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.
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.
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