Church name: St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church (Egyptian)
Church address: 455 79th St, Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Date attended: November 15, 2015
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 service was extremely liturgical. They used incense heavily and the haze was visible as soon as you walked in. The service we attended was in English, but I believe there was another service that was, I assume, in Arabic. When we walked in, the priest (I'm just going to call him that because I don't know what his title actually is) was reading from the book of John. Then they moved into a read liturgy with rare instances of call and response. The service was pretty full when we got there and after we sat down, more people kept coming in. One of the girls with us said that it was common in Middle Eastern or Arabic churches for people to come and go and walk around in the middle of the service. This was definitely true for this church. More people would come in throughout the service and stand at the back until they could find seats. We understood that this service was going to be two hours long so we planned to feel it out whether it would be possible to leave early. One thing that surprised me was that the congregation was divided by gender with men on the left and women on the right. I don't remember this being the case at the other Orthodox church I went to for my church visit but maybe I just didn't notice it. I also noticed that some women, mostly older women, wore a scarf over their head, but it seemed like it was completely a personal choice. Many women were sitting with their children, with some sitting with their fathers or moving back and forth.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
When they did the "kiss of peace" the women around us passed the peace with us even though we didn't know how but it was pretty simple. They seemed glad to have us there. There was a woman next to us with her baby who smiled and laughed at us when she saw us admiring her baby. I really liked that the children seemed very important in this setting. Since the atmosphere was more relaxed and the constant liturgy made it so you could talk without being heard by the whole congregation, the mothers mostly allowed their children to be however they wanted. Sometimes in my church or in public I get annoyed with parents constantly scold and monitor their children when they're not even doing anything disruptive. They didn't seem to be like that at this Egyptian church and they seemed like they were very interested in just being with their children, looking at them and smiling at them often instead of trying to focus on what was going on and unsuccessfully micromanaging their children. In my church experience, parents are always encouraged to put their kids in Sunday school but here it seemed like it was the norm for children to go to the worship service with their parents and I liked that.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
Starting on a more trivial note, the most disorienting thing at first was definitely the incense. As soon as we walked in I could just see a hazy cloud of it over the whole congregation. Before we got used to it, the smell was a little overwhelming and I was worried it would dry out my contacts. That, mixed with the somewhat higher temperature in the room made it a little uncomfortable to sit through the service, especially a two-hour long one. It was also a little disorienting when I realized that the room was divided into men and women. I just wasn't expecting that and it kind of went against my modern sensibilities. But I saw a couple women sitting on the men's side with their husbands or whoever so I was a little confused about why it was divided if it was apparently okay for those women to sit with the men. I was also a little confused because some of the women had scarves with a picture of a bearded man printed on them. Now, after I've looked at the church's website I've guessed that he is Pope Tawadros. I have no idea who that is but they mentioned him during the service so he must be higher up within the Orthodox denomination. The discomfort I had because of that picture made me realize how I'd been affected by growing up in a post 9/11 America since I was only 6 years old and if it is ever difficult for these Coptic Christians who look Arabic, dealing with Americans who don't know about Coptic Christians. All I know is that in the context I grew up in, in the Bible Belt in the South, I wouldn't have understood how this could still be the same religion that I believed in. I'm grateful that Wheaton has brought me out of that context and showed me other traditions that are just as faithful and committed to the same God that I am, or like to think I am.
