Ruth Jeong_church visit #1

Second Baptist Church

1520 Avery Avenue, Wheaton, Illinois 60187
January 26, 2014
Different ethnic/racial demographic church

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your context?

The Second Baptist Church dominantly consisted of African American people, with us being the only Asian that visited the church. The worship service comprised of singing and worshiping, greetings and announcements, younger children singing and dancing, the sermon, and offering and benediction. The service was similar and different in many ways. As of similarities, my church and SBC contained the obvious praising God and listening to a sermon and greeting each other. However, there were differences in the service as well. SBC included something called an “altar call” and “bible trivia challenge”, which is something that is not done in LWAC (my church). The method the service was carried out and the mood of the service was different as well. The SBC members rose up often even though it was not explicated said and was very vocal in expressing agreement. My church, on the other hand, only rose when we worshiped or through the benediction and only few said “amen” during pastor’s sermons.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

I found the ease of worship to be most appealing about the service in Second Baptist. They did it so naturally, joyfully, and freely that I was engaged right into worship. I also noticed that a lot of things were done by the children and youth ministry, such as offerings and choir, announcements, the passage, and performance. I find that very engaging because I believe youth should take part in worship services. The members were also very heartwarming in welcoming the newcomers. The service also seemed much more passionate and expressive, as people cried out words to praise God and thank Him. I thought it was very interesting that the band (specifically the organ player) added sound effects whenever the minster said something very significant in his sermon. I also thought it was interesting how much bible references the minister had for his sermon.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

It was definitely challenging to be in a different ethnic and racial demographic church. I felt like an oddball sticking out. It was also disorienting in that I did not know when to stand up and when to sit down because the members did them as they seem fit. One thing I especially found most discomforting was the Altar Call because I have never seen it before or understand the significance of it but everyone walked in front of the altar (the tables that looked like it was used for communion) and the minister prayed with emotion. I also found it challenging that the minister sang a long solo by himself before the sermon and then preached with a booming voice that hurt my ears the whole time (not to mention really fast too) and a different style of preaching than my pastor back in LWAC.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

SBC gave me insight of a whole new level of expression of our faith as Christians. In some congregations, clapping or praising God during a sermon is unlikely and worship is seen as reserved and serious. But the bursting energy to praise God with no mind to others inspired me a lot because I find that so hard to do when I am around other people. It helped me understand better of the aspects of worshiping God that it is not limited to worshiping from the mind but is expressible through the heart, body, and mouth. SBC truly showed me how God can move the hearts of the members of the church in different ways. I also realize that even though different racial and ethnic churches can express their worship differently, we are all still worshiping the same God. 

Lou Smith- Church Visit # 1

Blog title: Lou Smith-- Church Visit #1 

Church name: Saint Joseph Orthodox Christian Church 

Church address: 412 Crescent Street 

Date attended: 1/26/14

Church category: Orthodox 

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

I went to St. Joseph’s Orthodox Church. I arrived a few minutes late, but discovered that I was among the first few to arrive. The church was covered in icons, which people kissed. A man with a silver lantern walked around the borders of the sanctuary spreading the smoke of incense. There were many clergymen wearing elaborate robes. The two hour service consisted on 40 pages of singing liturgy that required the congregants to stand. The Eucharist was provided only for members of the orthodox church. The priest gave each person the bread and wine with a spoon as they knelt before him.

In my nondenominational home church, Jericho Road, the sermon, not liturgy, consumes most of the allotted time. We don’t voice stipulations about who is allowed to participate in the eucharist, and we practice intinction. We sing contemporary Christian music, and we rent a cafeteria of a local elementary school to meet in.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

I was intrigued by the use of liturgy and the way that it can unite congregants together. When everyone is singing and speaking the same thing, it can create a communal aspect to church which can be sometimes lost in more non-participatory settings. I also appreciated the thoughtfulness of the liturgy. Many of the songs we sang were prayers that were masterfully written to express concise and clear goals of the church to glorify god and participate in His will. I appreciated the ability of the priest to switch from singing the liturgy so reverently to making a joke about a local sport's team. I think its easy to forget that priests are people too. I found the icons interesting, but I wish I knew more about why they have them. Overall, I appreciated the thoughtfulness and intentionality in creating a reverent, holy space in which to worship God. After the service they had a coffee hour of socializing while the kids were in Sunday school, which I loved (only the idea of it... I had to get going to small group, and I'd been there for two hours). 

