Bethany Weidemann Visit 2

Church Name: Iglesia del Pueblo

Church Address: 27W500 North Ave. West Chicago, IL 60185

Date Attended: February 22, 2015

Church Category: Ethnically different

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

The worship service at Iglesia del Pueblo felt very much like a contemporary worship service at your typical mainstream Evangelical suburban church. There was singing, offering, announcements, a sermon, and one more song to close the time. It did seem to me like the typically prayers given by the worship leaders and pastor lasted longer than the prayers at my church (but it's sometimes hard to judge lengths like that when you're trying to function in something other than your fist language). The congregation was bigger than my regular church context, and although I did not get this impression while there, from the outside it could seem more “showy” than my church (in that the lights were dimmed in the congregation during worship, focusing attention on the 8-person band up on the stage). The most different thing was that the service was in Spanish; otherwise it seemed almost surprisingly familiar to me.

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

I really enjoyed the beginning part of the service during the worship through singing. The words were projected on the screens in front, and I was totally able to follow along and sing in Spanish. One of the songs I knew in English, but the other few were new to me. I really was forced to pay attention to the words in a new way because I wanted to understand what the songs were saying. I don’t often pay such close attention to the words of songs (or prayers, or sermons…) in my usual English contexts because they just become routine. I appreciated being able to encounter truths about God in a way that made me really focus on the words of the truths. It was so cool to be able to express worship to God even in a language that is not my first.

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

Definitely the most challenging aspect of the service for me was the language. I’ve taken Spanish in high school and at Wheaton, but it’s been a long time since I’ve had the opportunity to hear it or practice it. Because of this, much of the sermon was hard for me to understand; I only got the main gist of the concepts. I also felt somewhat nervous about interacting with the people around me (although I didn’t have to do this much). I wanted to be able to respect them attending a Spanish-speaking church and expecting that others around them spoke Spanish, but I really have limited Spanish skills at this point. I didn’t want to make people uncomfortable by only speaking English. As a one-time visitor, this didn’t really prove a problem, but I could see it being something of a barrier to getting really involved in a church where people mostly speak a different language than I do. Not one that could not be overcome, but one that would just take more work on my part.

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

I think it’s really powerful to hear people worship, pray, and read and talk about Scripture in their own heart languages. It is a reminder that God is not bound by culture or language, that He meets each one of us powerfully through the individual languages we speak. Unlike Islam, where the Qur’an is really supposed to be read and heard in Arabic only, Christians have the opportunity to experience Scripture and worship in the language that feels most like home to them (This is also a good reminder of the importance of translation work still going on around the world even today!). This is such a personal blessing from God, and it’s good to experience people worshiping the same God in different languages as another reminder that He is worthy of all praise, not just the praise that sounds or looks or feels familiar to us.

Erica Heller--Church Visit Quinn Chapel

Church name: Quinn Chapel AME Church

Church address: 2401 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago

Date attended: 1/18/15

Church category: Different ethnic/racial demographic

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

 I went to Quinn chapel in Chicago. It is actually the oldest black church in the city and is a historic building, built after the first building burned down in the Chicago fire. I went with other Wheaton students over MLK weekend as part of the Willie-O and Urban Studies club retreat. We got to the church early and the service started (or maybe is was right before it started) with everyone up front holding hands and praying. The worship was gospel music, with keyboard, drums, bass and saxophone, no guitar and CCM, and the small choir up front had robes. People trickled into the service late, to a slightly greater degree than the churches I have attended (though usually I am one of the late people). There was no communion. At the church I grew up in we had communion every Sunday, though at the church I go to know we only have it once a month. Also, there was a picture of Dr. King on the bulletin because it was MLK weekend, which probably was not the case at any of the other churches I have been a part of.     

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

I love the worship music. It was wonderful and powerful. I love the freedom I felt during it. I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit during worship and just felt a sense of peace and joy. It was also interesting how sometimes the musicians would play in the background of the preaching, reinforcing what was being said.   

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

There was an alter call. Though it seemed to fit in to the worship service, I have never actually been a part of a church service that had an alter call. I don't know really how I feel about the pressure to have a moment of conversion. I think that the public declaration of faith is in baptism. Also, the alter call happens in a fairly emotionally charged atmosphere that makes me slightly skeptical, though of course that does not at all deny the way the Holy Spirit can and does work there. 