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 guess to expand on what I said at the end of the last question, it just illuminated how culture and religion go so hand in hand. We never realize how much our faith and church life is actually influenced by the culture we grew up in, nor do we always recognize when we judge those from other cultures and traditions who worship differently than we do. This just reminded me how divided we are as a church and what Jesus says about the Body of Christ being one. But seeing how all these people were able to come together once a week or more and participate in this liturgy every week together and the way that everyone acted like a family towards each other made me feel like I wouldn't want to disturb what they had going here, because they seemed happy to be there with their friends and family. Of course, as the Body of Christ we are also family, all adopted by the Father, but I still feel sympathetic towards those traditions that are so rooted in culture and ethnicity.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Monday, November 9, 2015
Allison Collins – Church visit #3
Allison Collins – Church visit #3
Church name: Armitage Baptist Church
Church address: 2451 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago, IL
Date Attended: November 8, 2015
Church category: Different Socioeconomic
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
I attended Armitage Baptist Church which was located in the Logan Square area of Chicago. It may have been one of the the most diverse settings I have ever been in. There were people from all different ethnicities as well as people from all age groups. The service itself was very similar to the church that my family attends back home. A worship band played music at the beginning and the pastor delivered a sermon, there were announcements and it was over. Some elements that my church at home has that Armitage did not were hymns, and a responsive reading.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
The thing that was most appealing to me about this church was how diverse it was. I appreciated the picture of Christ that it reflected in that way. Living and going to school in Wheaton diversity is something that we beat to death in our conversations but is not something that we actually experience because it is not reflected in our community. It just seemed like a very accepting community as far of race and age but also as far as worship styles. There were people who stood still and sang, those who lifted hands or closed their eyes and people who moved about the sanctuary. Everyone was free to worship in whatever way they liked which I appreciated.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
Because the service that I attended was so similar to the type of service that I am comfortable and familiar with it did not particularly challenge or disorient me. I felt comfortable there. There was nothing out of the ordinary in the order of service. The congregation members were very friendly and welcoming. The only thing that was markedly different from contexts that I am used to was the diversity but because it was truly diverse I did not feel out of place or like I was in the minority.
What aspect of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Krista Schuh- Church Visit #3
Krista Schuh- Church Visit #3
Church name: Lifeline
Church
Church address: 1321
S Austin Blvd. Cicero, IL
Date attended:
10/25/15
Church Category: Socioeconomic
Describe the worship
service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular
context?
As most church services, there were many similarities and
also some stark differences. Though I attend a PCA near Wheaton now, I grew up
in a nondenominational church that grew in charismatic emphasis. So when I
walked into the building, greeted by many hugs, and immediately heard a woman
loudly praying and speaking in tongues, I was a bit thrown off but not
completely disoriented. The structure of the church was similar to most I have
attended: prayer, a few contemporary worship songs, tithe/offering, sermon, and
more worship. There were some very distinct aspects though, including the bold
outward expressions of members of the congregation (standing, verbal agreement,
cheering, etc), the content itself of the sermon, and the planned “Deliverance
Dance” following the sermon.
What did you find
most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
The sense of community, warmth, and passion at Lifeline was
incredible. During my couple hours there, I was hugged more than I am in an
ordinary couple days at Wheaton. There was so much freedom in expression of
worship, with a dance team and 5 or so worship singers up front, and
spontaneous singing and music. Whereas at my current church, lifted hands are
distracting to those around, basically anything went during worship at
Lifeline, which was incredibly refreshing and relieving for me. I spoke with a
woman after who talked about how this church has been such a blessing to her
and holds true to the fact that Jesus is their only lifeline. In thinking about
the reality of the gospel, I really enjoyed such outward expression of
gratitude and expectation.
What did you find
most challenging or disorienting about the worship service?
Though it is something I really enjoyed and appreciated,
there were times when such intense outward expression became a distraction, as
it can be easy for me to be caught up in the spirit of performance in similar
settings. Also, as was the case in my first church visit in the racially
different category, I was the only person who looked like me. I went to this
church by myself, so I felt pretty self-conscious when they asked the visitors
to stand and I was one of two visitors, and the only white person in the entire
congregation of about 100 people. Especially with the intense unity of the
church, and mention of struggles and realities that aren’t the same for me, I
felt as though I was intruding on sacred space. The members of the congregation
were incredibly welcoming though, with many approaching me afterwards and
warmly inviting me to come back. On another more trivial note, I was also
pretty aware of my “whiteness” when it came time for the deliverance dance and I
had grandmas around me who could dance significantly better. Again, the members
of the church were incredibly welcoming, and even with my awful dancing, we
were able to rejoice in worship together.
