Julia Wittrock - Church Visit #2

Julia Wittrock - Church Visit #2

Church name: Christian Fellowship for All Nations (CFAN)

Church address: 4750 N. Sheridan Road, Suite 300 Chicago, IL 60640

Date attended: 2/23/2014

Church category: Racial diversity

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

While CFAN is a church that claims to provide, “fellowship for all nations,” a strong percentage (around 99%) of the people in attendance at this service were from specifically sub-Saharan African nations.  The service began with a long period (about 30 minutes) of worship, where a choir of all women and a band of all men backed up one lead singer.  Worship was followed by a time of testimony – many people came to the front of the room and shared their experiences of how God had been good to them.   This was very different from church services I have been to in the past.  Another unfamiliar element was what they called a “name change ceremony” – a few church members came to the front of the room to be prayed over and receive a new name.  They brought their new names on slips of paper, but they never read these names.  This was based off the idea that God often changed people’s names in the Bible – Saul to Paul and Jacob to Israel were given as examples.  There was then more worship and announcements.  The service was over two hours long, which is much longer than services to which I am accustomed.

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

I found the name changing ceremony fascinating.  I do believe that the idea of going by a new name does have biblical support, but I have never seen it actually happen like it did in this service.  I have heard of this in the Catholic tradition through the idea of taking up “saint names,” but never in a more informal context like this.  The idea seems to get at a good principle, but it does seem a bit strange for us to pick our own names instead of being told what the new name would be.  I also really appreciated the testimony portion of the service – I think it is very valuable to talk about how God is working in our lives.  People seemed more willing than traditional evangelicals to attribute things that happen in the world to God and not to natural causes or individual accomplishments.  Also, even kids were involved in this portion of the service, and it was really cool to see them praising the Lord for things, like turning 9 years old.

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

While I liked the testimony portion of the service, I was challenged by how at times it seemed to express a sort of theology in which our relationship with God is an exchange: God gives us blessings, and we give God praise.  It seemed like lots of God’s goodness was wrapped up in what he has done for us (economic trinity) and not simply in who He is (immanent trinity).  Some people even thanked God for things He has not yet done, saying that if we show God that we trust Him by thanking in advance, then He will do what we asked for.  This just seems a bit dangerous because it puts us as the judge of what is good and bad in the world.  What things that happened in the past were good and thus I should praise God for?  What should happen in the future?  Sometimes the ways in which God is working are so complicated that it is hard to know what is good and what is not.  Things that originally seem bad may turn out to be blessings and vice versa.  I think we can learn something valuable from the boldness with which CFAN members proclaimed God’s work in their lives, but it was a bit disoriented at first.

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

Even though I was only at a Sunday service, this service seemed to illuminate the concept of God being a God of more than just Sunday.  This happened in a number of ways.  First, people in the service seemed to be constantly praying.  I could tell this because the leader prayed on and off as transition between parts of the service and because those in the congregation were offering prayers under their breath.  From their testimonies, I could tell that they were constantly in prayer during the week as well.  Also, the repetition of phrases such as, “hallelujah” and “praise the Lord!” throughout the service reminded me that just about every sentence can bring us to praise God.  They saw God working in their dreams, in their sickness and health, and in their finances.  It is powerful to remember that the God I worship is active and involved.  

Hannah MacLean - Church visit #2

Church name: St Joseph Orthodox Church
Church address: 412 Crescent St, Wheaton
Date attended: February 23, 2014
Church category: More liturgical