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

The length of the service was tough. It was two hours of mostly standing and mostly singing. It was hard to follow along with the music because it was so different from anything I had ever heard. There was a lot of repetition as well, which made it difficult to sit through without feeling impatient. The kissing of the icons and the cross was confusing to me. I wish I knew more about the theology behind those actions. It was also hard to know when to cross yourself throughout the service. The other congregants didn't really talk to each other which made it feel like a closed, private experience inside the sanctuary. Also, I wish someone had told me that only the clergy say the last line of the Lord's Prayer. Awkward. I definitely the first two words of that line alone, together with the priest. It was also hard to know which events I should and shouldn't participate in (e.g. eucharist vs kissing of the cross). 

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

I think the idea of reverence for place of worship was something that was illuminated and impressed on me. I also saw a type of worship that incorporated a lot of rich theological backing (i.e. incorporating Nicene Creed and Apostle's Creed into the worship service). I had not previously thought of these as important, but now see that their use may contribute to a more theologically-backed and a purposefully Christocentric service and liturgy. There was another thing that I already agreed with but found helpful. The way that the priest expressed what the point of the church was that it was meant to point to the restoration that Christ will bring in His Second Coming. He said that it was meant to provide a glimpse of what that would be like. I agreed and had heard this before, but never as concisely as the priest said it today. 

Christine Chen - Church visit #1

Church name: Second Baptist Church of Wheaton

Church address: 1520 Avery Ave. Wheaton, IL

Date attended: 01-26-14

Church category: Different ethnicity/race (African-American)

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

This church is very much a classic African-American Gospel church. The church building itself was smaller than my regular church, and thus the congregation is also smaller, about 100 people. When I walked into the sanctuary, its log cabin appearance feels very homey, down-to-earth, and even inviting in a way. The congregation is almost all African-American, except for the two Caucasian people I noticed later on. They were extremely friendly, and several of them greeted me even before the service began. On top of that, the regular greeting time during the service was also significantly longer than my regular context. The music is led by a praise team of about 6 singers, some of them are children, and are accompanied by an electric organ, bass guitar, and drum set. The music is in the Gospel style, very energetic with repeating lyrics. The worship leader frequently did an ad lib during the songs, something that my regular church wouldn’t do. There are also no projections of lyrics as they would do in my home church, since the lyrics are short and easy to pick up. There was also a performance of hip-hop dance by some youths of the church. The sermon on the topic of controlling our tongues was relatively short compared to my home church, but the minister spoke with very high energy and the congregation responded constantly with “Hallelujah”, “Mmm hmm”, “Preach it!”, “Come on!” etc. We closed the service with an offering (where individuals come to the altar to deposit money as opposed the offering plate being passed around) and a benediction (in which we held hands and sang a song).

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

The overall experience was very positive. I felt very welcomed and embraced (literally and figuratively) by the church, even though I was only one of two Asians there (the other being my friend who is also on her church visit assignment). I loved the high energy of the congregation and their zeal for worshiping the Lord. The worship music was also very engaging, with lots of clapping, shouting, and people spontaneously standing up. The music was less cut-and-dry like my regular church, with a lot of improvisation and even some short chords from the electronic organ during the sermon (especially when the minister was making a lot of good points). I also noticed the participation of children and youths in roles that is normally performed by adults at my regular church, such as making announcements, reading Scripture passages, and even serves as junior deacons. Several times when the church was praying, we held hands. The most interesting thing was perhaps the fact that the minister who led worship also delivered the sermon instead of the senior pastor of the church.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

