Church Name: DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church
Church Address: 4300 Yackley Avenue Lisle, IL 60532
Date Attended: 4-6-14
Church Category: Different Ethnic or Racial Demographic
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The worship service I attended was very different than my usual service. I was one of four other white people there, the rest were African American. It was very charismatic. For worship there were never any words, projectors, hymns, etc. they would simply have the worship leaders up front and the songs would usually be pretty repetitive so you could catch on as the songs progressed. However, the worship was very different. It was not the organized three verse, chorus, bridge type songs. It was free and flowing, it was whatever the people and musicians were feeling and felt led by the Spirit in the moment. It was loud. There was shouting, praising, Amens, Hallelujahs, and dancing. All these were very different from my more conservative service.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I enjoyed how alive the room felt. It is difficult to feel like the Spirit is not there when so many people are shouting, singing, and dancing, for his praise. I loved how vocal and interactive the congregation is allowed to be. If the preacher teaches something that they feel the Spirit has led him to say and is truth, they let him know. They give affirmation throughout the whole service. It was also interesting because it was smaller that they had all of their visitors stand up and introduce themselves to the entire congregation. After this the visitors sat down and the congregation stood up and sang a blessing over the visitors. Then we had a greeting time where I was approached and made welcomed by many.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
I found it difficult to quiet my heart and meditate. I think if I attended this congregation every week I would have to find allot of time throughout my week to really be silent and listen to God's word and what he has to say. This service was enjoyable because I felt it was alive, but there is an emphasis on worship and I didn't feel there was as much emphasis on receiving. It was also difficult to keep up sometimes when the preacher would get going on a role he would begin shouting and the congregation would begin shouting and I felt like I had missed what he just said and was struggling to catch back up. I felt a bit overwhelmed at times throughout the service. Also when the music was going there was never any direction as to what we were singing or words for the songs. This was challenging for me because I felt like I could not fully engage in worship. It was also challenging when the piano would keep playing throughout the entire service to emphasize points. I thought it was slightly distracting.
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 loved the life of this church. It reminded me of what joy we should have at being children of God and included in His gift of eternal life. That is something we should celebrate everyday and thank God for. I often take that for granted. They had many Pastors including both men and women. This was perhaps one of my favorite aspects of the church because it did not emphasize one person, rather they had many who had different tasks such as reading scriptures, doing announcements, performing calls and responses, and giving the sermon all throughout the service. I enjoyed the implications of accountability with this. It was also interesting to me the role the congregation played in accountability with the preacher. He spoke on John 15 and they would affirm him as he preached if they felt like the Spirit had led him to truth in his teachings. I enjoyed the energy and passion they displayed for the love of Christ.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Jessica Duttweiler - Church Visit #2
Jessica Duttweiler - Church Visit #2
Jessica Duttweiler - Church Visit #2
St. Michael Catholic Church
310 S West St.
Wheaton, IL 60188
Wheaton, IL 60188
More Liturgical
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The most significant difference between my usual context and St. Michael's Catholic Church was the lack of a sermon. The priest did talk for 5-10 minutes but it was not on the same level as a protestant sermon. Other significant differences included the amount of reading and singing that was done. Instead of there being a set "worship time", there were songs/hymns woven throughout the service. There was also a significant amount of scripture read, much more then in a protestant church, or at least in a different format as blocks of scriptures were read throughout the service instead of being read by the pastor during his sermon. The other major difference I observed was the way the priest and his helpers were dressed. They all had very formal robes on and everything they did was extremely precise and organized. Every little movement seemed to have a purpose and it was very interesting to watch.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
The most appealing thing about the worship service was the air of respect that filled the room. From the high ceilings to the stain glass windows to the prominent figure of Christ on the cross, everything in the sanctuary reminds one that they are in God's house. Every person in the church conducted themselves with dignity and poise and each movement made was filled with significance. I also loved the Holy Water that was present at the entrance to the sanctuary. I'm not exactly sure where I stand when it comes to the water being literally "holy", but it was a good reminder to dip my finger in the water, cross myself, and remind myself that God's goodness and righteousness was with me throughout the day. I also really loved the kneeling pads that were attached to the back of each pew. It was very humbling to pray and inwardly confess some sins while in that kneeling position. It reminded me that I should always treat God with reverence because he is God and I am not.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
The most disorienting thing about the service was the lack of community that seemed to be taking place. Everything was so structured and planned out that there seemed to be no room for the Spirit to work or for fellowship with others. Everyone seemed to walk in, find their pew, follow along with the service, and then leave as soon as it was over. It was also really hard to follow all of the scriptures and songs outlined in the bulletin and I felt kind of stupid sometimes since I didn't know exactly when to sit, stand, kneel, etc. I got the feeling that if someone was new to the faith, they would have been completely and totally lost and felt alone and unwanted because of the lack of fellowship. There was also no presentation of the gospel or acknowledgment of new believers. It was a beautiful service, but it was also rigid and unwelcoming.