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The service began by many lighting candles and placing them in a tray of sand at the back of the room. The front of the room was covered in images and icons; two doors were inlaid in the artwork leading to a backroom in which many of the church leaders would enter into. As the worshipers entered the sanctuary, they would walk to the front, crossing themselves, and kiss an icon of Jesus. A cantor began singing many words describing the characters of God and what he has done on earth. "Lord have mercy" was repeated many times, as the congregation crossed themselves. A man walked around the room with incense. The service began: the entire service was sung in four-part harmony. It was formatted in call-and-response between the cantor/Priest/church leaders and the congregation. There were specific liturgical sections that they do each week and so the Priest announced which section we would do that day. The Eucharist was part of the service. Many crossed themselves often and at different times the congregation would sit and stand. I attend an Anglican service - some liturgical features as well as the vestments and gestures were similar. However, this church's entire service was scripted and sung.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
The sensory experience of worship was most appealing to me. The artwork involved in the sanctuary, the incense, and the physical participation in worship was bodily and mentally engaging. As a music major, singing the service was extremely powerful. The Priest spoke on lent and the emptying of ourselves. It was a message against legalism and feeling pious in our treatment of lent. But rather, he encouraged us to use lent to focus on others and he promoted activism for the poor.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship?
The cantor seemed disengaged in his singing before the service. Because this was so new to me, I recognized it as intensely beautiful. It was disorienting for me to see that he seemed not to, because perhaps it had become very rote to him. One challenging part was the exclusivity of communion and the Orthodox tradition. It was only open to those who were Orthodox, whereas at my church it is open to all who are baptized.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
It illuminated a new and different sensory experience of worship. Being able to taste, touch, see, smell, and hear God's glory in new and different ways was powerful. As the Priest spoke of the need to care for the poor, I was struck by a clear view of the activism that is required for us to worship the Lord. The order, structure, and beauty of God and his relationship with the church was illuminated. Also, the holiness of God as well as our depravity was emphasized through the many "Lord have mercy"'s and the crossing oneself as we approached him.

Sarah Baek - Church Visit #2

Church Name: St. Michael's Catholic Church

Church Address: 314 W Willow Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187

Date attended: 2/14/14

Church Category: Catholic (more liturgical than my regular context)

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

I went to a weekday morning mass. It was very different from my regular context. A friend of mine, one of the few Catholics on campus, was very eager to invite me to mass, and she did her best to talk me through a lot of the service. I’m very grateful, because the order of everything made me quite nervous. Because I was unfamiliar with the structure of the service, I was afraid of making a fool out of myself and accidentally irritating all the other congregants. When we walked into the sanctuary, my friend (also named Sarah) guided me towards the baptismal pool, where she instructed me to dip my fingers into the water and cross myself. She picked up two books, though I can’t remember what she had called them. They contained all the When we talked to sit in the pew, Sarah kneeled before entering the pew, a sign of reverence, which I imitated.

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

The sense experience of the service was so beautiful to me. It was both gentle to and demanding of all my senses. My eyes had a lot to look at: the stained glass, the high ceilings, the wideness of the sanctuary that lead me to look left and right (as opposed to just straight forward), and as someone who has never been to mass, I had a lot of things to read in order to follow along. The melodies of the responses echoed in the sanctuary. I had to use my body to partake in the service: dipping my fingers in the baptismal pool, kneeling before the pew, crossing myself, standing and sitting, etc.

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

As I mentioned earlier, I was very nervous. There was a very clear order of how to participate in mass, and I was very clearly being coached through the service. I was so worried that I would accidentally be disrespectful to the other worshippers, who had spent some time learning and habituating themselves to this liturgy. The other disorienting part of worship was how quickly the service seemed to move, especially since I wasn’t aware of the rhythm and flow of it. I felt like I was struggling to keep up.

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 it made me recognize that in my regular, low-church context, I was able to slip into an episodic understanding of church, whereas daily mass demands consistent participation. The book that takes the congregation through what scriptural passages to read for the day encourages a daily engagement with the church body. I also felt that seeing the value in bodily experience connects me better with the incarnation. I’m already very inclined to appreciate bodies and senses, but using my body in a church service encourages a deeper appreciation for Jesus’ identity as a man. The son was a man! How beautiful is that?