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

I was able to see more clearly the beauty of the body of Christ. I had a sense of being among family at Quinn, even though I did not actually know anyone besides the Wheaton students I went with. If I moved into the Bronzeville neighborhood, I could see myself going to Quinn. It was also really encouraging and exciting to see the ways that Quinn is involved in their community--they host town hall meetings, important people like Dr. King have spoken there and famous black musicians have performed there. It also has a beautiful mural in the main sanctuary with a black Jesus.

Nathan Richard - Church Visit #2

Nathan Richard - Church Visit #2

Church name: Lawndale Christian Community Church

Church address: 3860 W. Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL

Date attended: 2/15/15

Church category: Significantly lower socioeconomic demographic

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

I thought the worship serve at Lawndale was fantastic. The atmosphere revealed a true vibrancy in the church members, as everyone seemed excited to be at church that morning. I felt very welcomed, as several people approached me and introduced themselves, wishing me well and saying things such as “I hope you get something great out of the service!”, a cheerful and honest remark that encouraged me. The first focus of the service was on the music, with congregational singing and then choral, Gospel music. The enthusiasm of the singers was in stark contrast to what I’m used to, and it was quite refreshing. While I love our hymns and singing around the piano, there was a little more electricity in the air at Lawndale with the music. The format of the sermon was similar to what I was used to, though I missed not being able to have communion, which is one tradition our church does each week.

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

The sermon focused on incredibly practical financial lessons, from the text of Jesus’ parable of the talents. While my church tends to overemphasize doctrine and intellectualism in our Christian walk, I thought Coach connected very well with those attending, offering very helpful and realistic solutions to desperate problems that the attendees were facing. I think that in the context of Lawndale, this message was incredibly pertinent. However, I also think that these content of the message would have been just as helpful in my regular setting, as Coach described fundamental problems that plague all socioeconomic spheres. The entire worship service was geared towards connecting our spiritual life with our daily lives. There was an emphasis on the fact that the Bible has radical implications on life, and that it should transform our lives. This is a beautiful truth that was very clearly communicated and clearly encouraged all those attending – not just temporally, but in a deeper sense.

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

This is a tough question, but I think the most challenging part was that I felt like an outsider. Though, as I mentioned, everyone was incredibly welcoming to me as a visitor, I knew that there was a very real barrier between myself and those around me. This manifested itself in moments such as when the choir sang. Though there is absolutely nothing wrong with black Gospel music, I am very unfamiliar with it and was unable to feel comfortable with it. Furthermore, at the risk of sounding prideful I thought that the sermon did not really apply to me. Coach spoke against issues such as debt, spending more than I earn, budgeting, and investing, but none of these issues are problems that I’m faced with. Particularly as a Business/Economics major I understood the necessity and helpfulness of Coach’s words to those around me, but I did not hear anything that I did not fundamentally know and was already applying in my life. Again, while there is nothing wrong with this, it did create a material distinction between myself and regular attendees.

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

I loved witnessing the joy of music in a spiritual setting again. As a music major, music is obviously something that has had a huge impact on my life, and I cherish many wonderful moments as a teenager where music brought me much closer to God and to those participating in the music around me. However, in the past few years music in church has lost some of that appeal to me. By having studied music it has lost its “mystery”, and playing hymns for roughly 8 years in the same setting has caused me to become somewhat jaded. Not only am I not experiencing the joy I once felt through the music I play, but other members at my church now regularly express disappointment with the way I choose to communicate through music. The joy I saw in the performers today gave me a glimpse back at the joy I used to have, and I hope to re-commit to capturing that joy and spiritual encouragement not only for myself, but for those around me as well.

Callie Riel - Church Visit #1

Callie Riel – Church visit #1

Church Name: All Souls Anglican Church

Church Address:  25W741 Jewell Road, Wheaton, IL 60187

Date attended: February 12, 2015

Church category: Significantly more liturgical than my current church

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

All Souls Anglican was different from any church experience I’ve ever had.  When my family attended church growing up, it was pretty much a different one every time.  But they all had one thing in common: they were huge and modern.  Even College Church is much more liturgical than I am used to.  The first thing that surprised me about the church was its size.  Since I usually attend Saddleback Church when I go home with a population of around 20,000, I was shocked to see a total of forty or fifty people in the congregation.  Another difference was the ceremony involved in the service.  Everything was planned out in the handout.  The congregation was also heavily involved, and people were much more welcoming then I am used to.  The sermon itself, however, was similar to sermons I’ve heard in other churches I’ve attended. 