What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
As previously stated, the aspect of theology that was very clearly stated at this church was reverence and respect for God's authority. Sometimes other churches try so hard to modernize their churches and make them entertaining for visitors that they lose their sense of respect for the creator they are worshiping. As soon as I walked into this church I could tell that the congregation and the leaders took God and his power very seriously, and I admired that a lot. There were also a lot of passages read from the Old Testament that I would not have picked as passages to read in Church, but the way they were read and the context in which they were read made them come alive to me in new ways. God's love and redemption were blindingly evident in those Old Testament stories and I loved hearing them read aloud by different members of the congregation.
Sadie Singer- Church Visit #2
Church Name: Church of the Resurrection
Church Address: 935 W. Union Ave., Wheaton, IL60187
Date Attended: March 30, 2014
Church Category: Different Socioeconomic Demographic
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The worship service I attended was a much larger church than the one that I regularly attend. The one I normally attend has been growing in the past few years. It started off in a gymnasium and they now have their own building. However, it is still a smaller church with folding chairs being brought by volunteers for each service, they have a worship band with piano, drums, guitar, and some singers, and the floor of the sanctuary is still a gymnasium floor. At the church of the Resurrection, they had a massive sanctuary with additional stands in the back for seating, they had a full fifty person choir as well as multiple singers, piano, drums, bass, guitar, violin, etc., and they had a stage to hold everyone. The service I went to they announced that they were going to be building a recreation center for youth in the area and they had just bought a grand piano. They style of dress was also allot more formal and with more "put together" wardrobes.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I enjoyed the music. Their choir was large and was well practiced. They had beautiful pieces for the offering and different music throughout. They also had a good mix of contemporary and traditional hymns. I further enjoyed the participation of the congregation in calls and responses, and in worshiping. When you have that many people singing together, and you hear the power of that many voices it is difficult not to feel the glory of God, His presence and Spirit, and His power. Also after the message and for the closing songs the children came into the sanctuary and began running around the aisles and dancing. There was such joy in that moment that it reminded me of Christ's challenge to have faith like little children.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
The service was challenging because I felt a bit lost in the crowd. There are so many people there that you can come in and out without ever even talking to or interacting with anyone there. They loose the feel of being a personal church when it is so large. It is hard to feel cared for or invited when no one personally greets you or speaks with you. It is easy to hide. They do however have different classes and groups you can be a part of, but you must take that step on your own, they will not track you down to ask you to get involved. Communion as well had a less communal feel from my regular church. They split up the church by sections and each section would go to a specific place for the sacraments. I understand that this is necessary for time and efficiency, but I do feel like it's a more individualized process.
What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
This church was Anglican so there was much more liturgy, calls and responses, and hymns than the non-denominational church that I attend. It was also interesting to me when they blessed their piano and new recreational center. I had not seen someone "bless" an object like this before. I enjoyed it because it reminded me that these things are not and should not be taken for granted. The blessing of a beautiful piano reminded me that even this is a gift from God. They also made sure to emphasize their giving, what they donate to, who they support, and how the piano and recreational center will be used for the Glory of God. I thought this was important because it reminded the community to remain focused on giving to others because they have been so blessed.
