Julia Wittrock - Church Visit #1

Julia Wittrock - Church Visit #1

Church name: St. Joseph’s Orthodox Church

Church address: 412 Crescent St, Wheaton, Illinois 60187

Date attended: 2/2/2014

Church category: More liturgical/ high church

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

While I grew up in a Lutheran church that was somewhat liturgical, the service I attended this Sunday could not have felt more different from what I am used to. One huge difference was the use of icons – painted figures were hanging all over the chapel, and service attendees would kiss a picture upon entering the service.  Then, the liturgy portion of the service was much longer and more continuous from what I was used to.  From the moment I entered the chapel, one of the church officials was chanting liturgy from the front of the chapel.  From this point on, the service continued almost as if it was a play: different main characters (priest, deacon, reader, etc.) entered the service and led different parts, but it all flowed together in one continuous liturgy.  I was surprised with how quickly everything went – in read-and-response portions of the liturgy, the congregation did not finish singing their part before the priest said his.  This liturgical portion lasted for about an hour, which was surprising to me.  It was followed by announcements, which were fairly laid back, and a sermon about the feast of the day.

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

One aspect of this service that I found appealing was the use of repetition – throughout the liturgy, phrases like “have mercy on us, O Lord” were repeated multiple times.  Not only was there repetition within the service, but I am guessing there is consistency between services as well.  At some points of the service, the congregation leader of the liturgy told us that we were on a certain variation (ex: tone 2 or version 4) of the liturgy, but most parts seemed to be the same week in and week out.  I like that this shows the consistency of God, and also ensures that we proclaim truths about God whether we “feel it” that week or not.  I was also encouraged to see how well-connected the congregation felt.  The priest knew most people’s names, and it seemed like they all rallied around a recently-widowed woman.

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

I was challenged and disoriented by the communion practices of the service.  When each person came up for communion, two boys (who were wearing gold robes and seemed to be service assistants) held up a red cloth to that person’s mouth.  Then, the priest dipped a gold spoon into a cup and spoon-fed communion wine to the person.  I guess I haven’t had a lot of time to think about how symbolic or literal we should take communion as being the body and blood of Jesus, so that hit me unprepared.  I was also surprised to then see the bread portion of communion just sitting on a table for you to grab as you walk out the door – seems like very different treatment of the two elements that should be equally holy.  I was also challenged by the gender rolls – only young boys wore gold robes and helped the priests, and all the priests were men.  Yet, the worship leader was a female, and the people collecting the offering were female – which wouldn’t be something women would traditionally do at some of the Lutheran churches I have attended.

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

One element of Scripture that I saw revealed in this service was the consistency of God, as I mentioned earlier.  So many times, Evangelicals work hard to try to improve what we’re doing and be culturally relevant, which are not bad aims.  However, in doing this we all-too-often try to recreate the wheel.  Going to this Orthodox church reminded me that sticking to tradition helps us remember that God is constant, and it also helps us learn from the people of the faith who went before us.  At first, this consistency may make it seem like the people’s worship was too routinized and mechanical, but then I remembered that any worship practices can be done without meaning.  I know there are many times when I sing contemporary worship songs without thinking about the words.  This service reminded me that the reality of God’s truths should amaze us every time we say them, no matter how many times we say the same thing.