The Upper Room at St Nicolas

I was on my way to The Keystone for a drink. Passing by St Nicolas, I saw it was open. This is rare for St Nicolas, and I did not think they had an afternoon service.

I walked in, to find a Black Church had taken up occupancy, I learnt later they were called The Upper Room.

I sat down. Not wise, as I would then have to leave in the middle of the service.

Had the woman leading the service not been shouting, she may have been intelligible. Those near me seemed more interested in their mobile phones.

I thought it would never end, but luckily after 20 minutes, but seemed more like two hours, it did end.

I asked a few people who they were, and they told me it was The Upper Room, that met in St Nicolas. They asked would I be returning. I said no, explained I was on my way to Saviour’s and invited them along, and said they had Canon Andrew White giving the sermon. Sadly none of them did.

I had what was probably the only white man there, come up to me, demand to know my name and tell me he wished to talk to me. Maybe it was his idea of being friendly, but I found him to be rude and offensive. You do not walk up to stranger and ask who they are, and say you wish to take them to one side and talk to them as though it is a police interrogation.

Tags: Guildford, St Nicolas, The Upper Room