Church Name: Lawndale Community Church
Church address: 3827 W. Ogden Ave, Chigaco, IL 60623
Date: 3-30-14, 11:00am
Category: Lower socioeconomic
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The worship service I attended was very enjoyable for me. The first thing I noticed is that the church is made up of people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. There are blacks, hispanics, whites, and even an Indian woman singing in the choir! Everyone was worshiping together at once. I feel like I got a little taste of what it will be like to worship together in heaven, regardless of social status or skin color. At the church I normally attend, there are quite a few latino members, but it is still in the suburbs of Wheaton where there is not a huge socioeconomic gap.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
How accepting everybody was of everybody else. As a wealthier white girl from Wheaton College, I walked into that church and felt very loved and accepted, but I didn't feel like I was treated special because of what I was wearing. Every single person was so kind and welcoming and inviting, but to EVERYONE else as well. Not just the Wheaton visitors. I have visited churches where special attention or preference is given to people of a higher social status or color, but not here. Everyone was welcome, whether you are living on the street or at Wheaton College. I felt some of the unconditional love of God.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
As a visitor to the church, one thing that stuck out to me was the pastor's style of preaching. It was naturally much different from what I am used to. I am thankful that he taught straight from scripture, but his delivery was unconventional. He told a lot of stories and made a lot of seemingly "inside jokes" with the church, or references to things that I was very unfamiliar with (such a church member's kids or recent events around town). He was entertaining and interesting to listen to, but it felt like almost 40 minutes before he actually got to the main points of the sermon. This is not a bad thing, it is just unfamiliar to me. I am used to the rushed lifestyle where everyone moves, speaks, and gets to the point quickly because we have somewhere to be in 30 minutes. I appreciate how no one seemed to be rushed, but everyone enjoyed their time together as a body of Christ.
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 sermon was on Jesus' last words: "Father, into you hands I commit my Spirit" (Luke 23). I didn't necessarily learn anything new from the sermon (partly my fault; I was feeling particularly sleepy that morning) but the pastor mentioned the idea of surrender and how Jesus surrendered his life and will completely to the Father. That got me thinking about surrender in my own life. Jesus (fully God and fully man) was so completely surrendered to the will of the Father that he GAVE his life. Life wasn't taken from Christ. He willingly commited his spirit to the Father. How awesome is that! I pray that I'll have a heart that is so eager and passionate about following the Lord's will that I willingly surrender my life to him.
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