What aspects of
Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had
not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
Though there were some aspects, as mentioned previously,
that were challenging and disorienting, I am so thankful to have been a part of
that church for a Sunday. The reality of spiritual warfare was something
mentioned in the service, which was a good reminder for me. It reminded me that
I have Christian brothers and sisters who are living and seeing that reality
daily, which leads me to want to enter into prayer for and with them. Another
thing that was incredibly illuminating was the way the congregation held onto
the promises of God and maintained high expectations in the midst of difficult
situations. The struggles the congregation mentioned facing (“where my next
pair of shoes or job will come from”) were vastly different than those my
typical churches are apt to discuss. The fact that this congregation holds on
so tightly to Jesus as their “lifeline” is so encouraging and challenging to
me.
Krista Schuh- Church Visit #2
Krista Schuh- Church Visit #2
Church name: St.
Hyacinth Basilica
Church address:
3636 West Wolfram St, Chicago IL
Date attended:
9/19/15
Church Category: Liturgical
Describe the worship
service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular
context?
Upon seeing the church building from a distance, I
immediately expected the service to look different than what I’m accustomed to.
The immaculate building, paired with my preconceived notions of Catholicism,
led me to think it would be more uncomfortable and much different than my
normal setting. Since I now attend a PCA, much of the service was actually
fairly similar. There was more sitting then standing then kneeling, but there
was purpose behind the motions, and guidance from those around. There was
pre-selected worship from a hymnal, scripture readings, the tithe and then
offerings, and a short message on service. Though the service was similarly
highly structured, as at the PCA I attend, it was definitely more somber and
less conversational.
What did you find
most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
The beauty and reverence of the physical building and the
service itself really struck me. Though this is a common sentiment when
visiting more liturgically based churches, it doesn’t make it any less true. I
think sometimes it is easy for me to casually approach God. Though we can
boldly approach the throne of grace because of Jesus, I sometimes still too
nonchalantly approach the omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent God. So, the
structure of the service, the carefully chosen words and music, as well as the
beauty of the building, were very appealing. This is very trivial, but I also
liked how man singing had a thick Polish accent, as the church and surrounding
neighborhood is predominantly Polish.
What did you find
most challenging or disorienting about the worship service?
The most disorienting thing about the worship service was
probably the intense structure, and the fairly strong feeling that I was on the
outside looking in. Some of that may have been easily remedied with a slightly
better understanding of the service flow, and maybe a seat location closer to
the center, yet I couldn’t help but to realize that some would probably never
feel welcomed in that building. On the inside dome of the basilica was a mural
of what I assume to be the “great cloud of witnesses”. They had people
represented from all time periods and professions, standing at what appears to
be the gates of heaven, or something of the sort. All of the people depicted
were white. Though I look at these images and can identify racially with the
Christian brothers and sisters shown, it challenged me and left me feeling
unsatisfied with how we imagine Christians to look.
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 the discipline and unity of the church structure was
something that impacted how I view my walk of faith. It is easy to think of it
as just that, a solo walk with God, but the sense of unity within the church,
and even the beautiful murals painted around the basilica, helped me to better
see that I am but a small part of something much larger. My misconceptions
about Catholics were broken down some as well, as the priest spoke on service
in the kingdom. None of what he said led back to earning merit, but he instead
offered a freeing message in sticking with the teachings of Jesus.
Samantha Frank- Church Visit #2
Church name: Lawndale Community Church
Church address: 3827 W. Ogden, Chicago, Illinois 60623
Date Attended: October 25, 2015
Church Category: 10 miles from Wheaton, different racial demographic, lower socio-economic status
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The service felt less formal than the services I frequently attend. I think it’s because the service was in a gym. Everyone was extremely welcoming and friendly. The worship and prayers felt less formal and scripted and more natural. It felt very genuine and authentic. The music was more contemporary. It was led by a few worship leaders and at times by a choir. There was a long period of time for the attendees to come forward and share prayer requests and praises. This was something that I had not experienced before. Additionally there was scripture read and a sermon preached on James. The pastor used a powerpoint to help the members follow along with his points and to provide visuals. Additionally, they had a Chicago police officer at the service share a bit and then was hosting a question and answer time after the service. This was something extremely unique that I had not experienced before! It seemed to be a reflection of the ways that the church was seeking to serve the community
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
One of the things I found most appealing about the service was the ways that the church clearly sought to serve the needs of the community it was situated in. One way I saw this was in the time for prayer requests and praise. The church had such sense of community. People were willing to come forward and be vulnerable and share personal stories publically with the church. The members showed great compassion and care for each other and sensitivity to their needs. As the members were sharing the pastor took notes and then prayed for each of the needs once everyone who wanted to had shared. There was no sense of rushing through it or worrying about the service going long. There was a genuine care for the people in the congregation and a desire to support them. Another way I saw the church seek to serve the needs of the community was through the various programs they offered. They talked about a violence prevention program and also offered the question and answer time with the police officer. The church clearly had thought about some of the struggles of the community and was seeking to meet the needs of and serve members of the community. This was extremely powerful to see!
