You Can Learn All Kinds of Stuff at ACP – Sunday, 11 October

It's buzzing after the service!

My favorite Sunday morning haunt is The American Church in Paris (ACP). It’s a nondenominational Protestant church on the banks of the Seine in the 7th arrondissement, established in 1814, which draws people from all over the world whose first or second language is English – I have never seen a more racially diverse congregation anywhere. The place is always full, and there are always several first-time visitors (they ask them to stand – today there were about 15). Throughout the week they have tons of programs & meetings for various national groups and age ranges, bible studies, prayer groups, special interest groups, rehearsals for many choirs and instrumental groups, new moms’ groups, “Bloom where You Are Planted” for new Paris transplants, community service groups, etc. English-language postings for jobs and housing wanted/available can be found in two glass-enclosed bulletin boards in their courtyard - students and others flock to these regularly during the week.  It’s one happenin’ place! And they serve very good coffee after the Sunday 11:00 service!

Their lovely courtyard

The service is quasi-liturgical. Today’s sermon was given by the part-time associate pastor, who is apparently coming to the end of her term (the pastoral staff does change quite a bit due to visa and work permit regulations), so it had a bit of a “good bye” character somewhat tied to the scripture readings for the day!

Often choirs touring Europe stop at the church to sing a pre-service anthem or two and an offertory piece, but today the special music came from an 11-voice chamber choir (a subset of the regular choir), which sang Ola Gjeilo’s “Ubi Caritas” just beautifully – it was sensitive, unaffected, controlled, haunting.  The handbell choir and kids’ choir did terrific work on their anthems too!

After the service, the woman sitting in front of me turned around to say hello and ask “was that your strong alto I heard on the hymns?”  I admitted to being the bellower, and she said that I should join the choir. Believe me, I told her, I would if I lived here!  She talked a bit about the concert that would be given at 5:00, and it turns out that she’s the accompanist for one of the soloists! Her husband (who’s in the choir) joined our conversation after he put away his robe and we drifted to the topic of the MN Orchestra and my involvement with Save Our Symphony MN (bien sûr!). They knew a lot about the situation and expressed appreciation for all of the individuals whose efforts resulted in returning the Orchestra to the stage.

Later, while standing in line for coffee, I chatted with a man originally from Jamaica, who moved to London, where he met and married a French woman (who had knee surgery a few weeks ago), with whom he moved to Paris to do some type of ministry work (I wasn’t clear on the details). Amazing, the stuff you learn about people in a coffee line! He also told me that there aren’t many Protestant churches in town because property is very expensive and almost all of the church buildings are owned by the Catholic Archdiocese, but a quite substantial network of Protestant house churches exists.

So next time you’re in town on a Sunday morning, head over to ACP – you never know who you’ll meet and what you’ll learn!  http://acparis.org/