Alison Chang - Church Visit 1

Church Name: St. Joseph Orthodox Church

Church Address: 412 Crescent St. Wheaton, IL 60187

Date Attended: 2/16/14

Church Category: Eastern Orthodox (significantly more liturgical)

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

I grew up moving from one Korean immigrant Presbyterian church to another in Southern California and Korea. I currently attend Living Water Alliance Church in Wheaton. The worship service I attended was extremely different from that of my regular context as it was significantly more liturgical. The church was divided into three sections, as described in our Christian Thought class (the gathering place, the holy place, and the most holy place). The inside of the church was beautifully decorated with gold, icons, and candles. The priests wore incredibly ornate dress, a woman was the chant/reading leader in the front of the congregation, and children participated in the worship service by carrying candles or golden crosses. Almost the entire service was participated standing up, chanting or singing the words of a book that was most than 40 pages long. The Eastern Orthodox service was much more formal and rigid than what I am accustomed to.

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

I found the physical participation and worship of the congregation in the service as the most interesting and appealing part of the worship service. I really liked how everyone responded to the liturgy, not just with words but also in action as they made the sign of the cross, kneeled, and kissed the floor. It made it more apparent that we were worshipping with our whole bodies and not just with our tongues. I also participated in making the sign of the cross and wonder why the churches I have attended do not do the same.

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

I found much of the ceremonious functions disorienting and challenging. For communion, the entire congregation went up to the pastor and bent low enough for the priests at the front to spoon-feed them the drink that came from the cup. The pastor kissed the people on their foreheads and many people of the congregation kissed the the cup, Bible at the front of the room and the floor. At one point, the priest walked around the sanctuary and spread incense around the edges of the room. However, the whole congregation would turn to face him wherever he went. I was also challenged by the fact that some of the liturgy that was addressed to the Virgin Mary and proclaimed that she was even higher than the angels.

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

The worship service illuminated the beauty and fullness of scripture through its use of scripture based liturgy. Although I do like the contemporary worship that I participate in at my regular context of church, I really enjoyed worshipping in a way that was much more scripture and historically based. It was a worship that felt much more directed to God in a deeper reverence and fear of who He is. After the service, the priest also came and introduced himself to a couple of Wheaton students and myself. He easily remembered our names and I quickly felt like a part of the community. The church was very welcoming and reminded me of the importance and integral quality of the unity of the church.

Sadie Singer - Church Visit 1

Sadie Singer - Church Visit #1
Church name: All Souls
Church address: 25W741 Jewell Road Wheaton, Illinois 60187
Date attended: 2-9-14
Church category: Anglican Church

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

I come from a non-denominational background. At our regular service we would start with some worship songs, usually including a full worship band and more contemporary music. We then would greet one another; take offering while someone plays music, and then the Pastor will give his sermon. We will then play a few closing songs and if it is the first Sunday of the month take communion. The service I attended at All Souls was much more interactive. The bishops entered wearing vestments and carrying a cross ahead of them, the music played throughout the service and were all hymns, there were readings with calls and responses, there was alot of emphasis on scripture reading, the sermon was shorter due to all the other elements of the service, everyone participated in the Nicene Creed, there was a time of prayer for intercession, confession, and absolution, these times also contained calls and responses, you were able to partake of the Eucharist if you had been baptized and knelt as you took the bread and wine from one cup, offering was taken, and a blessing was given.


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

I enjoyed the reverence for God and respect for His holiness that you feel in a more liturgical service. I often feel that in more contemporary worship we personalize God and forget that He is holy above all else. There is also something unique and special as you take part in a more liturgical service. You are connected to something greater than just yourself and the emphasis is placed on the body of Christ.  As the bishop prayed for their Anglican Church across North America, the Diocese of Quincy, and Bishop Alberto Morales of Quincy you got the concept that our God is greater than just one person. I appreciated the fact that this church is responsible and accountable to a greater church body than just themselves. I feel that this is more the way our church body should operate and is a good tool for holding one another accountable than to just have one church and one pastor and one group of elders deciding what they think is best. The sermon was also different in the fact that he did not give a three bullet point, application based, individualized sermon that takes up most of the service. Instead he emphasized his thoughts on a particular passage, stated when he was not certain of a theological statement, emphasized reaching out to the poor and less fortunate than ourselves, and only took fifteen minutes to do it. I also appreciated the fact that you are an active member of the service. You cannot simply sit and listen, you must participate which again draws back to the concept of a greater church body and participating in something greater than yourself. 