Even though I appreciated the energy of the worship service, sometimes the microphone and the singing were a bit too loud. Also, when the congregation responded to the sermon, it can be distracting at times. It was also a bit uncomfortable when the church asked visitors to stand up and introduce ourselves, which I appreciated but was still not completely at ease doing that. In addition, because the congregation response can be very spontaneous, at times it can be difficult to tell when to stand up and when to sit down. Even so, these are just things that takes time to get used to and do not reflect the church in any negative way. Since I have had the experience of worshiping with an African-American church before, none of this is new to me and thus not extremely challenging.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

If there is one word I can use to describe Second Baptist, it is “joyous.” Beyond just being energetic, they are very free in expressing their joy and zeal for the Lord. Everything, from the music to the prayer to the sermon, is loud, firm, and passionate. Psalms often speaks about enjoying God’s presence and worshiping with a passionate zeal, and the congregation at Second Baptist portrays this aspect of worship very well. Much of the time in my regular context (also Baptist, but in a Caucasian-dominated congregation), when we speak joy and being glad in the Lord, we tend to focus on the condition of our spirit but not so much on the outward manifestation. There is nothing wrong in being solemn and reverent before God in the church service, but it is also important to express joy vocally. The sermon was also very straightforward, simple, and applicable (and even somewhat in-your-face), with very little abstract language. This may be problematic for someone who is looking for deep theological insight when listening to a sermon, but I find this style of preaching very refreshing. For a book that’s especially practical like Proverbs (on which the sermon was based), it is of no use if you know the wise sayings but do not know how to put them into action.

Robby Sawyer - Church visit #1

St. Joseph Orthodox Christian Church

412 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL. 60187

January 19^th, 2014

Eastern Orthodox (Orthodox Church in America)

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

When I entered the inner room of St. Joseph’s church building, I was immediately struck by the overwhelming sensory experience that flushed through my system. My mind, heart and soul was simultaneously shocked and in awe of the sheer magnitude of the beauty within the church. As the liturgy began, the sweet smell of fresh incense coupled with the icons and the melodic chanting of the members of the Dioceses and clergy shook me to my core. At first, I was uncomfortable being back into an orthodox church, but as the liturgy continued and I gained pace with the rest of everyone else, I felt at home. I come from a Mennonite Church background, which is not unfamiliar to the liturgical tradition, but this was significantly more liturgy than I have ever done before. The liturgy lasted for an hour and a half straight and then concluded with a short fifteen-minute homily.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

            I found that all members who were in attendance, both young and very old, were committed to following the physically exhausting liturgy. From, repeatedly, responding to the Trinity by way of motioning the sign of the cross, to kneeling and bowing before the cross, I found it interesting how everyone was still very attentive and ever watchful. The second thing I found interesting was the fact that the actual gospel book followed by the incense was paraded around the room, demanding everyone to turn and face out of reverence and deep respect. It was hard, at times, being an outsider to track with the service. Sometimes, I was unable to quickly respond or follow instructions like a lot of the others who clearly knew it by heart. The people who knew the extensive liturgy without the assistance of the 40 page manual and still responded correctly was utterly astounding and, for me, was most appealing.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

            Like previously described, I found that the pace of the Orthodox Church liturgy was very quick and difficult for any outsider to understand. For this particular Sunday, I witnessed a friend undergoing chrismation or as the west knows it, confirmation. Even though I was very happy for him, I was wrestling in my own heart for the reasons why I don’t show the same amount of devotion to my own church. When you make the decision to join the Orthodox Church, it is final. The “chrismation”, as it is called in the Orthodox Church, is equivalent to getting married to that particular church tradition.  This Orthodox Church unintentionally, challenged my thinking of my position and participation at Lombard Mennonite (my home church). Secondly, as an artist, I found that the creative atmosphere present at St. Joseph’s combined with deeply rooted and ancient Christian theology was very attractive and confronted me with the idea of considering the Orthodox tradition.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