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
The way the church so clearly plunged into the needs of the community was a bit disorienting to me because they sought to be involved in issues that I think some churches would back away from. It was a new experience to worship with people who were mostly a different race and socioeconomic group than myself. It definitely challenged my traditional views of a church service. I thought it was so interesting that they had invited a police officer to the service. When he came up to share a little bit it he seems a little uncomfortable. I think because of recent events and the media’s portrayal of the conflict between African Americans and the police force I was surprised to see that a police officer had been invited to share with a predominately African American church. It really demonstrated that clearly the church is seeking to establish a more peaceful and healthy community and they are willing to engage with difficult issues in order to help the community thrive and challenged any stereotypes I might have about urban African-American neighborhoods.
What aspects of Scripture of theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
Through my experience at Lawndale Community Church I really saw the power of prayer. I know that I’ve talked a lot about this but I was really impacted by the time for the congregation to share prayer requests and praises. Prayer was clearly an important aspect of this community as they sought to be supporting each other in prayer. I think often times at the church I attend prayer can feel very formal and scripted. I think it can often feel this way at Wheaton as well. My experience with prayer at Lawndale Community Church felt very authentic and natural. I think that as Christians we are called to have prayer be a significant part of our community and to be something that ties our communities together. This was extremely evident in the service at Lawndale Community Church.
Samantha Frank - Church Visit #3
Church name: St. Sabina
Church Address: 210 W 78th Pl, Chicago, IL 60620
Date Attended: November 1, 2015
Church Category: different racial demographic, lower socioeconomic status, at least 10 miles from Wheaton College
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it
similar to or different from your regular context?
St. Sabina stands out from its surroundings in the Auburn
Gresham neighborhood. It is an old, large church with beautiful architecture
and stained glass windows. On the outside it looks like a traditional Catholic
parish but I experienced the worship service I found that it was very different
than any other Catholic mass that I had attended. The service was probably
sixty five percent worship and then had almost an hour-long sermon. The church
was predominately African American and was led by a very charismatic white
preacher, Father Pfleger. It was far less liturgical and traditional than the
Catholic mass I attended at Saint Michaels in Wheaton. The music was
contemporary and the sermon was very long and engaging. Although I am
accustomed to less-liturgical churches the service was far more charismatic and
emotional than services I traditionally attend.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the
worship service?
One of the things I found most interesting or appealing
about the service were the ways that while the church is officially Catholic,
there were many elements that were deeply impacted by the members of the church
and the neighborhood it was situated in. This was far different than my
previous experiences with the Catholic Church. In some respect, almost all the
Catholic services I had attended in the past felt very similar. They were all
liturgical, included traditional hymns, and placed a large emphasis on
communion. This service did not align with any of my preconceived notions and
past experiences with Catholic mass. One of the starkest differences I saw was
in the sermon. The sermon was almost an hour long and it was on a different
passage of scripture than the passages that were read aloud during the service.
Additionally, when Father Pfleger read the passage from Daniel he was preaching
on he asked all the people in the congregation to take out their bibles and
read aloud with him. Father Pfleger would become extremely passionate at points
in the sermon and was essentially yelling at times. The people of the
congregation would call out in response, affirming his words and repeating his
statements. These were things that I would
associate with an African American church context. It was interesting to
compare the service at Saint Sabina to the other Catholic masses I have
attended.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the
worship service?