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

I was slightly challenged by all the traditional music and structure. I have grown often most experienced God through the blessing and gift of music. Throughout this service only hymns are sung and although I enjoy hymns, it is difficult when that is the only music represented. It was also challenging because I didn't know a number of the songs so it was difficult to follow along. I was also slightly disoriented by the amount you must stand and sit and know what proper response to have to what readings throughout the service. I like to have a bit more freedom throughout the service and not as much structure. 

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 really enjoyed the message. He spoke from Matthew about being a light on a hill and the concept that light must be giving of oneself. He also emphasized that one must be at the top of the hill to reach as many as we are able. For only once people see the light do they realize that they had been in the dark. He also placed a higher emphasis on reaching out to the poor and those less fortunate than ourselves. That we all may have different theology when we stand before the gates of heaven, but that won't be important, what will be is who did you love as Christ loved you. To love God is to love others. I had always separated the concepts before and he molded them together as one concept.

Jack Lyons - Church visit #1

Church name: St. John Lutheran Church
Church address: 410 N Cross St. Wheaton, IL
Date attended: 4-16-14
Church category: Significantly more liturgical

Describe service, similarities and differences.
The service ran like a carefully crafted military operation. Every action had it's time and place, and every piece of liturgy was accounted for. There was a processional of the clergy which included a cross. The service followed very closely with the ordinary of the Eucharist, which involved the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. A lot of the liturgical elements were said in unison or sung in unison by the congregation but some things were said just by clergy or sung by the choir. I am used to only singing hymns or worship songs in the service so it was different to have these little chant-like melodies before the offering or for the Lord's Prayer (which the people there all seemed to know by heart while I'm fumbling along trying to keep up). Also, because of how many other elements were a part of the service, the actual sermon was only about ten minutes long, if that. Another big difference was the use of bells and incense.

Most interesting or appealing.
As I mentioned, music was such a big part of this service and you can tell that the people worshiping there really value it, and at what I would consider to be a pretty high quality. They sing the Lord's Prayer during the Sunday church service, and I caught myself singing it at times throughout the day, which I think is nice because then it's clearly something you're thinking about even if its subconsciously which you might not always do if you just say it. I also appreciate the reverence of the service. There was kneeling involved and a lot of inward reflection that I think created an environment that was very easy to worship in. I liked the traditional feel of the service because I think it eliminates some of the things that distract me in other services I've been in. The incense was cool too because I like the imagery and it reminded me of when I was in London.

Most disorienting or challenging.
I think the thing that was the most disorienting was the short length of the sermon. I felt like he had just started and then bam it was over. So I guess I would say I didn't really get a whole lot from the message. There was nothing thought provoking about it and there really just wasn't much substance at all. I'm not saying that I need every sermon I hear to be radical and revolutionary, but I tend to like a little bit more of an academic and just longer approach to the sermon. I know this is just something that would take getting used to but the pace of the service was challenging and know what all you were supposed to do at what time and even what you were allowed to do. It was the first church I have been to where you are encouraged not to take communion unless you are a member of the Lutheran Church or something, which I thought was interesting.

Aspects that were illuminated.
In reference to the length of the sermon, while surprisingly short it made me realize something, which is that I had previously had this kind of subliminal idea that the sermon was the reason we went to church and that was what was most important about going to church was hearing the sermon. This format made it more clear that every part of the worship service is important. I think in the traditions I am used to we elevate the sermon and all the other things are kind of just preliminary or in response, but I don't think that's the way it has to be, and maybe not even the way it should be. I also was reminded of something when I noticed how enthusiastically some of the clergymen were proclaiming the corporate readings like the confession of sins and the Nicene Creed. Like they almost yelled it, which just made me think wow they really are proclaiming these things and I need to remember that every time I say "I believe in God..." that I am making a proclamation.

