through the museum, there were friendly people holding friendly signs saying 'welcome', etc. They gave directions to the conference room where the service took place. On arrival at the service, people offered coffee and pastries and were very nice.
Was your pew comfortable?
Typical conference room chairs. Comfortable enough and, like most Anglican services, there was plenty of standing up and sitting down.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
The coffee and pastries meant most people were early enough to be catching up with friends. Lots of families. Lots of people getting things ready.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
‘Good morning! Welcome to Concord church. My name is Andy.’
What books did the congregation use during the service?
No books. Everything was projected onto the screen.
What musical instruments were played?
A competent three-piece worship band led by a young woman playing guitar. She was accompanied by a guy on a box-drum and a woman on a keyboard.
Did anything distract you?
There was lots going on, but none of it was really distracting. It all seemed to be part of the service. The fellow leading the actions to the songs was fun. There was a lovely little baby, but she barely gurgled.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
Very happy, clappy, modern worship. The first song, ‘I’ve got joy’, was particularly so, and made even more so by the actions leader. There were five or six songs in all. Very up-to-date Hillsong and Matt Redman type stuff. During the time of prayer, the church prayed for peace in Ukraine, and for Bristol.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
21 minutes and 30 seconds.
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 — Quite relatable. Quite informal.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
The sermon was on Luke 14:15-24, where Jesus tells the parable of the great banquet. The disciples gave up their livelihoods to follow this ‘slightly crazy man’. Jesus has invited us to a party; we should be prepared to give stuff up in order to participate.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
The worship was great. The band were in harmony with each other and clearly seemed to be worshipping rather than just playing.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The coffee wasn't up to much. There was no gluten-free option to the pastries. The notices did perhaps go on for a bit. There were lots of them: an explanation of the purpose of the church (two years old and serving the needs of Brabazon and other new-build estates); two pastoral jobs were advertised; the church website was signposted; there was an invitation to lunch in two weeks’ time, etc.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
It would be very difficult to escape this church without being spoken to. But not in a ‘Have you been saved?’ kind of way. It seemed a very friendly place. I spoke to the parents and grandparents of the well-behaved baby. They were not regular congregants but seemed to have enjoyed the service very much.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
There was no coffee after the service. Instead there was coffee and pastries before the service. The quality of the coffee was adequate, but nothing to write home about.
How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
9 — The church did have a friendly buzz, and the notices gave the impression that the church was outwardly-focused and intentionally growing.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
The service was positive, upbeat and outward looking. Here we find hope for the CofE!
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time ?
The happy guitarist with her crochet jumper. The man on the box-drum. The smiley guy leading the actions. And the retired supersonic passenger jet parked outside!