7th July – Etrigny

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7th July – Etrigny – Taize

By Rev Andy | July 7, 2009

Last night we had an experience that I am still trying to process. It was 6 p.m. and we had visited another expensive supermarket. Roughly food prices are double what they are in Peterhead. About £4.50 for a 1lb of sausages. Fruit is very cheap as it is mainly sourced locally, meat is very very expensive.

So at 6 p.m. I saw the sign again for Taize. Well I have sung some of the chants and I have heard about it. So we drove 17 kilometres and arrived at this huge monastery with about 2000 people. The people were mainly between 18 and 25 and from every nationality I could think of. It seems it was a Conference about spreading the word 2009. We wondered if we could find any details about when services were on. We were confronted by two young people at reception that was at best hostile. Could they help us – what were we doing? I was struggling to understand their broken English and suddenly arms were up and they were looking at us demanding what we wanted. The young woman at this point took charge as I explained that we wanted to come and worship God. The young swiss woman was very helpful and pointed out where the church was and the children’ club. She offered to take us to the church, the guy at reception who was obviously in charge said he would not allow her to help us any further and we needed to find the church ourselves. I felt about as welcome as a dog in a cattery. I had mentioned I was a Pastor and I got the impression this did not please him!!!!! The next service was 8:30 p.m. and it was now 8 p.m. There was a children’s club for the 30 minutes the service was on and I was told a strict 7 minute silence that had to be observed.

Huge signs outside the church (wooden building with huge mushrooms with crosses on it that look decidedly unlike a church, maybe a school hall!!!) announced silence. So we went and sat crosslegged with about 2000ish young people. The interior of the church is unusual. A number of icons and then at the front (a long way away from where I was sitting and I think most people can sit) was a red and yellow curtain with dozens of candles and a huge icon of Jesus on the side. I have no problem with icons as they can be an aid to worship for people. Certainly they were a useful focus when people could not read or write.

The bells stopped and the brothers arrived (about 20 of them) in white gowns. Suddenly there was a huge amount of activity from everyone around as the song number was put on a small LCD screen. We chanted in English, French, German, had a reading from John’s Gospel then had our seven minutes silence. At the end of the seven minutes another bell rung and we were back to the LCD screen. I suspect though that this form of service has not changed in hundreds of years (except for the LCD screen)

I looked around and realised that the majority of the young people were not singing, not paying attention, they looked thoroughly bored.

As I left the service I reflected on it. It was fantastic singing and chanting, very peaceful and well structured. However, each reading, song, hymn, etc was delivered in a the same careful structured monotone. Only the brothers led the service, no one else. I am sure there were lots of people in that service who engaged with God. However, for me I came away thinking it was an experience, but nothing else. I would not want to return. No one welcomed us at any point, enquired about us or chatted. There was no greeting or anyone at the end who said , “hi”.

As we had not found a church that was open on Sunday I was really looking forward to it.

I have now visited several churches in the area (all catholic and very old) and the reoccurring theme is that they are closed or used maybe once a month – if that. I stopped at Lavies on Sunday and asked what time the church service was on. I was told the nearest church service was 100 kilometres away. There are villages filled with people, Tournus is a huge town and has no active church. I have not seen even any Protestant Churches.

I did wander around the Church in Tournus, a huge massive building that is certainly Pre-Reformation. However, it rarely has a service and is in a sad state of disrepair. It is very bleak and lacking in much except a marble table and a few icons.

I managed a few days ago to get the key to Etrigny Church from the caretaker. I suspect the church dates from about the 12^th Century. It is very colourful and has three altars (obviously pointing to a time when the church was full). It has a huge central pulpit, a font, let me pause, all of the fonts I have encountered carry either a picture of a skull or the devil. Triumph over death and satan by baptism. Each of the ancient pews have a number on and very surprisingly at the side of the church a shrine (commemoration) to the first president of France.

I am sending this from McDonalds in Chalone Sur Saone. Hey ages since seen anything resembling modern. We love it though.

I caught my first cat fish two days ago – COOL.

So tomorrow we venture to Brittany, it will take us two days.

Bless you all – You can leave comments on this blog – please do.

Andy, Jan and the girls