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LOOKING BACK
Worshipping in Erts Church by John Pinnell
For many years the English-speaking Church of Andorra, St George's, alternated between the very attractive (but rather inconvenient) chapel at Anyos, with its perfect setting on a sunny day for gathering both before and after a service, and the parish church in La Massana. Winter was Saturday services in La Massana summer could be Sunday services at Anyos. Perhaps the best example of compromise was Harvest Festival outside Anyos chapel on a sunny (but quite cool) October morning with visitors from France (we had to be outside as there was simply not enough room inside).
Over a year ago we were offered (and accepted) the use of Erts church of Sant Romเ for all our services. We have yet to be privileged with the holding of a key (simply cutting a copy would exercise the normal local key-cutting service given the size of it). However, we do have the ability to store things there (using the confessional which might make for a slightly awkward scene one day with the local parish priest). And we can get access beforehand to turn on the electric radiators (which, after many hours of patient work, do have an effect on the atmosphere so long as we keep the front door shut as much as possible. So if Elsa appears to be guarding a closed door rather than welcoming potential worshippers it is all in the cause of warmth for all).
The church is very simple a little rectangle with a tiny bell tower and two glassless windows, protected by wooden shutters and iron rejas (bars), with a small gallery (whose stairs are treacherous for descending communicants from the choir). The seating is for about 40 (if we are not wearing winter coats and are prepared to be quite intimate). The benches are clearly designed for short sermons and rapid services despite the provision by St George's Church of new cushions that certainly reduce the impact of sitting on a narrow bench. The highlight of the church, however, is its baroque altar piece; all carved out of wood and painted in bright colours including a liberal dusting of gold. A good feather-dusting might be of use as well as little more artistic lighting but there it is, looking 17th century in style but possibly I might be told that it dates from the 18th century as that style took a while to migrate to the valleys of Andorra.
The altar itself is very simple (and hidden below the hand-embroidered altar cloth that Elsa and Michael brought back from Peru). The whole atmosphere of the church is simplicity enhanced by the altar piece that dominates the background. Acoustics are fine and nobody can be far enough away from the chaplain or warden conducting the service not to hear perfectly without amplification.
We managed to fill the church to overflowing at least twice in our first year, and again in this, our second year. We have also managed to be a very small congregation indeed at other services. Regardless, the church serves us very well. Needless to say, for special occasions especially the Christmas Eve carol service we need to migrate to the parish church in La Massana. We borrowed that on one sad occasion last year for a funeral service and filled it. We are certainly anticipating being full to overflowing there for the coming Christmas Eve as we were last year when Elsa helped borrow one hundred plastic chairs from the Com๙ (town hall) almost all of which were filled.
The parish has not asked for any rent for our church but we have been making an increased annual contribution. We have also offered (and the offer has been accepted but the work at the time of writing is still pending) to renew the wiring and replace the electric radiators. We would be delighted to welcome readers of this newsletter who do not regularly join us and would even understand were you to check first whether we had improved the heating
Fund raising in 2009 by John Pinnell
For many years our church has maintained its objective of giving at least 25% of total income to its two designated charities. It is much helped in reaching this objective by the funds received from the annual Christmas Fair where so many other volunteers who are not associated with the church work hard to raise money for charity, and the proceeds are divided between local Andorran charities (60%) and the church (40%).
I am pleased to be able to report that, once again, the church has been able to devote the whole of its share of the Christmas Fair income to support its charities as well as the whole of its Christmas Eve collection. This year we propose to give a total of 45% of our total income to charity.
from our newsletters, Michaelmas 2009 and Epiphany 2010
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 | In the Diocese in Europe: The English-Speaking Church of Andorra - St George's, Box 113 Credit Andorra, La Massana, Andorra |