Hester Buell - Church Visit 1

Hester Buell - Church visit 1

Church name: Bethany Chapel

Address: 404 North President Street, Wheaton, IL

Date attended: 2/9/2014

Category: Less liturgical

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

The worship at Bethany Chapel was much less eclectic and more traditionally Evangelical than the worship services at my home church. While Church of the Resurrection's service includes worship songs, call and response, Scripture readings, prayers, a sermon, and then many more worship songs during communion (which we have every week), Bethany's service was much more simple, consisting of hymns, announcements, and a sermon. Resurrection's service is much longer, more complicated, more interactive, and more formal. We use traditional hymns, contemporary worship songs in multiple styles, Taize songs, chant, and sometimes songs from O Brother Where Art Thou that I'm not sure are actually worship songs. We use a wide range of instruments and styles––from soaring choral pieces to banjo-picking, feet-stomping choruses. Because of its variety of worship styles, Resurrection sometimes seems Catholic, sometimes Pentecostal, and sometimes Southern Baptist. But whatever style the worship band is using, they do it very intentionally, with much forethought and artistic direction. The worship service at Bethany Chapel was much more simple. When I attended, we sang a string of hymns before the sermon, and that was the extent of the worship. The singing was accompanied by a piano and two violins. There were two people who sang up front with microphones, but there was no sense that they were the worship "leaders"––everyone sang as one. The lines between people who worked at church and people attended were very blurred, which I appreciated. We are, after all, one body.


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

This simplicity and the communal aspect of the worship surprised and delighted me. At my home church, the worship is so artistically crafted and polished that it can sometimes feel like a performance. When you're only one person in a huge congregation, and the worship team is so talented, it's easy to slip into the role of spectator. Bethany Chapel, however, did not allow for this. Each person in the sanctuary (all 30 of them) was an integral part of each hymn, and they sang with remarkable gusto. The simplicity of the worship style also made me focus more on the words of the hymns themselves. When the man standing by the pulpit with a microphone belted out "The body they may kill; God's truth abideth still," I was struck with the force of it. It was quite unlike the worship songs at my home church, which tend to be more emotion-inducing, often with more simple and repetitive words. Some people find this style more worshipful, but I enjoy the theological richness of hymns. 

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

In some ways it was challenging to transition to such a different worship style. I was used to worship songs being more like performances, and so at first the worship here seemed underwhelming. These hymns accompanied by piano were not about to do the emotional work for me. There were no impassioned repetitions of simple lyrics with heavy drumbeats in the background, there were no flourishes or improvising. But as we continued to sing, I appreciated this heartfelt simplicity more and more. We were singing true, beautiful things about God, and we meant it. Aside from the hymns themselves, I felt a small amount of confusion because I always felt that I should be doing more. My church includes a lot of congregational participation through call and response (in prayers, in Scripture reading, in confession, and in blessings), so I was surprised when I was never asked to open my mouth except to sing.  

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 appreciated the simplicity of the worship service, the lack of formality and performance. There was no sense that the people standing up front were performing for the congregants standing to sing. What arose instead was a strong sense of fellowship, a palpable reminder that we are all equal, one body in Christ. It was also a good reminder that God does not ask us all to be rockstars. God takes us as we are, God uses the weak things of this world to shame the strong. All God asks for is a penitent heart and a simple desire to follow Him. We sang those hymns simply but honestly, reminding ourselves and thanking God for what He has done. The simplicity of the service also somehow made Christian discipleship seem more real to me. It was more true to the way things really are. When we worship God throughout our day, we are not accompanied by profound, dramatic musical arrangements to stir the right emotions in us. What we do have, however, is the words to the hymns––the truths of God that never fade.  

