Hannah Hacker - Church visit #2

Church name: Community Christian Church – East Aurora Campus

Church address: 76 S. LaSalle Street, Aurora, IL 60505

Date attended: October 25^th, 2015

Church category: Lower Socioeconomic Demographic

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

             This Sunday I attended Community Christian Church, whose members are primarily Latinos from a low-income neighborhood. Since most of the congregation speaks Spanish, the service was bilingual. Unfortunately I missed the first 15 minutes of the service, but entered just as the sermon was beginning. Pastor Obe Arellano was out of town, so they projected a recording of his message on a large screen at the front of the darkened gathering space of about 60 people. He preached by first speaking a phrase in Spanish, and then in English, transitioning seamlessly between the two languages. After about a 25 minute sermon, a mixture of Latinos and whites led bilingual worship, singing some songs in English and some in both Spanish and English. The service ended with communion, led in person by the pastor’s wife. Other than the difference in languages, the recording of the sermon rather than live preaching, and the informal worship space, the service was very similar to my regular context.  

 

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

            What I found most appealing about the service was the use of two languages, Spanish and English, to read and preach the Word of God. While my Spanish language skills are very limited, I did notice some subtle differences between the words the pastor used in English and in Spanish. Since he contrasted factual knowledge of God and his will with a relational knowledge of God, it was interesting to hear him primarily use the Spanish verb “conocer” which carries the relational component of knowledge that has no perfect equivalent in the English language. It was also interesting to hear the pastor use decisions about education and jobs as instances where people desperately want to know God’s will, because these are the same decisions that people even from a higher socioeconomic demographic face.

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

             A few aspects of the service were challenging. First of all, the switching between languages during the sermon and praise time sometimes made it difficult to follow along. It was hard to avoid losing the message of the sermon while trying to decipher phrases of Spanish and fill in the blanks with the English while the preaching continued so rapidly. Secondly, I was not expecting so many of the leadership positions to be filled by non-Latinos even though the congregation is primarily Latino. In a conversation after the service, I learned that this relatively new branch of the many church “Community church” umbrella began as the offshoot of a community development ministry to what they describe as the “underserved” Latino community of East Aurora. Finally, the televised message seemed much less personal than a sermon delivered by a preacher who is physically present, and therefore able to connect directly with the congregation.

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 use of both Spanish and English in this service acted as a concrete reminder that God is not limited to understanding or communicating through English. As some of our recent class readings have emphasized, the Bible does not have an exclusive revealed language, even though worshiping in the same language context can generate a subconscious belief that one language’s translation is superior over another. Worshipping in another language brought to life the theological tenet that the Bible is still the Word of God regardless of what language it is spoken or written in. Additionally, the message about depending on God and needing to know His will took on greater significance in this church with a lower socio-economic demographic than my regular context because a congregation with fewer financial resources and networks of support possesses a different understanding of daily dependence on God.

Maddie Baltzer - Church Visit #2

Church Name: Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church

Church Address: 36 N Ellsworth Street, Naperville, IL 60540

Date attended: October 25, 2015

Church category: Significantly more liturgical than background

Description of service: 

I attended a Latin Mass (Tridentine) service in Naperville. Since Latin was spoken for the majority of the service, that was a big difference from the English services to which I'm accustomed. The building, Saints Peter and Paul Church, was absolutely beautiful, with arching ceilings, paintings, and huge stained glass windows. I am accustomed to attending church in gymnasiums, but it was a welcome change to attend mass in what felt like an art museum in comparison. There was a big range of ages in attendance, and the demographic was similar to my regular context. The service had a lot more ritual and incense than I'm used to, and the sermon (which was the only English spoken during the service) was brief. The sermon is commonly the "main event" in the churches I attend, and I actually really enjoyed the brevity of the sermon; it gave incentive for the Pastor to be concise, but didn't force him to simplify his idea. I sometimes struggle with sermons because I would rather have a conversation than listen to one person's point of view for 45 minutes. 

What did you find most interesting?

I found the tradition and ritual of the service to be very interesting. Especially because the service was in Latin, I found myself wondering how and when each piece of the service was developed. I felt more like I shared something with believers of the past. I also think feeling more connected to the history of the church helps foster a global perspective because it helps you feel that you share something with people who aren't in your immediate area. Because the sermon was so much shorter, there was more than an hour of singing, incense, and chanting I didn't understand. If I knew what was being said, I can imagine feeling even more like I was gaining a new understanding of God, seeing him through others' eyes. 