            I believe St. Joseph’s Orthodox Church illuminated for me their comprehensive knowledge of the Christian faith as passed down to them from many ancient generations. I have always heard it said that it takes hundreds of people and several decades to complete and receive confirmation of certain creeds and liturgical elements as legitimate. But now I can see, smell, and say the very words that were deeply contemplated over by very knowledgeable and expert theologians. It was a true blessing to participate in. For that matter, what I was a part of last Sunday was something very special. I felt a part of something much greater than I, even though sometimes I didn’t know it. I, only now, realize that by saying those creeds and singing the liturgy, I was joining a tradition and community of people that spans beyond death who all together worship the creator and Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Eleanor Grammas – Church Visit #1

All Souls Anglican Church

25W741 Jewell Road, Wheaton IL, 60187

January 19, 2014

Anglican (more liturgical)

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

As heirs of Catholic tradition, this worship service followed Common Worship which includes services and prayers used in the Church of England.  All Soul’s worship service was different from the contemporary worship services that I typically attend. Traditional hymns and prayers were sung throughout the liturgical service.  This week’s service was special because the congregation was celebrating a baptism. A sermon on Baptism was given by Reverend John Michael Strachan, who had been ordained that same weekend and whose child was being baptized. Communion was open to all who were baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and was distributed at the altar, as opposed to being passed down through rows of the congregation. The Lord’s Prayer was recited before the giving of Communion. Finally, the service ended with a blessing, dismissal and the giving of a lighted candle to the newly baptized. The sanctuary was small and was arranged with lined pews and additional pews lining the perimeter.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

Singing the traditional hymns was most appealing to me because I often find worshiping through music to be more edifying than listening to a sermon. I liked how there was a hymn that corresponded with most parts of the service. For example, there was the Processional Hymn, Communion Hymn and Recessional Hymn. These hymns offered an interesting inlet of worship throughout the service. I also think that singing provides another way for the congregation to be a part of the worship service and to participate as one united church. My favorite hymn was “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” because it shed some new light on the meaning of Communion. Part of the hymn reads, “He [Jesus] will give to all the faithful, his own self for heavenly food.” The hymn discusses pondering heavenly things and reminds us that Jesus came down to earth, in the flesh, to give himself as a sacrifice.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

I found Holy Communion most disorienting because I am not used to receiving it while kneeling at the altar or in such a traditional fashion. In my non-denominational church, trays of crackers and grape juice are passed down the aisles of the congregation and everyone takes communion at the same time, as instructed by the pastor. I have also participated in Communion through intinction at All School gatherings. However, at All Soul’s, the bread was distributed by the reverends while the congregation knelt and held out their cupped hands at the altar. That was followed by receiving the blood of Christ in a shared Eucharistic chalice. Also, the altar was unique in that groups knelt in a circle around the altar and the reverends would distribute Communion by rotating around the inner part of the circle. Interestingly, those not wishing to receive communion could also approach the altar, kneel and cross their arms in order to receive a blessing from a reverend.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

While attending All Soul’s liturgical worship service I gained a better and deeper understanding of both baptism and communion. It was very special to take part in celebrating in a baby’s baptism and welcoming him into the church. From the ceremony and the sermon, I was reminded that Baptism is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. The Reverend presented Baptism as simply going into the water (death to sin) and coming back out alive (rebirth to righteousness).  I also came to view Communion in a new light. The kneeling and cupping of hands puts one in the posture of a child who seems to depend on the sustenance given by the Father. In other words, Communion is more about coming, like a child, to the table (altar) and being fed and sustained by the Jesus’ body and blood. The fact that Communion was taken in groups surrounding the altar also contributes to this theme of coming to the table, as one family, one church and sharing in the gift of salvation, thanks to Jesus’ sacrifice. 

