Church name: Lakeview Korean United Presbyterian Church
Church address: 8257 W Harrison St, Niles, IL 60714
Date attended: 4/6/14
Church category: Presbyterian
This church offers several Sunday morning services, including services in both Korean and English. I attended the English service at 9:30. Very few Asian people attend my current church, so it was different and refreshing to be in this new setting. The structure of the service was similar to what I am used to. It began with worship through music, then announcements, and then the offering. I heard some congregation members speaking in tongues while we were singing, which I have not encountered much of in my past church experiences. Something else that was different was the amount of time spent next in prayer. The pastor led us in confessional prayer, personal prayer, and community prayer, which took at least half an hour, and I again heard some speaking in tongues. The sermon was on the shorter side, and then there was a bit more of music before the benediction.
Something I found appealing about the worship service was how intentional the people around me were about making me feel comfortable. The person I went to church with and I were clearly the only non-Asians present, but it was only a little awkward for a few minutes. I could tell that the church is a close-knit community, but it wasn't difficult to become a part of it, even for just one service. There was a short time during the service for "passing the peace", and the church members were kind and welcomed us warmly. However, though friendly, they were also very gentle, so I didn't feel overwhelmed at all. I realized that the idea of community at this church is both cherished and encouraged, which was evident by how respectful yet comfortable people seemed to be with each other. Though the definitely has an established culture, it also felt accepting and accommodating.
I don't know that I would use the word "disorienting", but because this church is so clearly geared towards Koreans, I'm not sure what my place would be in a place like this. I don't think this is a bad thing, but I could see this church being difficult to plug into as a non-Asian individual. After the service, I learned that the church offers cultural schools on Saturdays, as well as summer camps designed to teach the language and to create an environment that is comfortable for members of the Korean community. I could see it being a challenge to form a deeper connection among the community, beyond the brief Sunday morning greetings and short spiritual interactions, because of these cultural barriers. Though I would definitely consider going back to this church for a visit, I don't think I could see myself calling it my "home church."
Something that this worship service illuminated for me was the importance of prayer, and specifically the importance of praying as and for the community. I gathered this notion both by how much time was dedicated to prayer as well as by the reverent approach the pastor took to prayer. It is apparent that this church body believes in the power of prayer, and truly believes that, as John says, "If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." Often, I feel that prayer can be viewed as a chore or duty, rather than an exciting and hopeful opportunity to interact with God. The way the pastor presented it and the way the congregation responded and participated reminded me that I can be confident about God listening to me and answering my prayers if I am obedient and am praying in accordance with His will.
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