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.