I also found the bulletin very interesting. A large chunk of the bulletin was dedicated to discussing forgiveness for the sin of abortion. Basically, it was a PSA to make sure everyone knew that priests can forgive the sin (something that was recently reaffirmed by Pope Francis), but you definitely have to confess the sin and fix the automatic excommunication associated with abortion. Coming from an evangelical background, it was odd to think about a priest or other church figure having any input or control over whether someone is forgiven.

What did you find most disorienting?

The lack of interaction between attendees was most strange for me: I didn't speak with anyone. Granted, I have a lot of control over this, but none of the other people spoke to people outside their group either. I am used to churches having people welcoming you at the door and time during the service to greet those around you. In contrast, Saints Peter and Paul Church didn't even have a foyer. There was really no conversation between people. There was the most interesting tension where it didn't feel like there was any corporate identity in the Catholic Mass even though we were actively recreating and participating in this Christian rite. I really enjoy the feeling of connecting to the history of Christianity, but I think we ought to equally recognize that we are joining it along with those around us. The community of followers now is a continuation of the past.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you?

The Tridentine Mass illuminated the role of community in my faith. Christians in my normal context tend to have very personal faith that doesn't obviously acknowledge the history that developed its theology. However, they are very involved in the lives of the members of the congregation, the church acts a huge family. The Catholic Mass I attended was so steeped in tradition that it was hard to ignore that it was the result of many years of Christians thought. There was a profound sense of connection in performing the same rites done hundreds of years ago. It helped me put words to the feeling that Christianity should connect you to a new family in Christ that is both current, past, and future.

Caleb Luk - Church Visit #2

Church name: Lawndale Community Church

Church address: 3860 W. Ogden Avenue Chicago, IL 60623

Date attended: October 25, 2015

Church category: Significantly lower socioeconomic demographic

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

The service was located in a gym, within a health clinic. It was similar in that we sang songs to the LORD before the sermon was given. However, these were songs that were not your typical Hillsong or Chris Tomlin. Rather, these songs focused on our state as people who were saved and cannot return back to where we once came from. The congregation also was very involved in the worship service. It was clear when words that we sang meant deeply to the people. We would hear shouts of ‘Amen!’ throughout the service. The service also had a commander from the police department come and speak to the congregation.

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

The most appealing thing about the worship service was the intentionality of the service to serve the needs of the congregation. I appreciated that Coach brought the commander of the 10^th District to come and speak to the congregation. By bringing in people who were involved in important issues that the community was wrestling with, it was clear that the church was tackling this topic alongside the people. The connection between the church and the community was clear, and how well people knew each other, hugging and greeting others demonstrated that this congregation was closely knit. The message that Coach gave also was pertinent not only for the congregation and the social topics that it is wresting through, but also for those of us who were visiting and not directly facing issues that the community was wresting with on a regular basis. I was also appreciative that Coach was the first to admit his own weaknesses, thus what he is preaching is also extremely pertinent to himself. I was very appreciative of the time that the service had for people to share, both as a means of thanksgiving as well as need. Not only did many people share, but each one was prayed for as well after sharing.

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

It was clear that the congregation was one that was composed of people who knew each other well. Thus, the ways in which the message was shared was a surprise for me. When Pharrell Williams’ Happy was played during service for a slideshow, I was not expecting it at all. Many times, it is easy to separate ‘secular’ and ‘sacred’ music, playing only ‘sacred’ music at church; but this helped me realize that there is no division between secular and sacred. All things belong to God. Also, the slideshow and the pictures that were chosen from online portrayed only black people. As a minority, I understand the tendency for a majority culture to not think twice about race when choosing pictures for a slideshow. When one’s race is not represented, it definitely makes one feel as though one does not matter as much.

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 impact of the church on the entire community was clear. This church reminds me of the early church in Rome, with people from various socioeconomic backgrounds all glorifying God under one roof. The smooth transition between the worship service to the panel with the commander and a few other police officers afterwards demonstrated that worship was not done after the service. Inside and outside of the service, the church is actively working to help the community, addressing not only their spiritual need, but physical, mental, and social needs as well. The church is not simply a one time a week get-together, but rather a body which works every day to actualize the Kingdom.