Church Address: 935 W. Union Ave., Wheaton, IL60187
Date Attended: March 30, 2014
Church Category: Different Socioeconomic Demographic
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The worship service I attended was a much larger church than the one that I regularly attend. The one I normally attend has been growing in the past few years. It started off in a gymnasium and they now have their own building. However, it is still a smaller church with folding chairs being brought by volunteers for each service, they have a worship band with piano, drums, guitar, and some singers, and the floor of the sanctuary is still a gymnasium floor. At the church of the Resurrection, they had a massive sanctuary with additional stands in the back for seating, they had a full fifty person choir as well as multiple singers, piano, drums, bass, guitar, violin, etc., and they had a stage to hold everyone. The service I went to they announced that they were going to be building a recreation center for youth in the area and they had just bought a grand piano. They style of dress was also allot more formal and with more "put together" wardrobes.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I enjoyed the music. Their choir was large and was well practiced. They had beautiful pieces for the offering and different music throughout. They also had a good mix of contemporary and traditional hymns. I further enjoyed the participation of the congregation in calls and responses, and in worshiping. When you have that many people singing together, and you hear the power of that many voices it is difficult not to feel the glory of God, His presence and Spirit, and His power. Also after the message and for the closing songs the children came into the sanctuary and began running around the aisles and dancing. There was such joy in that moment that it reminded me of Christ's challenge to have faith like little children.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
The service was challenging because I felt a bit lost in the crowd. There are so many people there that you can come in and out without ever even talking to or interacting with anyone there. They loose the feel of being a personal church when it is so large. It is hard to feel cared for or invited when no one personally greets you or speaks with you. It is easy to hide. They do however have different classes and groups you can be a part of, but you must take that step on your own, they will not track you down to ask you to get involved. Communion as well had a less communal feel from my regular church. They split up the church by sections and each section would go to a specific place for the sacraments. I understand that this is necessary for time and efficiency, but I do feel like it's a more individualized process.
What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
This church was Anglican so there was much more liturgy, calls and responses, and hymns than the non-denominational church that I attend. It was also interesting to me when they blessed their piano and new recreational center. I had not seen someone "bless" an object like this before. I enjoyed it because it reminded me that these things are not and should not be taken for granted. The blessing of a beautiful piano reminded me that even this is a gift from God. They also made sure to emphasize their giving, what they donate to, who they support, and how the piano and recreational center will be used for the Glory of God. I thought this was important because it reminded the community to remain focused on giving to others because they have been so blessed.
Manny Baker - Church Visit #2
Church name: First Presbyterian Church
Church Address: 101 North Prarie, Galesburg, IL 61401
Date Visited: March 23, 2014
Category: Greater than 10 miles away from Wheaton
1. Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
This is always an interesting experience. I was a part of the worship leading. Concert Choir had its second miniature tour this weekend. This church visit was definitely not something I was used to, but as choir tours many different types of churches, I am becoming more familiar and comfortable with different types of services. What I really appreciated was that music was a central part of the service. At my church, the music is "performed" for about ten minutes before the sermon and then one song after as a sort of benediction. This service had music all throughout (obviously not in the middle of the service, but you get the point). It was more similar to my church than the last church visit because there were hymns sung. Organ was a central instrument rather than guitar, keyboard, and drums.
2. What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I loved that the music was scattered throughout. The amount of music and the length of the sermon seemed to be much more equal than that at my church. Also, after one of our songs, a few of the church members loudly expressed their joy from hearing the song we performed. I appreciated the love for the service. They did not feel the need to stay quiet and "respectful". It was very interesting to me just how the service felt to be a part of. It is definitely an experience to watch the service, but to be able to be a part of the service gave me another perspective. You pay so much more attention to what is going on.
