Amanda Short - Church Visit #3
Church Name: Holy Trinity Church
Church Address: 1940 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Date Attended: 10/18/15
Church Category: Lower Socioeconomic Status
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar or different from your regular context?
The sermon at this service was very similar to sermons that I've heard before, and that I could imagine having heard at my home church. I knew a few of the worship songs (I don't know about the first few because we arrived after the service had started.) The attire was more or less similar to what I am used to back home - much more casual than most churches in the Wheaton area.
Some of the most clear differences were probably related to the location of the church in a lower-income neighborhood (Pilsen). For example, the service was held in a school gymnasium, with metal folding chairs and simple drinks and snacks as compared to the legitimate coffee shops at so several of the Wheaton churches. Others of the differences that I noticed had less to do with SES, such as a few somewhat liturgical elements. There was a mix of traditional and contemporary worship, though the contemporary songs were performed in a way that made them much more dialed down than how they are normally played. Another difference was the demographic makeup of the congregation. I had expected to be in the racial minority, being in the middle of Pilsen, but there were actually a lot of young/emerging adults, mostly Caucasian. I would venture to bet that there were only 3 or 4 people over 40 in attendance.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
This church took a fairly long time (or at least what seemed long) for their greeting time. I had time to introduce myself and have a bit of conversation with 6 different people, all of whom were very friendly and welcoming. I also appreciated that size of the congregation, about 30 total. Much like the first church that I visited, the service at Holy Trinity included a recitation of the Apostles' Creed after a quick word about its significance in the context of the global church.
I enjoyed the simplicity of the service and the atmosphere. Nothing seemed like it was too showy or more focused on the culture of the particular church than on the important elements of the service.
What did you find most challenging or disorienting about the worship service?
Despite being in a significantly lower socioeconomic setting than I am used to, the simplicity of the service reminded me of my church at home. The only things that I noticed as "lacking" at this church were things that I had only gotten used to since coming to Wheaton. My church at home doesn't have a coffee shop, a huge congregation, or even an unspoken business-casual-at-the-least dress code. So in many ways, I was not at all disoriented by this church visit, other than the chaos of public transportation trying to get there. The only point of the service during which I was confused was at the very end when instead of ending with a prayer and benediction as I had expected from the bulletin, the pastor closed with a prayer and moment of silence.
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 know that I've said this every time, but I felt a sense of humility pervading the "sanctuary". Thinking back, something that seemed different to me was a tiny detail, but it significant in my opinion. During the service, even the more interactive/unstructured segments, no one was looking around at the other people. People weren't sizing each other up like I've come to expect here at Wheaton. I dress more formally and with a lot more effort for church now than at any other point in my life, due mostly to my experiences Freshman year and the strange looks I got when I wore jeans instead of a dress.
Another element of scripture and theology that I appreciated about this church was the range of apparent socioeconomic status within the congregation. The respect and grace shown between people of clearly very different economic backgrounds was refreshing and clearly indicative of the diverse church that God desires.
Church Address: 1940 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Date Attended: 10/18/15
Church Category: Lower Socioeconomic Status
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar or different from your regular context?
The sermon at this service was very similar to sermons that I've heard before, and that I could imagine having heard at my home church. I knew a few of the worship songs (I don't know about the first few because we arrived after the service had started.) The attire was more or less similar to what I am used to back home - much more casual than most churches in the Wheaton area.
Some of the most clear differences were probably related to the location of the church in a lower-income neighborhood (Pilsen). For example, the service was held in a school gymnasium, with metal folding chairs and simple drinks and snacks as compared to the legitimate coffee shops at so several of the Wheaton churches. Others of the differences that I noticed had less to do with SES, such as a few somewhat liturgical elements. There was a mix of traditional and contemporary worship, though the contemporary songs were performed in a way that made them much more dialed down than how they are normally played. Another difference was the demographic makeup of the congregation. I had expected to be in the racial minority, being in the middle of Pilsen, but there were actually a lot of young/emerging adults, mostly Caucasian. I would venture to bet that there were only 3 or 4 people over 40 in attendance.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
This church took a fairly long time (or at least what seemed long) for their greeting time. I had time to introduce myself and have a bit of conversation with 6 different people, all of whom were very friendly and welcoming. I also appreciated that size of the congregation, about 30 total. Much like the first church that I visited, the service at Holy Trinity included a recitation of the Apostles' Creed after a quick word about its significance in the context of the global church.
I enjoyed the simplicity of the service and the atmosphere. Nothing seemed like it was too showy or more focused on the culture of the particular church than on the important elements of the service.
What did you find most challenging or disorienting about the worship service?
Despite being in a significantly lower socioeconomic setting than I am used to, the simplicity of the service reminded me of my church at home. The only things that I noticed as "lacking" at this church were things that I had only gotten used to since coming to Wheaton. My church at home doesn't have a coffee shop, a huge congregation, or even an unspoken business-casual-at-the-least dress code. So in many ways, I was not at all disoriented by this church visit, other than the chaos of public transportation trying to get there. The only point of the service during which I was confused was at the very end when instead of ending with a prayer and benediction as I had expected from the bulletin, the pastor closed with a prayer and moment of silence.
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 know that I've said this every time, but I felt a sense of humility pervading the "sanctuary". Thinking back, something that seemed different to me was a tiny detail, but it significant in my opinion. During the service, even the more interactive/unstructured segments, no one was looking around at the other people. People weren't sizing each other up like I've come to expect here at Wheaton. I dress more formally and with a lot more effort for church now than at any other point in my life, due mostly to my experiences Freshman year and the strange looks I got when I wore jeans instead of a dress.
Another element of scripture and theology that I appreciated about this church was the range of apparent socioeconomic status within the congregation. The respect and grace shown between people of clearly very different economic backgrounds was refreshing and clearly indicative of the diverse church that God desires.
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