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?

Scripture speaks of the body of Christ as a whole entity. We are called to be in communion with all of the saints. Armitage seemed to understand better that their singular church is the city is a part of the larger church of Jesus Christ. A number of times throughout the service they spoke of and prayed for the global church. They talked about the suffering of believers around the world and lamented with those individuals. The church was also actively involved in the community of Chicago churches. This was evident by the announcements about events for the city of Chicago. I think it can be easy to be too focused on ourselves but for get about the bigger context and I think that in the worship service I attended they did a good job of getting away from that.