3. What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
It is always challenging for me to go to a church that teaches different doctrine than mine, but it is always interesting. I may not ever understand denominations, but it is fascinating. The most challenging thing for me was the in between of liturgy and non-liturgy. I grew up in a Catholic church, but then we became Protestant when I was in high school. Growing up with liturgy, I became rather annoyed at the seeming redundancy of church services. Then, becoming nondenominational, we have no liturgy whatsoever. Visiting this church felt as if it was an in-between. There was definitely a much more structured service, but there was not a "follow-along". The service packet gave us the order, not the words. Honestly, it was confusing. I do not know if I'll ever understand that feeling I got, but it was definitely a great experience to be a part of.
4. 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 am definitely not used to being a part of a service in this way. We sang hymns (which is normal for me), spirituals, and contemporary classical music. This particular musical program was centered around the sermon's theme. Our first song was "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? Then, Why Not Every Man?" Which happened to be the basic theme of the sermon preached that morning. This was something that was definitely illuminated through this particular context. We were not just singing it to perform. It was a purposeful worship service (not that all performances cannot be worship). Since that service, I have sung that song in a more thoughtful way.
Church Address: 101 North Prarie, Galesburg, IL 61401
Date Visited: March 23, 2014
Category: Greater than 10 miles away from Wheaton
1. Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
This is always an interesting experience. I was a part of the worship leading. Concert Choir had its second miniature tour this weekend. This church visit was definitely not something I was used to, but as choir tours many different types of churches, I am becoming more familiar and comfortable with different types of services. What I really appreciated was that music was a central part of the service. At my church, the music is "performed" for about ten minutes before the sermon and then one song after as a sort of benediction. This service had music all throughout (obviously not in the middle of the service, but you get the point). It was more similar to my church than the last church visit because there were hymns sung. Organ was a central instrument rather than guitar, keyboard, and drums.
2. What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I loved that the music was scattered throughout. The amount of music and the length of the sermon seemed to be much more equal than that at my church. Also, after one of our songs, a few of the church members loudly expressed their joy from hearing the song we performed. I appreciated the love for the service. They did not feel the need to stay quiet and "respectful". It was very interesting to me just how the service felt to be a part of. It is definitely an experience to watch the service, but to be able to be a part of the service gave me another perspective. You pay so much more attention to what is going on.
3. What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
It is always challenging for me to go to a church that teaches different doctrine than mine, but it is always interesting. I may not ever understand denominations, but it is fascinating. The most challenging thing for me was the in between of liturgy and non-liturgy. I grew up in a Catholic church, but then we became Protestant when I was in high school. Growing up with liturgy, I became rather annoyed at the seeming redundancy of church services. Then, becoming nondenominational, we have no liturgy whatsoever. Visiting this church felt as if it was an in-between. There was definitely a much more structured service, but there was not a "follow-along". The service packet gave us the order, not the words. Honestly, it was confusing. I do not know if I'll ever understand that feeling I got, but it was definitely a great experience to be a part of.
4. 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 am definitely not used to being a part of a service in this way. We sang hymns (which is normal for me), spirituals, and contemporary classical music. This particular musical program was centered around the sermon's theme. Our first song was "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? Then, Why Not Every Man?" Which happened to be the basic theme of the sermon preached that morning. This was something that was definitely illuminated through this particular context. We were not just singing it to perform. It was a purposeful worship service (not that all performances cannot be worship). Since that service, I have sung that song in a more thoughtful way.
Sarah Baek - Church Visit #3
Church Name: Lawndale Community church
Church Address: 3827 W. Ogden Ave.
Date Attended: 4/6/14
Church Category: Low Socioeconomic Status
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it
similar to or different from your regular context?
The service took place in a large gymnasium, which is
different than the church context I grew up in, which was usually a smaller
office space converted into a church. There was a stage was set up in the
center of the gym, and all the folding chairs were facing inward towards the
stage. There were two pull-down screens at opposite corners of the room for
bulletins, messages, lyrics, etc. I noticed a lot of families, particularly
with younger children. I arrived to the service about 20 minutes early, and was
greeted by three different congregation members while I sat waiting. The
service began with two worship songs, and I thought it was cool and perhaps
very intentional about the diverse selection of singers (a black man, a black
woman, a white woman, and a South Asian woman). There was a portion of time
devoted to prayer requests by the congregation members, then finally the sermon
and communion.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the
worship service?
