Free Evangelical Church of St George, St George in the Black Forest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Mystery Worshipper: BlackForestGirl
Church: Free Evangelical Church of St George, St George in the Black Forest
Location: Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Date of visit: Sunday, 31 August 2025, 10:00am

What was the name of the service?

Sunday Service – Sonntagsgottesdienst.

How full was the building?

It was full. All the seats were taken.

Did anyone welcome you personally?

There was a kind lady at the entrance who greeted everyone with a handshake and a friendly smile. Two or three people inside greeted me with a smile, but didn‘t talk to me personally.

Was your pew comfortable?

The chairs were really comfortable.

How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?

People were chatting with each other quietly. There was a quiet worship song playing in the background, so there was a calm atmosphere.

What were the exact opening words of the service?

‘Hello and welcome to our service.’

What books did the congregation use during the service?

All the songs were projected on the wall in front of the church.

What musical instruments were played?

There were drums, an electric guitar, a piano, and two singers.

Did anything distract you?

After one rather quiet song, there was a lady jumping up and shouting ‘Hallelujah!’ That was a bit unexpected! I was sitting in the back row, so I saw people and children coming in and going out, but it wasn‘t a disturbance in any way.

Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?

The worship was rather calm and started with an English song, followed by four or five German songs. It ended with an old hymn, with the lyrics sung to a modern melody. In between, the worship leader read from Romans 2 and asked, ‘What do we worship?’

Exactly how long was the sermon?

45 minutes.

On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?

8 —

In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?

The guest speaker spoke about the topic, ‘Making disciples – disciples making disciples’. He started by quoting Matthew 11:28-30 (where Jesus invites his followers to 'take my yoke upon you’) and said that the yoke is equal to the teaching and lifestyle of Jesus. Then he explained how making disciples can look like in everyday life.

Which part of the service was like being in heaven?

After the worship, several people gave testimony, and their stories made me realise what living faith looks like. One person asked for continued prayer for someone who had suffered an accident; a missionary lady talked about her work; and a student talked about her faith in the midst of her exams. It was all really encouraging.

And which part was like being in... er... the other place?

I was a bit surprised by the lady giving a ‘quiet shout’ in a calm moment.

What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?

I stood around a bit, walked around a bit, looked first at the coffee table and then looked out of the window, but nobody talked to me.

How would you describe the after-service coffee?

There was really good coffee in mugs, hot water for tea and mineral water. The biscuits were unfortunately eaten by children who had come back from their groups. :-)

How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?

8 — There seems to be a good emphasis on teaching. Some of the teaching topics for the upcoming weeks, which are on spiritual disciplines, sounded interesting.

Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?

Yes, definitely.

What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time ?

The sermon.