Silas Helm – Church Visit #2

Church name: Hanmee Prebysterian Church

Church address: 1149 W Bloomingdale Rd, Itasca, IL 60143

Date attended: October 25, 2015

Church category: Different Ethnicity

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

The church reminded me a lot of my youth group in high school. We met in a smaller room. There were folding chairs. The band included drums, two guitars, two vocalists and a piano. My regular church isn’t Presbyterian, but many of the pastors are ordained Presbyterian. The most obvious difference was the ethnicities of the people attending. Because Hanmee is a Korean church, I was only one of two white people at the church. The overall format of the service was similar to my home church. The only major difference was the casual nature of the service.  

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

I really liked that everyone prayed at the same time. It felt much more communal. The people at this church seemed like they knew each other. I appreciated that act of participating in something together. I also found it interesting how much they talked about the PCUSA. Being tied to a denomination, they clearly held different convictions, causing divisions within the church. But, I appreciated their candid conversations about their difficulties, the mindset they had, and that the wrapped their fears and worried in fervent prayer.

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

I found it difficult to get to know people. While they all knew each other, and I sensed a strong community, I didn’t feel like it was easy to enter into community to others. Yet, the short interactions and lack time to gain shared experience makes it difficult to enter into a community in general.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

Through the service at Hanmee the importance of humility was illuminated to me. I go to College Church and while they place little emphasis on experiential worship, there is still a sense of something spectacular. Through the formalities of their services, and the intricacies of their sanctuary, I know I am worshipping a holy God. Yet, I felt this more intensely and intimately gathering with the people of God. The place didn’t matter; the eloquent speech didn’t matter- the emphasis was on Jesus Christ. In the meekness of the room, and the casual nature of the service I was reminded of my unworthiness. I was reminded that the church consists of sinners coming together to worship the one true God. Through this I was very encouraged and felt clarified.