Alexa Pontus - church visit #2

Church name: Lawndale Christian Community Church

Church address: 3827 W. Ogden Avenue Chicago, IL 60623

Date attended: October 25, 2015

Church category: Low Socioeconomic Demographic 

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

The context that I found myself in at Lawndale Community Church was very different than what I typically experience on Sundays at Wheaton.  At the church I attend here, everyone is either pretty well off or able to find help from the resources that the church has.  I found it interesting that last Sunday at church we spent time discussing racial reconciliation with some Chicagoland pastors and then this Sunday I got to attend a service where I feel like I actually got to experience this being lived out.  The service itself takes place in the gym in a health center which is very unassuming compared to some of the suburban churches that I've been to, but I like that.  I actually felt a deep connection with my church experience growing up, where as a student I spent a lot of time in low income neighborhoods that some of my friends from youth group lived in as part of an outreach done by my youth pastor.  There's a sense of community that exists within this church that reminds me of being home.  Everyone was incredibly friendly and communal and engaging, especially with the police commander who reached out to the congregation with a message about the violence in the area.  The church isn't just about doing your time on Sunday, but it's about coming together like what's intended in the Bible.

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

Again, like I've mentioned above, I'm very drawn to the sense of community that exists at Lawndale Christian Church.  As people would come up to the microphones to express either a prayer request or praise, you got the sense that there was a deep level of trust in the church body, where anyone could come and share openly about their struggles and ask for prayer.  It seems silly that this would not be the case at all churches, but the open expressions of praise and need to the congregation are incredibly refreshing.  In addition to this, I loved the church choir.  They really engage with the simple lyrics of the songs in a way that helps them come to life as well as engaging the congregation.  People in the congregation were free to sit or stand, sing or stay silent, dance or sway or remain still and the freedom in worship and the lack of any hindering influences was again refreshing - no body was looking at each other.  Each person was simply engaged in worship.

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

The type of message preached by Coach was a lot different than what I'm used to hearing.  It's not that he's preaching in a different way, it's just that the message speaks to experiences that I'm not used to having with regards specifically to how anger so often leads to violence.  It's just a product of having grown up with a certain amount of privilege.  I usually feel so far removed from all the violence happening not 30 minutes from school where people are rarely personally affected by what's going on in Chicago.  Yet here, it's reality.  One woman from the congregation stood up and shared about a high school classmate that had been shot and killed in a senseless act of violence.  And so, when Coach naturally clearly addressed these kinds of things in his sermon, it felt foreign at first.  It's challenging to realize that I'm so largely oblivious to what is happening in the larger body of Christ, but it's a good challenge to have to help me enlarge my perspective.

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

As I've emphasized throughout this post, I was very drawn to the sense of unity within the church body at LCC, along with the engagement of the community at large even through some of the programs being offered outside of the services.  Again, in the suburban context I've heard my pastor many times have to ask over and over again for volunteers at the church or for donations for a community project, whereas I get the sense that people just want to help each other in Lawndale.  The church wants to do their part in helping to stop violence, in teaching people to think for just a few moments before reacting to emotions as Coach exhorted the church to do.  By examining Scriptures that talk about the power of the tongue, the pastor again framed everything in how to be impacting the church and neighborhood community by starting with self.  In my own context, everything preached at times remains very personal about how I can change mostly to please God or improve my family, but very little is it emphasized how I can be a better person to help my neighbor or the person next to me in church.  The constant interwoven call to engage those in and outside the church was refreshing and a good reminder that being transformed by the renewing of your mind also has a call to action along with it.

Kira Dittman -- church visit #2

Church name: Warehouse Church

Church address: 308 E Galena Blvd  Aurora, IL

Date attended: 10/25/15

Church category: lower socioeconomic demographic

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

First and foremost, the worship service setting was quite different from the two contexts I’ve grown used to (a high-ceilinged sanctuary and a high school auditorium) as it was held in some sort of rundown building with narrow staircases, faded murals, and shabby brick walls. The music that was played, though, consisted of songs that it is quite common to hear at the nondenominational church I usually attend—“Oceans,” it appears, is equally loved by many different congregations. The structure of the service was not all that different from my usual experience: we opened with worship, heard announcements, and then listened to a sermon. There was one large anomaly to this rhythm, though: skits! Members of the congregation acted out both the announcement of a baked potato lunch next week and part of the text for the day. I found this quite enjoyable and very engaging, if unusual. Another difference in the flow of the service was that both the pastor and the congregants went about performing and taking part in the service in an extremely informal manner. At moments that weren’t exactly random but were not exactly planned, either, different people came up to the stage to ask for prayer or to give thanks. I found these “interruptions” mildly jarring at first (since I’m quite type A like all good Wheaton students) but after relaxing and simply attempting to take part in the service with the other churchgoers, I found the simply honesty of these breaks very refreshing. 

