Becca Hamilton - Church Visit #2

Church Name: Lawndale Christian Community Church

Church Address: 3827 W. Ogden  Chicago, Illinois 60623    

Date Attended: October 11, 2015

Church Category: Lower Socioeconomic Church

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from you regular context?

Though there were many aspects of the service that were different than what I am used to, the core structure of the service was mostly the same. There was a call to worship and then a worship time at the beginning. They even had a choir sing a few songs, like at my home church. Then there was a time for prayer requests and praises, with the sermon following. One structural aspect of the service that was different was the prayer requests and praises time. I had never seen a service were people of the congregation would line up to a microphone to tell the entire church their requests, and then have the pastor pray over all these needs. Another aspect that was different was the vocal-ness of the congregation. Many members would make loud comments and agreements to what was being said in the front, which is very different from what I am used to.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

                  I really appreciated how close and encouraging the congregation seemed to be. Many times when someone would come up to the microphone to make their prayer requests, the pastor knew them by name and would know exactly what was happening in their lives. When someone was recognized for their special work on a specific project or acknowledged for sharing a testimony, the members would all laugh or smile knowingly, which was endearing and refreshing. The congregation seemed to really support each other and honestly understand the struggles each of them were experiencing. Though I was an outsider in this group, the pastors and welcomers made me feel like I was wanted there and had the potential to be apart of this warm and loving community.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

                  I think what was most disorienting about the service was mostly just all on my end. I had trouble getting ready in the morning because I didn’t know what I was supposed to wear. I didn’t want to dress too fancy and seem like the annoying rich, white girl, but I also didn’t want to look sloppy either. Then, once I got there I was comforted by the wide range of apparel. Though there were many people in t-shirts and jeans, there were also people more dressed up as well. I think it was disorienting to me because I felt uncomfortable at how petty I knew this struggle was and yet it did matter to me. Another disorienting aspect was hearing about an attempted kidnapping of one of the members the week before. Though they addressed the incident well and appropriately, I was still shocked at how unshocked the rest of the congregation seemed to be about it. It was definitely eye-opening into what many of those members experience regularly.

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 worship service emphasized the practicality of the Gospel in a way that I had not normally heard in my regular context. The sermon was on how to take care of your body in a way that is honoring to God, like not smoking and getting regular exercise and eating right. I really appreciated how the pastor, Coach, took the Bible and applied it in tangible, practical ways in which we can use everyday. Though it is also useful and important to dwell on more theological and philosophical issues as well, having the practicality of the Gospel preached was very refreshing. Sometimes I feel like the worship services I normally attend get too bogged down in the seriousness and deepness of Scripture when the congregation sometimes needs to hear of more practical, surface level applications.