We genuinely wanted to experience a gospel mass in the congregation of a Harlem church but were bitterly disappointed by the two and a half hours of very average preaching, prolonged church notices, recorded music and repeated requests for money. At the appointed time the hundred and fifty or so people who had been queuing were herded upstairs to a secluded balcony where you could see nothing unless you were in the first few rows. This is when we should have left as we actually wanted to attend a church service and meet local church goers. The regular congregation was down in the body of the church though we could not determine how many of them there were. Upstairs there were several marshalls who kept a very close eye on us... quite reasonably no talking or photography. Quite unreasonably we were exhorted for money several times over the course of the morning... many attempted to leave at the second offertory but their exit was blocked by overly forceful church people. The music was recorded and not at all uplifting ‘though there was some desultory hand clapping below... heard, not seen. Apparently there was also some interpretative dance to the recorded music. we couldn’t have been further removed from the service had we been out on the street. We would have been more than happy to contribute to the church had we felt welcomed and included as we have been at church services the world over, but this was simply a revenue gathering exercise so it was very disappointing and we would not recommend the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ at all.

OK, we got that the service is not entertainment but a religious ceremony for its community of worshippers. But tourists are herded to the balcony where they are completely separated from the service and the support basket is sent around numerous times. The worshippers have a different entrance from the tourists and neither group can see each other. If you want to observe a Baptist ceremony - the pastor and the choir- in Harlem this is your place, but if you want to involve yourself in a religious ceremony with the locals, this is not your place.