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

I especially enjoyed the closeness of the congregation.  Partly due to the churches small size, everyone in the congregation seemed to know or at least recognize each other.  Some people even wore nametags!  I appreciated that the prayer requests of the congregation were all written down in the handout, something that would not be possible in most churches I’ve attended.  I also enjoyed having a step by step bulletin that told me everything that was happening and in what order.  I also appreciated the singing.  Even though most of the songs were ones I’d never heard, they were all hymns which I love.  Furthermore, since the choir prepares a half hour before the service, I actually got to sing in it, which was an unexpected experience.  I thought the set up and decorations of the building were very interesting.  There were interpretive sketches on the wall, a giant cross in the front of the room, and a giant plastic deer also near the front. 

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

I was taken aback by all the ceremony and formality.  I was surprised to see everyone crossing themselves, and at the fact that there was “holy water” at the front of the room which people dipped their hands in.  I was also confused at the processions that happened frequently by people wearing robes.  The person in front of the procession would carry a large fancy book of the gospels, and when he passed the congregation would bow.  I wasn’t sure exactly what they were bowing to or why they bowed.  Communion was also very surprising.  Each person came and knelt at the front of the room to receive communion, which was taken out of a common cup.  Not only did everyone drink from the same cup which I had never experienced, but the drink was wine, which I did not expect.  Furthermore, much of the reading and praying was supposed to be responsive, which I was mildly uncomfortable with. 

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

What struck me most about the way the church carried out their service was that it was extremely respectful.  On one hand, I was not a huge fan of all the liturgy.  It seemed to get in the way of worship, and I wasn’t entirely sure what the point was.  However, it was also very reverent and respectful, and pointed to God’s supremacy rather than just treating Him as our friend.  I also had mixed feelings about the responsive readings and the reciting of prayers.  Since I was a visitor, I was reading all the prayers for the first time.  Therefore, I was forced to think about them rather than spacing off, which is what I sometimes do when people are praying out loud and I’m listening.  On the other hand, most of the congregation had the prayers memorized.  Although this may just be a personal flaw, I believe that a prayer would lose some of its meaning in my mind if I recited it to the point of memorization and continued to say it every week. 

Andy Suk- Church Visit #1

Andy Suk- Church Visit #1

Church name: Church of the Resurrection

Church address: 935 West Union Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187

Date attended: 2/8/15

Church category: Anglican, Liturgical

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

Normally, I go to a church that is significantly less liturgical than Church of the Resurrection. It was pretty weird taking part of all of recitations of the different creeds; however, as the service continued, I realized the beauty of the writings we were reciting. Also when the priest passed the fountain of water, he would always do the sign of the cross, which I previously thought only Catholics participated in that particular gesture. Other than these particular differences, the church service had everything that my “normal” service would have: Worship, a sermon by a pastor, and free coffee after service.

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

Definitely the most interesting thing about the service was the liturgy recitation. The biggest thing I realized about this practice was how communal it was; I personally felt like as I was reading the creeds, I was connecting with every single person in the congregation. I felt a special sense of unity that I don’t necessarily feel at my home church. Also, I can see how this practice can be very helpful for those times where we just don’t know what to say to God. It definitely set the mood for worship that we often need in order to start praising our Lord.

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

The most disorienting or challenging thing that I faced was the fact there were priests at this church. Coming from a Southern Baptist tradition, I was thrown off by all the very “Catholic”- like practices. I remember visiting a Catholic Church a long time ago and the Anglican priests definitely reminded me of my experience. I didn’t necessarily dislike the fact there were priests but I definitely was confused at first when a Protestant church had priests.  

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

I really enjoyed it when we said the Lord’s Prayer. Sure, I was happy because it was finally the first and only saying that I knew by heart and didn’t have to read from the program; however, it reminded me of how simple prayer is and how often we complicate it to the point where we run out of things to pray about. When saying the Lord’s Prayer, I realized that this particular Anglican Church was very unified spiritually, something that I don’t always feel in different churches. I walked out of the service more enlightened about different religious practices other than the “normal” non-liturgical I am often used to.