One of the most disorienting things about the service was
the worship. Along with a choir, a worship leader, and a large band, there were
also dancers that would dance along throughout worship. It was something I had
never really experienced before! Although I appreciated the passion with which
the church worshipped, it was somewhat distracting at times because there was a
lot going on. However, despite the fact that it was a bit distracting and
overwhelming for me, it seemed to be a very genuine act of worship with which the
people of the church were deeply involved and impacted by. I have never been to
a worship service with more passionate and emotional singing and praise. I was
also challenged by the various symbols in the church. To the left and right of
the altar there were more traditional sculptures of biblical figures such as
Mary and other saints. Along with these sculptures were pictures of Emmitt Till
and Rosa Parks. It was evident that figures such as these played an important
role in the church community but I was a bit uncomfortable with their images
placed at the front of the church.
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 title of the sermon was “When the Enemy Turn Up,” and
was based on the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel. The
preacher passionately preached about having courage to stand up for the Lord,
even when the Enemy is tempting you. I felt like this message had an extremely
powerful meaning when preached to the people of St. Sabina. Father Pfleger was
discussing issues of racism, systematic injustice, and crime. These three
things clearly had a big influence on the people living in the Auburn Gresham. The
obstacles they face can look very different from the challenges I may deal with
or the other people in my congregation may face. These challenges and obstacles
highlight the importance of taking courage in the Lord and standing up for him
to an entirely new level when you have faced a life of racial persecution and
injustice. Father Pfleger had a deep connection with his audience and was
extremely attuned to their needs and struggles as he preached on having courage
in the Lord.
Allie McDonald church visit #3
Church name: Church of The Resurrection
Church address: 935 W. Union Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187
Date attended: November 3, 2015
Church category: More liturgical
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
I went to a morning prayer service that was part of their 40 days of prayer. The service mostly consisted of readings from the Common Book of Prayer and communion. While it was called a prayer service, it is interesting to me that my view of prayer is me formulating my own thoughts in communication to God, and I think we only did that once for about a minute. Prayer in this context was reading scripture or some kind of prayer from the common book of prayer. Communion was also different because of all the words that were said that I think were meant to set apart the elements and make them holy. In my church background, nothing has been said and the elements have been passed through the rows-there is no indication that they are anything but symbolic, but there was definitely more emphasis on the sacraments. I'm looking forward to writing my paper on the sacraments in a couple weeks.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
They read about Thomas Hooker, an anglican saint's life and read some of his writing. One man asked what the Old Testament reading was and they said they were instead just doing the Thomas Hooker reading because it was the anniversary of his death, or his birthday in heaven, as one lady told me. That was interesting to me, that a reading on a saint would replace scripture. I did appreciated the involvement I had in the service. I was not listening to a pastor pray but participating in it myself. I am learning to appreciate liturgy more and more and seeing the theological truths woven in it.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
I could simply not keep up with all the page turnings to get to the different readings! I felt behind the whole time and thankfully one of the freshman girl on my floor was there to help me through. I honestly felt self-concious the whole time, like the small group of people there could tell that I wasn't a real anglican or something. It was like I needed a whole new set of skills to be fast enough and know what to read and when.
What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
After the service one of the ladies was explaining to us about one of the books with readings and how different theological nuggets are put into the readings. I'm appreciating more and more the liturgical tradition and how certain traditions or creeds or readings can imprint thing on our hearts as we read them with meaning over and over. I also saw a much more emotional and spiritual connection with the taking of communion that I loved. I think because the elements were set apart, there was a deeper reverence and respect to the action we were taking part in, remembering Christ's sacrifice for our sins.