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

The convivial atmosphere and clear intentionality with which each of the worshippers had chosen to come worship at this church on this very morning stood out to me. Happily, the audience participation was all the more noticed by me because the frequent praises, laughter, and

call-outs gave me opportunities to cough without being too disturbing. Everyone who went up on stage (and there were many people, from the pastors, to the worship team members, to people who needed prayer) was referred to and referred to others by their first names. Rachel and I were recognized and applauded as a show of welcome, and two men who were there for the second time were also given special recognition. Quite honestly, what I liked the most was that this service had almost the exactly opposite feel of the Catholic Mass I attended for my last visit: instead of cool, disengaged, and routine, the service felt warm, relatable, and spontaneous yet natural.

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

When I stepped out of my car, the first thing I inhaled was cigarette smoke, and I realized that one of the (false) stereotypes I have constructed of Christians is that they are non-smokers. From then on I was certainly haunted by the feeling that I didn’t belong at this church. Though I had dressed much more casually than I usually do, I still felt that my purse was too eye-catching and my Bible too fancy. It was humbling and condemning to hear the frequent references to money and income (such as “most of us are lucky to have enough gas to get to work”) that so naturally rose from their lips and to hear the announcers describe the cost of certain events almost apologetically. But after I got over my initial discomfort, I very much enjoyed worshipping with this casual, no-nonsense, joyous crowd of bandana-wearing, mullet-rocking motorcyclists. I realized, however, exactly how the members of Warehouse would feel at my typical churches: anomalous. Why is it that the body of Christ has let socioeconomic standing come between its members?

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

This visit certainly reminded me that if only we took more time to step out of our comfort zones, we would receive a more complete picture of the church and how God is working in it. The message was on the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector praying in the temple and on Saul’s conversion. Ironically, this means I was listening to people in very humble circumstances talk to each other about humility. But there was no sense of bitterness or cynicism. When the long-haired, velvet-jacketed pastor described how we are all just as guilty as Paul (someone who happily presided over the deaths of Christian martyrs!) yet have the hope of Christ to rescue us from the guilt of our sins, I was forcefully reminded of my experience worshipping with inmates at Angola Prison in Louisiana on the Breakaway trip my freshman year at Wheaton. Both those men and the worshippers at Warehouse taught me just how good the grace of God is and how much we all need it. We are saved by faith, not works—how often do we forget this? Our lives are profoundly changed when we follow Christ, not necessarily because of outward blessing but certainly because of inner rebirth. These people had more of an eternal mindset than I usually do, perhaps because I think I’ve found so much security in this life. “All sinners welcome” reads the sign for Warehouse. Yes, they certainly are.

David Batdorf - Church Visit #2

Holy Trinity Church
1940 W. 18th St.
Chicago, IL
10/18/2015
Lower Socioeconomic

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

Holy Trinity Church is church which is several church plants down the line from College Church, the church I regularly attend. Because of this similar background, there were many elements which were familiar to me. Some of these being the recitation of the Apostles Creed, a time of quiet confession, and scripture reading. Although there were similarities, the differences from my regular worship experience were more vividly noted. Most of these related to the more informal context of the service. The service was held in an elementary school gym. The week I attended was the church's sixth meeting so the number of people present was small giving the  service an intimate and familial feeling of worship. The preaching was also very conversational and practical; While this came from the speaker's personal style, I think it was also felt this way because he was on ground level with the congregation - it felt like he was one of us rather than "the preacher."

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

I didn't feel out of place. Although I was the visitor and even entered late, I did not feel "other". When I entered the service, worship was in progress. Some were standing, some still sitting on the metal folding chairs. Some had their hands raised, but many were not. It was as if the church was too young to have developed a protocol so nothing was out of the ordinary. There was also great diversity in the congregation in age, race, gender and dress. One aspect of the service that was meaningful to me was the second offering taken at the end of the service for people in special need. It was very evident that the congregation was not affluent and because I was sitting in the back when the offering bag came to me I could see there was little inside. However, the reality that the church was giving out their scarcity for those in greater need was very powerful to me.