I really appreciated the portion of time for prayer
requests. I think growing up seeing a concern for propriety and image
management in a lot of Korean American churches, it was good to hear
congregants share parts of their lives with one another, especially the messier
parts. I also appreciated that these requests were shared with strangers in the
congregation. I admired that ability to trust such a large group of people,
strangers included. I loved that I was greeted. That’s always nice.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the
worship service?
I don’t usually love the center stage set up. I understand
that it helps the congregants to see one another, which helps develop a sense
of community. However, in the few times I’ve been at churches that set up rings
of chairs, I feel less continuity or solidarity with the congregation. The
other things I found strange with the service was the offering song. The choir
sang a song that I loved musically, however the lyrics repeated the line “What
if God took away his love?” I think the general gist of the song was to call us
into holiness and to take seriously internal and external changes for the glory
of God. I get the call to holiness, but the hypothetical situation where God
chooses not to love people sounds pretty problematic to me. If anything, that
sounds like a threat. If one does not live in a way that is pleasing to God,
God will discontinue His love for him or her.
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 the service highlighted the importance of the
congregation, and how the congregation can teach one another about God. During
the prayer request portion of the service, two women shared prayers of thanks
with regards to their experiences with traffic collisions. One woman came out
of her accident free of harm, while the other had to go through a painful
process of injury and recovery. However, both taught and reminded us of equally
significant lessons with regards to God’s sovereignty. Regardless of what
happens in situations of pain, God is sovereign. I just loved that these were
lessons coming from the congregation to the congregation, as opposed as solely
from the pulpit.
Christina Rohrer- Church visit #3
Church name: Lawndale Christian Community Church
Church address: 3827 W. Ogden Chicago, Illinois 60623
Date attended: 3/30/2014
Church category: Lower socioeconomic status
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
Lawndale Christian Community church was very different from my church in Wheaton in many ways. First of all, the service was held in a gymnasium that had a tarp laid down over the floor to protect the wood. The chairs were set up in a big square, and there was a elevated platform in the center where the worship team sang and the pastor preached from. All of the churches that I had been to before were set up in a way that the people would all face the front, but here, we were in a big circle of fellowship. Across from me was the section where the men in the Hope House program (a program to help rehabilitate them from drugs) were sitting, and the community was predominately African American. There was a choir and a praise team, and they were very enthusiastic about their worship, singing the songs over and over with great joy. The pastor was very enthusiastic and preached for a while before actually getting to what he had planned to speak on. That was very different from First Baptist, the church I normally attend, where everything is very structured, goes according to plan, and ends on time.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I loved the fact that the people were so full of joy and happiness despite the fact that they were most likely not in a very stable place financially. They sang with huge smiles of thankfulness and adoration on their faces, and warmly welcomed us into their congregation. They were so genuine and down to earth, and that was very heartwarming. I also enjoyed the special worship where one of the men got up and sang a beautiful song. I don't know if that is a normal occurrence at this church, but it it really helped me to be able to enter into the spirit of worship.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
I found it a little hard to track the sermon. The pastor was funny and entertaining, but he spoke for half of the time about different topics, and when I thought that he was getting ready to wrap up, he announced that he was going to get into his real message. I have experienced this kind of service before in traveling with the Gospel Choir, but it still kind of throws me off when pastors do that, because I have an expectation that the message will be laid out and followed directly, so when it isn't I have a hard time linking the topics and making sense of it all.