Allie McDonald Church Visit #2
Church name: Lawndale Community Church
Church address: 3827 W. Ogden Chicago, IL 60623
Date attended: October 11, 2015
Church category: Different socio-economic level
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
Lawndale was full of life from the minute we walked in. We were a good 20 minutes early which I think is a record for me for church services but even then we were greeted kindly by a couple ladies who gave us a program for the service. The worship was very vibrant and many people dance along and raised their hands. There was much more freedom and more encouragement to move than the church I normally attend. However, freshman year I was in the gospel choir so it was so fun to sing some of the same songs and have that freedom in worship. The sharing of prayer requests was also something that was different and new to me. Couch's sermon almost seemed like a motivational speech but I think also because the theme was being renewed in Christ in our health, particularly in smoking and obesity.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I loved the worship and the encouragement to praise God with our whole being. This is something that I definitely miss when I attend my home church, especially no longer being in gospel choir. The sharing of prayer request was awesome to me. On the way home we discussed how you could feel that the church was also a community and not just a church that gathered once a week. We talked about how sharing prayer requests like that would probably not fly in our churches because we just don't feel comfortable enough with our congregations. We loved that Lawndale felt like a big family that took care of one another.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
There were some technical difficulties and the first song did not have any words on the screen. However, this didn't seem to be an issue for most of the congregation because they knew the song well and were able to sing it with out the words. That example just made me aware of how comfortable they were in their own worship context and made me realize that while I thought I was comfortable, I needed the scaffolding of the words on the screen. I would say in a couple small ways this carried into the sermon, just in the way people felt naturally led to respond vocally or in body language, and I felt like a stiff white girl sitting listening and taking notes. It has made me think about the various postures or even norms of worship we bring into a service and how mine could be so different from a regular attendee of lawndale.
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 church I grew up in and the church I currently attend very much value having a pastor that has gone to seminary and has a deep theological training. My pastor growing up gave us the greek and all the historical context and sure, he wove in life application but he really wanted to teach us the Word in a way that was very "theologically sound". Like I mentioned before, Coach's sermon was almost a motivational speech to me, but it was so interesting and effective. He took us through so much practical application and really brought the word that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we need to respond to that. I think there is so much value in just letting Scripture convicting us to change as Coach did.
Jared Strom--Church Visit #3
Church Name: St. Michael Catholic
Church
Church Address: 310 S Wheaton Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187
Date Attended: November 1st
Church Category: More Liturgical
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to
or different from your regular context?
The church service that I went to
at St. Mike’s was very different from my ECC background. One of the main differences was the
participation in Eucharist because my church only commemorates the Lord’s Supper
with communion once a month. It was
clear through my visit to St. Mike’s that by taking Eucharist every week you
are participating in the body of the church.
Another difference from my usual context was the scripture
readings. I became aware that all
Catholic churches follow the liturgical calendar and use the same scripture
readings known as the homily. There were
two scripture readings, one from one of the gospels. Although there were many differences, the
largest similarities were in the music because of the hymns that were sung and
the use of the organ and piano, which is common at my church.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship
service?
I found many things interesting
and appealing about the worship service, one being that I found that the
Catholic tradition puts a large emphasis on commitment to early church
traditions. From the clothes that the
church leaders wore to the structure of the church itself it was clear that the
Catholic Church is very tradition focused and it has been that way since the
incarnation of the Catholic church. In
addition, another aspect that was appealing to me about the worship service at
St. Mike’s was that the service placed a focus on God’s word and action of the
church rather than the interpretation of a sermon. Also, the service was very organized which I
liked a lot because it kept me focused.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the
worship service?
There were a few things that I found a bit disorienting
and challenging about the worship service at St. Mike’s. I definitely attribute this to the fact that
the catholic tradition is so much different that my usual church context. One thing that I found challenging—and that I
think many others find challenging regarding the Catholic Church—is that the
service felt more communal rather than personal. To clarify, the service felt as though it was
one group working to praise God through actions rather than a personal time
with God where you are directly praising Him and worshiping Him yourself. This caught me off guard in a way and it is
something that has been challenging me ever since.
What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service
illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?
There were many aspects of scripture and
theology that this worship service illuminated for me that could not have been
illuminated in my regular context. The
Priest and Deacon read from Revelation 7, 1st John 3, and Mathew
5. It was interesting hearing the
scriptures read the way they were in the Catholic Church, especially in regard
to the fact that it follows the liturgical calendar, which I was not aware of
until this visit. I went with a couple
of friends I know that are catholic and they did a really good job explaining
things to me that I did not understand which allowed me to interpret the
scripture and theology that was presented more effectively. The main thing I would say that I learned
about scripture and theology during this visit is that it does not matter who
or how the word of God is presented, because there are multiple effective ways
to do this.
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