Brandon Garcia - Church Visit #1

Church name: Naperville Presbyterian Church

Church address: 943 Sanctuary Lane, Naperville, IL 60540

Date attended: February 8, 2015

Church category: Presbyterian

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

The service I attended focused on ministry/service opportunities, particurly with the Young Life ministry so it lacked a more regular sermon. My home church has these kinds of events but the main distinction I noticed is that the worship directors and the assistant pastor played a much more active role in the service than would my home church under comparable circumstances (special service). The congregation was also much smaller than I'm used to which is a very welcome change and the overall environment felt very inviting whereas in a larger setting it's easy to feel overwhelmed and rather insignificant. The worship style was overall very similar but had a bit more of an 'indie' vibe to it in terms of the instruments used and the singing style. The recitation of liturgy was by far the largest departure from my Baptist background. 

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

The two things I find most appealing about this church was the smaller more communal feel and, surprisingly, the presence of liturgy.

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

Definitely the recitation of liturgy.

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

I used to think negatively of such ritualistic activity as the recitation of liturgy because I grew up thinking of such things as a "going through the motions" ritualistic type of activity and for some reason thought that it was better to be avoided to promote individual growth over the appearance of congregational piety. Experiencing liturgy in the churches I've visited here at Wheaton, including this Church, made me realize that litergy serves an important purpose. By reciting litergy in unison as a congregation, it serves to reaffirm, even if only symbolically, that we as a church are all on the same page, similarly to how we recite the Apostle's Creed in class. By giving our own voice to sound theology, as well as hearing the voices of others affirming the same things, the theology being voiced becomes more "real" in the mind and helps set the proper forcus for the administering of the sermon.

Alexandra Willig- Church Visit #1

Alexandra Willig - Church Visit #1

Church name: St. Michael's Church

Church address: 310 South Wheaton Avenue, Wheaton, IL, United States

Date attended: February 11, 2015

Church category: Roman Catholic

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

The service I attended was a morning mass celebrating Our Lady of Lourdes, a festival day for the Blessed Mother in the Roman Catholic tradition. When entering the space, my friend and I made the mistake of not bowing before the crucifix. The procession occurred after all the Catholic school children at St. Michael's had been seated, and the mass started with a hymn and readings. Prior to reading from the Gospel we sang a song of adoration. Because there was no book or hand-out to follow, we found it hard to respond to parts of the liturgy. The homily was given by the church's Polish priest, who spoke with an accent that made him difficult to understand. Following the homily came preparation for and distribution of communion, of which my friend and I did not partake. We prayed for leaders and members of the church, then sang a song and left following the exiting procession. 

The church was very different from my usual context, for traditionally I grew up in a Baptist church and in Wheaton I have been primarily attending a Pentecostal church. The high church with priest distributing sacraments, the structured liturgy, the formality of bowing or kneeling before the cross, and singing from the hymnal are all components which my church in Wheaton does not practice. Most importantly, my church does not distribute the sacraments everyday. The mass was similar, however, in the corporate prayer for world leaders and members of the church (although I admit I do not think my church has prayed corporately for Pope Francis). 

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

What I found most interesting about the service was the homily about the Virgin Mary, following the Gospel reading about her and Jesus' interaction at the Wedding at Cana where he turned water into wine. The priest contended that Mary and Jesus' relationship is of utmost significance, and it is often He who sends her out into the world. Consequently, many signs and wonders have occurred with people meeting the Holy Mother. I have never heard a sermon preached on the Virgin Mary, much less heard the story of Our Lady of Lourdes. In this story a young peasant girl goes into the woods, and sees before her a woman in a white robe. The girl begins to pray, and when reached the prayer to Mary the woman smiles. The meet about 18 times, and only after a few encounters does the woman speak, responding to the questions of the girl. According to the Polish priest sharing the story, the woman in white claims she is "the immaculate conception, she who was born without sin". 

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

This story and worship of Mary I found challenging. This is a radical point of departure in the Protestant church. I have been to many masses prior to this morning, but this was the first time I heard spoken a homily pertaining to Mary and verifying her immaculate conception and holy status. Basically, this was the first time I "worshipped" Mary. The priest claimed that signs and wonders still occur for members of the church to "remind us to pray for the sinners and poor of the world", and that the primary messenger is the Holy Mother. I am not certain I agree with this, and find the preoccupation with chapels, structures and holy sites built around encounters with the Holy Mother rather disorienting. 

