Church Address: 3827 W Ogden, Chicago, IL 60623
Date Attended: October 25, 2015
Church Category: Lower Socioeconomic
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from our regular context?
The service I attended was in Lawndale, right outside Chicago. The neighborhood was significantly lower socioeconomically than Wheaton. However, the church was not lower socioeconomically than the church i regularly attend at home in Kansas City. The facilities the church was held in were much nicer than my home church, and on average, the congregation seemed to be higher socioeconomically. A good portion of those that attend my home church are homeless, and our service is held in a homeless shelter on the outskirts of the city. Another interesting difference was the number families that attended Lawndale compared to my home church. My home church has many broken families, and it is much harder to find as many good marriages and families as in Lawndale. However, my home church and LCCC are similar in many ways. Both the neighborhoods surrounding the church seem to be similar. Both are affected by violence and poverty, and safety is a huge concern.
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I loved the community oriented feel of the church. My favorite part of the service was the time they reserved for members to come share prayer requests and praises with the congregation. That was such an encouraging way to see the way God was working in the members of the church, and a great way to keep the entire body connected to one another through prayer. The pastor also brought all the kids up to the front to ask them questions about what they had been learning. This was a great way to show the way the church loves and values the children, and included the in the main service before they went off to their classes. Overall, I really enjoyed the service.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
One of the most challenging parts of the service for me was the message. I really struggled to stay engaged and follow the message of the pastor. For a portion of the message I couldn't quite follow where he was going, and it did not seem to tie back to the scriptures he was using. However, I will admit I was very tired that morning, and the adorable kids in front of me had captured some of my attention. But, the sermon was the most difficult part of the service for me to engage in.
What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly as your regular context?
The service illuminated to me the importance of community, and helping those who are impoverished. Often times, churches seem to be full of people who have all of their lives together. Pain, addiction, grief, and doubt seem to be suppressed in order to maintain an appearance of having the perfect faith in Jesus. At Lawndale, and my home church, it is incredible to see the way people who are struggling are encouraged to share their struggles, and then the body comes together to help them. The program for men getting out of prison is an example of this, as well as the simple practice of having people share their prayer requests. The body of Christ is meant to build each other up, and this can only be done when we are vulnerable and open with each other. It seems this is easier to do in a lower socioeconomic setting, since the peoples needs are mainly physical and external. However, churches from every socioeconomic standing can learn from this example of helping those who are in need.
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