Beth Laskowski- Church visit #1

St. Joseph Orthodox Christian Church

412 Crescent St., Wheaton, IL 60187

February 2, 2014

Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of the Midwest

 

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

I grew up attending an Evangelical Free Church and I have been attending College Church while at Wheaton College. I did not grow up with liturgy as being a regular part of the worship service. At College Church we say the Apostle’s Creed and the Lord’s Prayer but I have never experienced anything more liturgical than that.  This service was almost all reading and singing of liturgy and I was surprised that we read through the entire liturgy book that I was handed when I entered the church.  It was about 50 pages long.  The service was more formal than what I am used to; the reverends wore long, richly decorated robes and conducted the service in a ceremonious manner.  In my regular church context God’s grace and love are emphasized through worship but I felt the awe and majesty of God emphasized in the Orthodox church.

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

I loved listening to and singing the liturgy.  I thought it was beautiful and full of scripture passages. I liked singing the liturgy more than singing many modern worship songs that are shallow and not full of the richness of Scripture. Many modern worship songs could be about someone you are in love with just as much as they could be about God.  The liturgy was clearly sung to God and Him alone.  I liked the way that children were involved in the worship service as well.  The young boys in the church put on beautifully decorated robes and they came out at different intervals during the service carrying candles.  The boys also helped to distribute the sacraments during the Eucharist.  Towards the end of the service, all little children came to the front as the reverend spoke and they all placed their hands on the gold covered Bible. 

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

I was surprised that some of the liturgy was addressed to the Virgin Mary and that she was considered greater than the angels.  I was also surprised when prayers were offered for the dead throughout the service.  At the beginning of the service, most of the congregation came up to the alter and kissed the icon that was there, made the sign of the cross, and then went back to their seats.  It almost seemed as if they worshiped the image. The reverend who brought out incense waved it in front of the icons painted on the front of the church and this appeared to me as if he was also worshiping the icons by offering them incense.  The whole service led to the Eucharist and I was surprised that they allowed very young children to take the sacraments even though they would not fully understand what they were doing.

 

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 that I felt the majesty and awe of God more in this church than I do at my normal church service.  I realized how great God is and how He is worthy of the best worship we can give Him.  In my regular church context, God is often portrayed as a friend and comforter which He truly is but I do not see the Majesty and mystery of God portrayed as much.  This church seemed very much like a family and I felt they gave me a wonderful example of the body of Christ.  The reverend knew the names of his congregation and acknowledged the anniversaries and birthdays within the congregation during the announcements.  After the service when there was an optional memorial for a man that had recently passed away, almost everyone gathered to attend the service and support his widow.   The congregation seemed like a supportive family as the body of Christ should be.

 

Emma Young - Church Visit #1

Church Name: Highland Community Church
Church Address: 1005 N. 28th Avenue, Wausau, WI 
Date Attended: 2/16/2014
Category: Less liturgical 

