Comment on this report, or find other reports. Our Mystery Worshippers are volunteers who warm church pews for us around the world. If you'd like to become a Mystery Worshipper, start here. Find out how to reproduce this report in your church magazine or website.   2177: Elim Worcester, Worcester, England Mystery Worshipper: The Yam Yam. The church: Elim Worcester, Worcester, England. Denomination: Elim Pentecostal. The building: The congregation was formed in the 1950s in the present building, which had previously housed a Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion church, which had acquired it from the Wesleyans in 1836. (The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion is a small society of evangelical churches founded in 1783 by Selina, Countess of Huntingdon.) The building dates from 1823, and the present facade was put up around 1860. It is a modest chapel, looking more Regency within than without. It is well adapted for modern use and looks well maintained. The church: They have a cosmopolitan congregation and run various groups, including a popular and slickly run playgroup, Bible study, a prayer group, and social gatherings. They also contribute to a mission in Honduras. The neighbourhood: Worcester, in the west midlands, is the place where, in 1651, Oliver Cromwell's army defeated King Charles' troops, thus ushering in a 10 year interregnum during which England and Wales were a republic. Worcester is also home to the Lea and Perrins factory where the traditional Worcestershire sauce is made. The church is situated to the northeast of the city centre. Lowesmoor, a street of mainly late 18th and early 19th century buildings, survives in an area where, as with so many towns in Britain, redevelopment in the 1960s and 70s swept much away. The street contains shops serving many nationalities and looks a little down at heel. The cast: The Revd Ian Nicholson, pastor. A gentleman called Gordon led the first part of the service. The date & time: Easter Sunday, 24 April 2011, 10.30am. What was the name of the service? Easter Sunday Service. How full was the building? The building is small. When we arrived it was rather sparsely filled, but people came in during the first 20 minutes or so and the building became fairly full (about 70 people). Did anyone welcome you personally? A gentleman helped us through the door, said hello, and shook our hands. I think he called me brother! Was your pew comfortable? Yes. Padded chair. How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere? When we arrived, the congregation were already singing "Jesus Christ is risen today." What were the exact opening words of the service? "Good morning! Do you know what today is?" What books did the congregation use during the service? People brought their own Bibles. A projector was used for songs and the reading. What musical instruments were played? A worship band comprised of piano, guitar, bass guitar, flute and drums (played well). Did anything distract you? The Yamaletto was disgruntled at being deposited in the crèche. Mrs Yam went up to see him, but the bawling resumed a fortiori later. On my way upstairs, I was stopped by the gentleman who had showed us in. He said that my wife’s managing to hear the Yamaletto over the sound of the worship had given him a word. He was about to tell me what this was, but the crèche leader emerged and asked me to assist with the Yamaletto. Urgent assistance was required! I had to depart without hearing what the word was. I wanted to find out at the end of the service but did not get the chance to. Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what? Broadly happy clappy. Singing songs was a substantial part of the service, more so even than I am used to. We sang old hymns ("Thine be the glory" twice), some modern but not brand-spanking new songs (such as "He is exalted") and a couple of brand-spanking new worship songs. The leader, Gordon, spoke rather quietly and didn’t sing into the microphone, with the result that the congregation’s timing on the choruses to "Low in the grave he lay" became slightly ragged. After the first block of worship, the pastor doubled up as worship leader, strumming a guitar. He gave a strong lead, calling out directions such as "Verse three! Verse three!" when he wanted us to repeat a verse of a song. He also said a few prayers, read from Luke, and preached. We shared communion and there was an Easter egg hunt for the children while we sang a couple of songs. I take it that the Pentecostal way of doing things is to praise God through music. Exactly how long was the sermon? 25 minutes. On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher? 7 – Pastor Nicholson spoke clearly and focused on his message well. In a nutshell, what was the sermon about? The meaning of the resurrection. Faith: Jesus is unique – the resurrection tells it. It shows his authority, the evidence of the resurrection. Hope – he is the first-fruits of the general resurrection. A new spirituality – he gives us power to resist temptation. Which part of the service was like being in heaven? Someone being given a word by the bawling of a baby. And that he would share it. And which part was like being in... er... the other place? Not being able to find out what that word was! What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost? Several people chatted to me and/or shook my hand. It was friendly and I was made to feel welcome. One man gave me some leaflets of church information. The pastor also greeted us. All this was why I couldn’t speak to the gentleman about the word he had received. I had intended to secrete a calling card somewhere suitable but was so well attended to that I couldn’t do it! How would you describe the after-service coffee? There was none that I was aware of. How would you feel about making this church your regular (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)? 6 – I enjoyed the service. I was reminded of the novel by Jeanette Winterson, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, which describes growing up in a Pentecostal family. Being by nature a feeble liberal, my preconception is resultantly to be scared of the theology of Elim, but I think such fearfulness is probably not really necessary on today’s evidence. 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 pastor calling out "Verse three! Verse three!"   We rely on voluntary donations to stay online. If you're a regular visitor to Ship of Fools, please consider supporting us. The Mystery Pilgrim One of our most seasoned reporters makes the Camino pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Read here. 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