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.