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context? 
I attended an Evangelical Free service, which felt very informal and relaxed. First, the praise team sang a few songs, one of which was an extremely up-tempo version of Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee. In response to the musical worship, the audience ranged in reactions from kneeling on the ground with arms outstretched, to standing with hands in pockets and eyes intent on the screen. People clearly felt free and comfortable to express their reaction in a personalized way. Then, after a prayer, the sermon began, which had been prerecorded and was played on the projectors. Once it finished, the praise team came back once more to close out the service. I normally attend a very conservative, liturgical Seventh-Day Adventist church, which holds rigidly to tradition, so the Evangelical Free service was very different for me. Every service begins with a formal hymn singing, followed by long communal prayer. A featured musician performs a piece, and then the sermon closes the service. My church would have a problem changing the tempo of the hymns, because they are held in such reverence, and prayer is always held with the congregation on their knees. The kind of personal reaction to praise music seen in the Evangelical Free service has never been a tenet of my church. However, the elements of music and the sermon and that interconnection are clearly prevalent in both services.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I was very intrigued by the visual displays and technology used in the service. There were roses on stage to symbolize new births, both of Christians and infants, and the stage was otherwise beautifully decorated with crosses and soft lighting. There was clearly an air of reverence in the room. Three projectors were used to display the words, as well as display visuals and texts throughout the service. It was engaging, and easier to follow along than some services I've attended at my church where there are no such visuals. The praise team was clearly practiced and talented, with ages ranging from 14 to 60 involved on stage, which made the worship trans-generational, allowing everyone to feel that it is for them.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service? 
I was taken aback by the tempo of the hymn, and although I was able to keep up because I was familiar with it, did not feel it was an acceptable way to worship the Lord. My church holds hymns in reverence, which is what I believe is God-honoring, so I struggled with finding blessing in that song. I was also disturbed by the fact that the sermon was prerecorded, because it felt like the opposite of what the church is trying to accomplish: it felt distancing. There were numerous errors in the sermon that was given, from the gender of a Greek god discussed, to the meanings of Greek words. I left feeling frustrated because I was not able to let those things go and value the message that was being conveyed.
What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context? 
The focus of the message was on taking the opportunities that are given to us, for the days are evil. The pastor really emphasized that these opportunities are God-given, and that they look different for everyone, which I felt a stronger response to than I think I would have in my church. My church has many beautiful qualities, but some members have a tendency toward close-mindedness, which unfortunately turns some people off. I really felt in the Evangelical Free service that people are accepted, and are not expected to conform to any path other than God's, which may be one of less traditional caliber, but that it is good, and it is God-breathed. He also wanted to drive home the idea that it is because the days are evil that we must strive to dedicate ourselves to God and thereby opportunities, because without them there is no point in life on earth. 'Opportunities' doesn't mean the big promotion or winning the lottery; it means feeding that homeless guy on your walk home, or volunteering your time for something you're passionate about. Let God speak to you, act for Him, and your days on earth will be blessed.

Lea Gibson - Church visit #1

Church name: Church of the Resurrection
Church address: 935 W. Union Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187
Date attended: February 9th, 2014
Church category: More liturgical

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
In general, Church of the Resurrection was not as different as I was expecting it to be. Having grown up in a Christian Reformed Church, I am used to some liturgy, though not quite as much as Church of the Res had. I was pleasantly surprised that much of the liturgy was the same as what my church back home and my church in Wheaton (Jericho Road) uses as it made me feel a little more comfortable and at home. I was expecting more traditional songs and hymns, and though there were some, majority of the worship consisted of contemporary songs. However, there were also many differences. Probably the biggest difference for me was that all the leaders wore robes. Also, although I am used to a certain amount of liturgy, the service was much more structured than I am used to. Especially the use of singing as a response was different than I am used to. Lastly, I have never gone to a church in which they use wine at communion, only grape juice, so the use of wine and a common cup was different for me as well.

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

I actually really like liturgical services. It feels much more interactive to me, and the use of traditional liturgy, confessions, and creeds is a beautiful way to express one’s faith. Liturgy adds much more structure to the service, and since it’s all written in the bulletin, one knows what to expect next. I also found interesting the procession before reading scripture. It draws more attention to the Word than what I’m used to, and makes the reading of scripture feel much more significant. We had to stand for many of the readings, which also draws significance and reverence to the Word, which I really appreciated.

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

The most confusing thing for me was the use of the sign of the cross. I've never been to a church where crossing oneself was a regular thing, but it was quite common throughout the service, but I never knew when to expect it or if I was expected to do it as well. Otherwise things weren't that disorienting or challenging. Things were different, but for the most part, everything was in the bulletin so I could just follow along. 

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

As I mentioned before, I felt that there was much more of an emphasis on Scripture and a general reverence for Scripture that I haven't experienced in my regular context. I really liked having to stand for some of the Scripture readings because I believe it shows respect and it also causes one to pay more attention than if they were sitting. I also really appreciated the sermon. He preached on the passage in Matthew about being the light of the world and encouraged us to think about our daily actions, especially in terms of media and reflect whether we really are shining the light of Christ. I feel like it can be easy for the church to accept some of our culture and not fight back as much as we should.