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

Honestly there was little in the service that I found disorienting or challenging. I was familiar from past experiences with the aspects of this service which differed from my current worship experience. Perhaps what felt the a little incongruent was the fact that I did not feel out of place in the service, yet I did not know very few people present. This created a strange dynamic of feeling comfortable, yet not a part of the congregation because it was very small. Upon walking in I did not see the programs and felt rather uneasy as the service unfolded because I did not know what was next in the order of service. Both of these aspects rather trivial however.

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

In the message there were intentional connections drawn between the Old Testament story of the ark of the covenant being captured by the Philistines and Jesus. Often in my church background, accounts such as these seem to be approached as providers of moral lesson, reminders, or evidence of God's sovereignty (which they are), but in this service, all aspects of the story were intended to remind us of the redemption of Jesus. To me, it made the story really meaningful as it's often easy for me to dismiss more obscure OT stories as trite or irrelevant. Another aspect of theology that was present throughout the service was the church's sense of connection to the community they were in. This was displayed through several words spoken in the service as well as the outward focus of the announcements. There was a deep sense that what they had the community needed and visa versa. They were not autonomous - they were a community of believers, they were part of their community and they wanted to impact it. This is something that I don't often sense in wealthier suburban congregations.

KC Gouthro - Church Visit #2

Church name: Lawndale Christian Community Church

Church address: 3827 W. Ogden Avenue Chicago, IL 60623

Date attended: October 11, 2015

Church category: Significantly Lower Socioeconomic Demographic 

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

Even though it was not the kind of service I am used to, I really enjoyed the worship service at Lawndale Christian Community Church. Generally speaking, it was similar to my usual experience in the sense that it included worship, prayer, and a message. That being said, each of these aspects was presented differently than in my usual context. The music portion of the service was first done as a congregation, then just by the choir, then again as a congregation as the children were dismissed to Sunday school. This is much more frequent than the strict twenty minutes of worship included in the typical service at my home church. In addition to this, the scripture readings and call to worship were done by members of the congregation rather than by the pastor. There was also close to equal emphasis on community praise and prayer as there was on the message. This did make the service longer than the typical service at my home church, but left me feeling fully recharged rather than wishing for some more corporate worship time.

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

There were many parts of this service I found so appealing that I wish my church would implement them. First, as I mentioned above, I loved the equal amounts of time spent in praise and worship and time spent sharing the message. I also enjoyed the time the church took to have members come up to microphones, introduce themselves, and share a praise report or a prayer request. What I loved even more than this opportunity was how many church members participated in it with humble hearts and pure honesty. I understand that this does not occur weekly, but taking the time every once in a while to check in with the church community is very telling of the church’s values. In addition to these things, the attention showed to the children during the children’s message seemed to empower the children in a way that is lacking in my church. Last, but not least, I appreciated the manner in which Coach presented the message in a biblically focused and easily applicable way.

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

I was not as disoriented in this service as I was in the Catholic mass I attended, but the worship portion did have me slightly out of sync at times. The primary reason for this was my unfamiliarity with the songs that were chosen, but the free-structured set up also threw me for a bit of a loop. Rather than having a clear cut (x3) at the end of the refrain slide, the worship leader would just wave her hand in a circle to signal the band and the congregation to sing that section again.  Even though it caught me off guard in the beginning, by the end of the service I had a profound appreciation for this approach to worship. I believe this freeform structure can better serve the needs of the congregation in the moment than a worship portion planned down to the second.

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 power of prayer was emphasized throughout the entire service in a way I have not seen before. (Unless the sermon topic that week was the power of prayer, which it was not in this case.) The power of prayer was acknowledges through the song choice, the time set aside for prayer requests and prayer for the members who shared, as well as in the sermon. Specifically, one of the worship songs sung by the choir included the lyrics “You can depend on God to get you through, you can depend on me to pray for you.” This was so beautiful to experience, as you could tell that those who were singing truly meant every word. This, as well as other aspects of the service, also brought the Christus Victor theory of atonement to mind. It was repeated many times that God is bigger than anything you are up against, specifically current circumstances and habits that negatively affect health. This emphasis on prayer and the victory of Christ was great to experience.