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 service illuminated for me two important points of theology: (1) direct communication with God through indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and (2) miracles. In regards to the first, I think that believers are offered direct communication with the Godhead. I do not understand having a mediator between a human and the Trinity besides the Holy Spirit, God himself, who intercedes on our behalf. The thought of praying to a disciple, such as John or Paul, or praying to the Mother Mary does not seem as satisfying when as a believer I have access to God himself. The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost and dwells within believers. This topic in theology I desire to know better, particularly following this service and some of the tensions felt. Second, miracles have happened in the gospels and continue to happen today. I agree with the priest's statement about signs and wonders still occurring and bringing people to a fuller understanding of Christ. I am not sure I agree with the messenger often being the Mother Mary, because in my Pentecostal church that has not been the case. 

Katie Cialkowski- Church Visit #1

Church Name: St. Michael's Catholic Church
Church Address: 310 South Wheaton Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187
Date Attended: Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Church Category: Church significantly more liturgical than my regular experience

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
This morning mass was much different than my normal worship context. Since it was attached to a Catholic school, the students also attended mass with the public. We began the service with a hymn to the Mother Mary, while the alter boy and girls accompanied the Father to the front of the sanctuary, then there were several prayers and songs before the Father delivered the message, which was on Mary's appearance in Lourdes, France to a 14-year old girl. Then they partook communion, and closed the service with another hymn. There were many traditions which I was only loosely familiar with. There were alter boys and girls offering holy water at the entrance to the sanctuary, and there were many more liturgical calls and responses than the church I attend. They also have much more tradition associated with communion and much more ceremony with the preparation and reception of communion. At times these traditions were daunting, but I have attended a few Catholic masses when I was younger, so I wasn't completely unprepared for these differences. Nothing made me uncomfortable, but the whole service was much more rigid and structured than what I was used to.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I honestly considered going to a more liturgical church when I began college, and seriously considered attending the Church of the Resurrection, but due to logistical reasons, decided to regularly attend another church. I was very attracted to a more liturgical setting for the sense of reverence, tradition, and structure it provides the church setting. Sometimes, I worry I am too comfortable in church, and that church caters too much to my own and other's expectations. The liturgical call and response demands attentiveness, and the traditions performed by the leaders of the service lend an air of solemnity that I think is sometimes lacking when we approach the word of God. So I was very interested in the liturgical aspect of mass.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
I was disoriented when I was uncertain how to respond liturgically, but thankfully I was with another classmate so I didn't feel alone in that challenge. I didn't want to seem like I was intruding or appear disrespectful by inadvertently neglecting to kneel when entering the pew, or crossing myself at the proper time. I also have mixed feelings about the way communion is conducted in the Catholic Church. I know they have First Holy Communion, as part of their tradition, but for me and my faith, my parents helped me make the decision of when it was appropriate for me to receive communion and take part in that tradition. I question if these younger children understand all that it means to take communion, however I by no means know where their hearts are at. But I have always been intrigued by the Catholic traditions surrounding communion. My classmate and I did not take communion, but it was interesting to observe.

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 passage taught from was regarding Jesus turning water into wine, and Mary's influence over Jesus during that event. The Catholic interpretation of this passage, and of Mary's role and ministry is very different than that of the Protestant tradition which I grew up in. I feel fairly confident that some of the claims made would have been deemed heretical by the Protestant tradition; that Mary has significant influence over Jesus, that she is still sent by God into the world to point individuals to Jesus, and that she too was without sin and seen as immaculate. I was surprised by these statements, and found it interesting that in a story which the Protestant tradition views as an important mark of the commencement of Christ's ministry, the Catholic tradition views as a proof text for Mary's influence over Jesus' ministry and actions, even to this day. While the message did make me think more about Mary's role in Jesus' life and ministry, I am not convinced she had the influence the Catholic church attributes to her.

