Mystery Worshipper: Amanda B. Reckondwyth
Church:
All Saints Lutheran, Phoenix
Location: Arizona, USA
Date of visit: Thursday, 17 April 2025, 6:30pm
The building
A rather odd modern design set in a hillside – fortunately an elevator is available to lift the faithful up to the entrance. One enters a spacious lobby furnished with leather upholstered chairs and sofas. Large windows look into the sanctuary. The sanctuary itself is a large room with pews facing the altar in straight rows, not angled as in some churches. Exposed wood girders support a wood ceiling. Choir seating and musical instruments are to the left. The altar area features movable platforms that can be arranged to accommodate a variety of worship styles as well as artistic performances.
The church
Their numerous ministries are well documented on their website. One that caught my attention is their Culinary Service, which (quoting from their website) ‘creates personalized dining experiences for receptions, parties, and special events for the congregation and in other locations.’ I’ll also mention MomCo, which (again quoting from their website) ‘exists to meet the needs of every mom… with different lifestyles who all share a similar desire to be the very best moms they can be!’ There are two services each Sunday, with the earlier service made available for viewing on Facebook.
The neighborhood
They are located on North 7th Street near Greenway Road, in the northeastern part of Phoenix, a primarily middle-class residential area. The neighborhood is called Moon Valley after several rock formations that give it a somewhat lunar appearance. Nearby is Lookout Mountain, which is not the tallest peak in the area but which nevertheless offers hikers a series of moderately challenging trails from which one may enjoy a spectacular view of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
The cast
The senior pastor, assisted by the pastor for intergenerational ministries, and the director of senior ministries. The two pastors were vested in alb and purple stoles – was I wrong to expect white on Maundy Thursday? – and the director of senior ministries in alb. The director of worship and music led the choir. The gentleman playing piano and organ was not identified.
What was the name of the service?
Maundy Thursday: Holy Communion with Stripping of the Altar.How full was the building?
I’d say it was about three-eighths to one-half full. A mixed crowd of all ages.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Sort of. A lady at the door held a pile of service leaflets. I had to ask her for one. She said, ‘We’ll be stripping the altar at the end of the service – in case you need any help.’ This struck me as very odd, but its meaning became clearer later on. The senior pastor passed my seat as he was bustling about before the service, and he said, ‘Are you ready for tonight’s service?’ When I answered in the affirmative, he went on to say, ‘Good. I am too.’ Other than that, no one said anything to me.
Was your pew comfortable?
A cushioned pew. Comfortable enough.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
The clergy were bustling about getting things ready. There was some quiet visiting among people as they came in – except for one party, who carried on a loud conversation non-stop at the back of the church. Very distracting. The choir, dressed in black, processed silently in and took their places. The pianist struck up a quiet prelude.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
‘Good evening and welcome to worship.’
What books did the congregation use during the service?
The Holy Bible, New International Version, and Evangelical Lutheran Worship were in the pews, but everything we needed was included in a service leaflet.
What musical instruments were played?
Electronic organ, nicely voiced and well played; grand piano, in good tune and also well played. There was a choir of about 35 men and women.
Did anything distract you?
The choir were all dressed in black except for one lady, who apparently forgot, and had put on a black and white striped blouse instead.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
A mostly home-grown liturgy more or less following the usual Western format. The music was all traditional and, of course, included the Ubi Caritas both in Latin and English. There was no Gloria – but then again, they were wearing purple, don’t you know. In the interval between the sermon and the offertory, we could partake of one or more devotions of our choice: foot washing, candle lighting, prayers at the cross, prayers at the altar, or simply remaining put and singing along with the choir. I chose foot washing – which was done at several stations by the clergy and members of the parish council. At communion we received a soft, spicy morsel of bread and a wee cuppie of grape juice. The service concluded with the Nunc dimittis and stripping of the altar as the lights were dimmed. A cantor chanted Psalm 22 during the stripping.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
3 minutes (children’s); 10 minutes (adult).
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
5 — 10 for the children's sermon, 5 for the adult sermon. Unlike many children’s sermons I have heard, the senior pastor seemed to be talking at the children’s level and they seemed engaged. But he read the adult sermon from a prepared text, although he tried not to look it. To me that is not the same as preaching. A prepared text tends to be too full of rhetoric to be clearly understood. The senior pastor spoke clearly but rapidly, and I had a hard time remembering what he said from one minute to the next. I would not object to a prepared text that was written in the style of a spoken sermon, but I’m afraid the senior pastor’s was not.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
Children’s sermon: What is love? How do you know when someone loves you? (The children gave answers but I couldn’t hear them clearly.) God loves us. Communion shows us that. Adult sermon: Maundy Thursday is all about love. Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another, and he showed the ultimate act of love to them and to us – a love that took the shape of a cross. On Good Friday we enter the tomb with Jesus. Love strips away our outer selves and shows us that no one is better than anyone else. God washed us clean by giving himself to us in love.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
Just about everything. This was a service that had clearly been prepared with love and was executed with love. I was especially impressed with how the stripping of the altar was done. Several members of the choir came up and encircled the altar – and the strange greeting of the woman holding leaflets at the door became clear – she thought I was a member of the choir, as I too was dressed all in black. The clergy handed various objects from the altar to various choir members. When everything had been stripped, the choir processed out behind the cross, which was veiled in purple.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The choir disappointed me in one regard. Instead of receiving communion before the congregation did, as is the case in many churches, they waited until communion was almost done to do so. They exited the choir seating via a side aisle, while people at the communion rail were trying to return to their seats via the same aisle. And instead of walking to the rear of the church and then down the center aisle, they short-cutted through the pews – the same pews to which we were trying to return. This created something of a traffic jam that was completely unnecessary and that spoiled the dignity of communion.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
We were requested to depart in silence, and we did.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
There was none.
How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
9 — I don’t live in the Moon Valley neighborhood, and it’s something of a drive for me. But if I did, I would seriously consider making this church my regular. It has everything I look for: a dignified approach to liturgy, good music, and good preaching – well, I’m sure the senior pastor would be a good preacher if he paid a little more attention to writing a sermon in the style of the spoken word.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Yes.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time ?
The beautiful way in which the stripping of the altar was handled.