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 thought that the fact that we were able to get a tour and hear about the history of the church before the service was really beneficial to my experience. Going into the service with the background knowledge of how the church came to be and the impact that is has had on the community made God's love and care seem that much more amazing as I reflected on His mercy and provision and grace in bringing the church to the place where it is today. I was struck by how God's plans are so much bigger than our plans, and if we follow His voice and step out in faith, He can do amazing things through us. This church has made such an enormous difference in the lives of so many men and their families, and I was able to witness that as I watched the men in drug rehab singing and praising God from the bottom of their hearts. This service increased my desire to be open to being used by God in any way that he would use me, even if it seems impossible to me at first.
Church address: 3827 W. Ogden Chicago, Illinois 60623
Date attended: 3/30/2014
Church category: Lower socioeconomic status
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
Lawndale Christian Community church was very different from my church in Wheaton in many ways. First of all, the service was held in a gymnasium that had a tarp laid down over the floor to protect the wood. The chairs were set up in a big square, and there was a elevated platform in the center where the worship team sang and the pastor preached from. All of the churches that I had been to before were set up in a way that the people would all face the front, but here, we were in a big circle of fellowship. Across from me was the section where the men in the Hope House program (a program to help rehabilitate them from drugs) were sitting, and the community was predominately African American. There was a choir and a praise team, and they were very enthusiastic about their worship, singing the songs over and over with great joy. The pastor was very enthusiastic and preached for a while before actually getting to what he had planned to speak on. That was very different from First Baptist, the church I normally attend, where everything is very structured, goes according to plan, and ends on time.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I loved the fact that the people were so full of joy and happiness despite the fact that they were most likely not in a very stable place financially. They sang with huge smiles of thankfulness and adoration on their faces, and warmly welcomed us into their congregation. They were so genuine and down to earth, and that was very heartwarming. I also enjoyed the special worship where one of the men got up and sang a beautiful song. I don't know if that is a normal occurrence at this church, but it it really helped me to be able to enter into the spirit of worship.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
I found it a little hard to track the sermon. The pastor was funny and entertaining, but he spoke for half of the time about different topics, and when I thought that he was getting ready to wrap up, he announced that he was going to get into his real message. I have experienced this kind of service before in traveling with the Gospel Choir, but it still kind of throws me off when pastors do that, because I have an expectation that the message will be laid out and followed directly, so when it isn't I have a hard time linking the topics and making sense of it all.
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 thought that the fact that we were able to get a tour and hear about the history of the church before the service was really beneficial to my experience. Going into the service with the background knowledge of how the church came to be and the impact that is has had on the community made God's love and care seem that much more amazing as I reflected on His mercy and provision and grace in bringing the church to the place where it is today. I was struck by how God's plans are so much bigger than our plans, and if we follow His voice and step out in faith, He can do amazing things through us. This church has made such an enormous difference in the lives of so many men and their families, and I was able to witness that as I watched the men in drug rehab singing and praising God from the bottom of their hearts. This service increased my desire to be open to being used by God in any way that he would use me, even if it seems impossible to me at first.
Isaac Fugate - Church Visit #3
Church Name: Wheaton Chines Alliance Church
Church Address: 1748 S Blanchard St, Wheaton, IL 60189
Date Attended: 4/6/14
Church Category: Non-liturgical
This service actually felt quite similar to how the service at my home church felt. The layout of this service was similar to the one that I was used to. The songs that they played were the same songs we would sing normally at my church. The pastor, other than the fact that he had an australian accent, did not seem to have anything that really set him apart from my pastor. The biggest difference though, was the lack of standard sayings and readings. For instance, after the reading of the Scriptures, my church normally finishes with a “This is the word of God for the people of God” that many churches do, but this one did not. Also, my home church has some prayers that are always said every week or parts of a prayer are, but, other than the Lord's prayer, there was not one here. The people and how they worshiped even seemed the same, even though there were a lot more Asian people there, (though there were a lot more people of non-Asian decent than I expected). Finally, they did not have communion every week like we do at my home church, though they did this week.