Tim Walters- Church Visit 1

Church name: St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church
Church address: 36 North Ellsworth Street, Naperville, IL 60540
Date attended: February 10th, 2015

Church Category: Liturgical

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

In my time at Wheaton, I have mostly been involved in churches which would be considered "low" in their liturgical style.  Therefore, I figured it would be illuminating to visit not only a high church, but a Catholic church.  However, the Mass was quite different than any service I've been to in recent years (the closest in style would be that of a Church of the Resurrection service).  When I walked in to the chapel (the service was being held in the chapel because of renovations in the main building), the entire room was silent.  This is quite different than any of my normal services.  In those, people are chatting, laughing, and discussing things before the service, instead of silently entering the chapel and sitting quietly.  Also, it was quite different because the main crux of the service was not the service, but the Eucharist.  The sermon, in fact, was maybe 3 minutes at max.  This was actually the most different aspect of it for me; I usually have a 30-35 minute sermon in the service.  These were some of the major differences between the churches.

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

There are two aspects of the service that I found most interesting or appealing were the reverence the parishioners had for the service and the liturgy.  First, as I mentioned earlier, all the parishioners entered the chapel in silence and sat in quiet mediation prior to the service.  While it is not something I am used to seeing, I appreciated the reverence they had for what was about to come.  While I have grown up in a church which fosters a social component prior to the service, I also wish that people would come to more properly understand the posture one should have when approaching the church and the Scriptures.  Secondly, the liturgy, while I was confused by it, also slightly made me feel connected to generations of Christians who had repeated some of the same phrases (whether in latin or the vernacular).  To put it in a different manner, the liturgy helped me to feel more fully a member of the communion of saints; it helped me feel more connected to the invisible church.

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

While the liturgy made me feel connected to generations of believers, it was not also particularly friendly to one who had not been inculcated in the culture.  Since it was a weekday service, the structure did not seem to be as explicitly delineated as it would be if it was a Sunday mass.  The lack of knowledge of the proper responses to the calls left me feeling as if I had stepped into a foreign country where I new a few words of the language, but did not truly understand the language or the culture.  I did understand some of the calls and responses, and was able to participate, but on the whole this was not true.  Therefore, if I had to put the response more clearly, the most disorienting and challenging aspect of the service was cultural; I was not used to being in a highly liturgical church which relied so heavily on church tradition.  That being said, I have also mentioned things I found positive about the experience.

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

While this may sound harsh, the thing I found most illuminating was a deeper understanding of some of the controversial ecumenical issues that exist between Protestants and Catholics.  I had a basic understanding of Catholic doctrine because of studying Thomistic thought and others speaking on the issues, but I had never experienced a service for myself.  I had never actually experienced a group of parishioners praying to Mary for salvation and for atonement.  I had never actually witnessed a group of people partaking in a transubstantiation-based Eucharist.  The experiences I gained now help me to understand some of the reasons why Protestants and Catholics have their divides.  I do not agree with a lot of the theology (especially the soteriology) of Catholicism, but I now have a deeper appreciation for the practices and beliefs they hold.  Therefore, the service helped to more accurately orient me to the actual issues pertaining to the distinctions between groups.

Aaron Stevens-church visit #1

St. Joseph Orthodox Church
412 Crescent St, Wheaton
Feb 8
Greek Orthodox, high liturgical

Worship service

The worship service at St. Joseph is highly ceremonial, rooted in hymns, creeds, and call-responses that I assume are the same for all the Orthodox churches. All readings, faith affirmations, benedictions, prayers, and of course hymns are sung (a cappella), even simple responses to the priest. The only thing not sung is the actual sermon. Along with the words are movements of the priests and the boys who hold the candles who probably have a name that I do not know. As one priest faced the alter, another would be in the inner part reciting passages or blessings or prayers. At one point a priest walks around the room with a sensor, filling the place with a sweet smell that I believe is supposed to be a reminder of the presence of the Holy Spirit. The movements are all known, and there is something mystical about it that is not present in the low church I grew up in.

Intersting/appealing

The experience was very holistic and weighty, as if I could feel these words echoed throughout the global Orthodox church across space and time. These same verses have been sung the same way for so many years, and every church sings them almost the same way. Language is no barrier to the liturgy, for the song transcends language. I can say this because I unwittingly went to the Slavic service, which meant I was lost the entire time, but it did give me an opportunity to witness the unity of this entire church across linguistic borders. I preferred it to the casual services I grew up with, largely because the ceremony had, as I said, weight. The weight of words offered to the Creator of the Universe. Their humility and reverence to God is striking, and to me was powerful. I also appreciate the Orthodox's reverence and attention to the presence of the Holy Spirit, not as an abstraction in our hearts, but a real presence in the church.

