Associate Rector
the Rev. Louis T. Wheeler Jr.
Homilist
the Rev. Douglas A. Greenway
Attendance
about 20
Service Length
1 hour
Sample Worshipper Dress
khakis, white golf shirt, ample hair mousse
Teen Wooing Activity
Mad Libs (morning service)
Congregational Fervor
The St. Alban’s Web site calls the 5:30 p.m. Sunday Eucharist “a good choice for those who relish informality.” Whereas the early-morning services offer a more traditional environment, the evening meeting relies heavily on lay volunteers. At the start of the proceedings, several congregants assisted the celebrant by performing the evening’s readings and assisting with the ministration of communion. HHHHH
Food for the Soul
In response to a reading of Mark 10:2–9, Greenway presented a no-laughs sermon on the real meaning of divorce, infidelity, and the season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy. “What really disappointed me was the ending, where the wife answered her husband’s infidelity with an infidelity of her own,” he remarked, expressing his dismay with one of the medical drama’s poorly handled love triangles. “Not that we are to obtain our life answers from TV shows.” HHHHH
Food for the Body
Although coffee is available after both of the morning services, none was provided for the evening meeting.HHHHH
Overall Worship Power
Perhaps the most attractive characteristic of the early-evening worship service at St. Alban’s is that the church’s digs—located right next to the National Cathedral—are indeed pretty sweet. Exiting worshippers were able to enjoy a pleasant autumn stroll and an elegant view of the city as they reflected on the nature of God and the trustworthiness of television. HHHHH
—Aaron Leitko