Justine Nham - Church Visit #1

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

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
Church of the Resurrection (also known as Church of the Rez) is an Anglican church and definitely more liturgical than the non-denominational church that I regularly attend. It was similar in that they sang worship songs that I was familiar with, but it was different in many other ways. The leaders wore robes and there was more emphasis on symbols like the crucifix or the large Bible which the leaders held up before it was read. Another main difference was the liturgy, the call and response between the leader and the congregation throughout various parts of the service. Also, the congregants took Communion by going up to the front where they received and partook of the elements there. In addition, there was the option of drinking wine from the large cup, which I have never done before. In my regular context, the bread and individual cups are served to all the congregants first before partaking them altogether as a congregation. 

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I found the service to be very lively and engaging, despite the use of liturgy which I initially thought would cause the service to be less lively. Rather, the worship, liturgy, call and response, and sacrament of Communion fostered an atmosphere of active participation from the congregants. Even as a first-time visitor, I definitely did not feel like a spectator during the service but could actively engage and follow along as everything was printed in the bulletin. In talking with some friends who regularly attend the church, I found out that Communion is part of their service every week. In my regular context, we take Communion once a month. I think it's neat to have that weekly time of confession and reminder of Christ's sacrifice and grace in having Communion as part of the worship service each week.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
I was distracted by the robes that the leaders wore and some of the icons and symbolic things they did, like holding up the Bible and kissing it before/after Scripture was read. I also found it challenging to have to follow along in the bulletin for the liturgy and to know what was happening next. While some things were read, some things were sung which made it a little hard to follow. Because everything, except for the sermon, was scripted, I felt like the pace of the service went a bit too quickly (which contributed to the liveliness I described earlier) and that I didn't have the time or space for quiet pondering and reflection. Even when there was time for it, such as during the time of confession, I was distracted while looking at the people around me, as some were kneeling and some were sitting.

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 this worship service helped me see the Church in a broader, more historical context. The church that I regularly attend rarely recites creeds or uses written prayers from the Book of Common Prayer. It was neat to see the different forms and styles of worship from both past and current, such as creeds and traditions from the early church fathers, a hymn from the 19th century and worship songs from the 21st century, incorporated into one service, showing how God, the Church, and the Gospel transcend time and people's preferences in styles of worship that have changed throughout church history. I think there is something valuable in recognizing and retaining elements from the worship tradition and faith of Christians who have gone before us. I felt like I was participating in some great historical tradition, which seems lost in the contemporary worship services of many churches today.