One thing that I found interesting was that the pastor did not give the sermon this week. In fact, they were doing a series of weeks were various people in the congregation gave the sermon. The man who gave the sermon this week was actually quite interesting and I very much enjoyed his sermon an learned some interesting lessons. In my home church, I don't think that I have ever heard anyone besides one of the two pastors at my church give a sermon. So it was an interesting experience. Also, another interesting thing was that they did not sing the last song that was on the bulletin for the day. The pastor decided just not to sing it because they were running a little bit late. In my church they would have just gone much later in order to go through the whole service. It was quite interesting to be a part of.
The biggest thing that I found to be disorienting about the service was that I was used to saying certain phrases after particular parts of the service, such as in communion, but they did not say them here. It was just odd because I had gotten so used to doing it every week, even though it didn't detract from the service at all. Another thing that was challenging was the lack of a lot of things being written down in a bulletin. It wasn't particularly challenging to know what was going to happen next, but in my home church, nearly everything is written down and the only words that are said that aren't written down are the sermon and a prayer by the pastor. So it was quite the experience to have a single paged bulletin that simply had the songs and the order of worship.
One part of theology that this service illuminated for me was the equality of us in Christ. Sometimes it does feel like we put pastors on a pedestal above us and view them as better Christians or at least more mature, which the maturity part may sometimes be true, but I saw here how a simple layman can have just as insightful things to say as the pastor would. Even if the pastor is more spiritually mature, it doesn't mean that those who aren't as mature don't have anything helpful to say. And the pastor came up after the sermon and emphasized this by talking about what he learned from the sermon that he hadn't considered or at least hadn't considered in that light.
Church Address: 1748 S Blanchard St, Wheaton, IL 60189
Date Attended: 4/6/14
Church Category: Non-liturgical
This service actually felt quite similar to how the service at my home church felt. The layout of this service was similar to the one that I was used to. The songs that they played were the same songs we would sing normally at my church. The pastor, other than the fact that he had an australian accent, did not seem to have anything that really set him apart from my pastor. The biggest difference though, was the lack of standard sayings and readings. For instance, after the reading of the Scriptures, my church normally finishes with a “This is the word of God for the people of God” that many churches do, but this one did not. Also, my home church has some prayers that are always said every week or parts of a prayer are, but, other than the Lord's prayer, there was not one here. The people and how they worshiped even seemed the same, even though there were a lot more Asian people there, (though there were a lot more people of non-Asian decent than I expected). Finally, they did not have communion every week like we do at my home church, though they did this week.
One thing that I found interesting was that the pastor did not give the sermon this week. In fact, they were doing a series of weeks were various people in the congregation gave the sermon. The man who gave the sermon this week was actually quite interesting and I very much enjoyed his sermon an learned some interesting lessons. In my home church, I don't think that I have ever heard anyone besides one of the two pastors at my church give a sermon. So it was an interesting experience. Also, another interesting thing was that they did not sing the last song that was on the bulletin for the day. The pastor decided just not to sing it because they were running a little bit late. In my church they would have just gone much later in order to go through the whole service. It was quite interesting to be a part of.
The biggest thing that I found to be disorienting about the service was that I was used to saying certain phrases after particular parts of the service, such as in communion, but they did not say them here. It was just odd because I had gotten so used to doing it every week, even though it didn't detract from the service at all. Another thing that was challenging was the lack of a lot of things being written down in a bulletin. It wasn't particularly challenging to know what was going to happen next, but in my home church, nearly everything is written down and the only words that are said that aren't written down are the sermon and a prayer by the pastor. So it was quite the experience to have a single paged bulletin that simply had the songs and the order of worship.
One part of theology that this service illuminated for me was the equality of us in Christ. Sometimes it does feel like we put pastors on a pedestal above us and view them as better Christians or at least more mature, which the maturity part may sometimes be true, but I saw here how a simple layman can have just as insightful things to say as the pastor would. Even if the pastor is more spiritually mature, it doesn't mean that those who aren't as mature don't have anything helpful to say. And the pastor came up after the sermon and emphasized this by talking about what he learned from the sermon that he hadn't considered or at least hadn't considered in that light.
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