Dr. Lee - Church Visit #1

Church name: Church name

Church address: Church address

Date attended: Date attended

Church category: Church category

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

magnus es, domine, et laudabilis valde. magna virtus tua et sapientiae tuae non est numerus. et laudare te vult homo, aliqua portio creaturae tuae, et homo circumferens mortalitatem suam, circumferens testimonium peccati sui et testimonium quia superbis resistis; et tamen laudare te vult homo, aliqua portio creaturae tuae. tu excitas ut laudare te delectet, quia fecisti nos ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te. da mihi, domine, scire et intellegere utrum sit prius invocare te an laudare te, et scire te prius sit an invocare te. sed quis te invocat nesciens te? aliud enim pro alio potest invocare nesciens. an potius invocaris ut sciaris? quomodo autem invocabunt, in quem non crediderunt? aut quomodo credent sine praedicante? et laudabunt dominum qui requirunt eum: quaerentes enim inveniunt eum et invenientes laudabunt eum. quaeram te, domine, invocans te et invocem te credens in te: praedicatus enim es nobis. invocat te, domine, fides mea, quam dedisti mihi, quam inspirasti mihi per humanitatem filii tui, per ministerium praedicatoris tui.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

et quomodo invocabo deum meum, deum et dominum meum, quoniam utique in me ipsum eum vocabo, cum invocabo eum? et quis locus est in me quo veniat in me deus meus, quo deus veniat in me, deus qui fecit caelum et terram? itane, domine deus meus? est quicquam in me quod capiat te? an vero caelum et terra, quae fecisti et in quibus me fecisti, capiunt te? an quia sine te non esset quidquid est, fit ut quidquid est capiat te? quoniam itaque et ego sum, quid peto ut venias in me, qui non essem nisi esses in me? non enim ego iam inferi, et tamen etiam ibi es, nam etsi descendero in infernum, ades. non ergo essem, deus meus, non omnino essem, nisi esses in me. an potius non essem nisi essem in te, ex quo omnia, per quem omnia, in quo omnia? etiam sic, domine, etiam sic. quo te invoco, cum in te sim? aut unde venias in me? quo enim recedam extra caelum et terram, ut inde in me veniat deus meus, qui dixit, ‘caelum et terram ego impleo’?

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

capiunt ergone te caelum et terra, quoniam tu imples ea? an imples et restat, quoniam non te capiunt? et quo refundis quidquid impleto caelo et terra restat ex te? an non opus habes ut quoquam continearis, qui contines omnia, quoniam quae imples continendo imples? non enim vasa quae te plena sunt stabilem te faciunt, quia etsi frangantur non effunderis. et cum effunderis super nos, non tu iaces sed erigis nos, nec tu dissiparis sed conligis nos. sed quae imples omnia, te toto imples omnia. an quia non possunt te totum capere omnia, partem tui capiunt et eandem partem simul omnia capiunt? an singulas singula et maiores maiora, minores minora capiunt? ergo est aliqua pars tua maior, aliqua minor? an ubique totus es et res nulla te totum capit?

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

quid es ergo, deus meus? quid, rogo, nisi dominus deus? quis enim dominus praeter dominum? aut quis deus praeter deum nostrum? summe, optime, potentissime, omnipotentissime, misericordissime et iustissime, secretissime et praesentissime, pulcherrime et fortissime, stabilis et incomprehensibilis, immutabilis mutans omnia, numquam novus numquam vetus, innovans omnia et in vetustatem perducens superbos et nesciunt. semper agens semper quietus, conligens et non egens, portans et implens et protegens, creans et nutriens et perficiens, quaerens cum nihil desit tibi. amas nec aestuas, zelas et securus es, paenitet te et non doles, irasceris et tranquillus es, opera mutas nec mutas consilium, recipis quod invenis et numquam amisisti. numquam inops et gaudes lucris, numquam avarus et usuras exigis, supererogatur tibi ut debeas: et quis habet quicquam non tuum? reddis debita nulli debens, donas debita nihil perdens. et quid diximus, deus meus, vita mea, dulcedo mea sancta, aut quid dicit aliquis cum de te dicit? et vae tacentibus de te, quoniam loquaces muti sunt.