Challenging

As previously mentioned, there was a significant language barrier. If there were any theological quandaries for me to work through, I have no idea what they might've been because I do not know any Slavic, although I am now aware that the 'j' sound is used quite frequently. For the first half hour of the service I imagine I had a deer-in-the-headlights look on my face as I tried to follow along in my English liturgy book, which was a losing battle for about 97% of the time. If I had gone to the English service a challenge I would've had would've been trying to participate in the singing. I don't know the structure, so knowing which parts to sing and how to sing it probably would not have happened, at least for a bit. But since everything was in a completely foreign everything, I did not even try.

Theology illumination

Again, no words were understood, so the sermon might have been the most mind-blowing revelatory thing I ever experienced but I have no clue. I suppose something new and awakening is that the Holy Spirit can also be worshipped as part of the Trinity. Obviously He can be, but most churches I've been to in high school had the worship leader closing his eyes and heavily breathing into the mike he's practically making out with saying "Holy Spirit, move our hearts and give us eyes to see" while he's playing two chords on the acoustic guitar. This church actually worships Him though, acknowledging and praising His presence in the room and their hearts, but not in that weird sentimental way. It's a matter of fact, and their high worship includes all persons of the trinity, something I found very interesting. I was also fascinated by their ritual of Eucharist, the imbued meaning that is understood by all there, as opposed to many protestants who really do not understand the significance of the ceremony.

Gwen Farber - Church Visit #1

Gwen Farber - Church Visit #1

Church name: St. Joseph Orthodox Church

Church address: 412 Crescent St. Wheaton, IL 60187

Date attended: February 8, 2015

Church category: More/less liturgical 

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

The Greek Orthodox service I attended was extremely liturgical (which I am not used to in my regular context) and consisted of vocally sung liturgy throughout 3/4 of the service. It began with one man singing from the book of Psalms, and continued when the priest and deacon began the official service. There was a liturgy booklet (54 pages long) that we sang and prayed out of for the first hour and a half, following along in a call-and-response style of worship. This was followed by a twenty minute sermon on the Prodigal Son from the Gospels. There was incense that the priest brought around the room, and the Lord's Prayer and "Lord, have mercy" were said multiple times. The Eucharist and prayers leading up to it were also performed. Unlike my regular church context (I come from very low church), the incense, liturgy, and icons all around the room were very different than anything I had seen before. 

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

The singing liturgy was fascinating--there were three different patterns (or tracks: A, B, and C) of liturgy with the same words but different music so that the church could change each week. The fact that there was a book for the liturgy was something I had never seen before, but I liked it simply because I could read the words on the page and thus participate more fully in the words being said and the worship being offered. I also found it interesting in looking around the church body how different the members of the church were: toward the front were many older people, but there were also many families with young children and babies in the church, and seeing them participate in the church service was very interesting. 

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

The length of the service was challenging because there was a lot of standing for very long periods of time as we sang the liturgy together. The vast number of icons of Jesus and other biblical figures at the front of the room was also a little disconcerting--I had forgotten that icons were such an important aspect of the Orthodox tradition. It was also challenging to hear the prayers to Mary before the Eucharist was taken; trying to make sense of what they believe was difficult at times. 

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

Father John spoke on the Prodigal Son during his sermon at the end of the service, and brought up the beautiful point that it was not just the son that was prodigal in the story as he extravagantly used his father's money--but the father was also prodigal as he lavished his grace and love onto his reckless son. He made the connection between our Heavenly Father and the way that He has lavished us with his love, and the reminder that we have a prodigal Father watching out for us was really cool. Also, because I come from a church background that does not practice liturgy, seeing the intensity of the liturgy at the Orthodox church made me appreciate what I saw in a different light. They said "Lord, have mercy," over and over and over again--not to remind God that He should be merciful to us, but to remind us that we are constantly in need of His mercy. Saying things liturgically does not need to be a form of dead, lifeless tradition, but can instead be a way of reminding self of our need for a Savior. 

Marcus Craig - Church visit #1

Blog title: Marcus Craig – Church visit #1

Church name: St. Daniel the Prophet Catholic Church

Church address: 101 West Loop Road, Wheaton, IL 60189

Date Attended: 2/8/15

Church Category: Liturgical

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

               If my regular service were a runner in a track and field competition, it would be a middle distance runner. It’s long enough, but you still feel good after it. The service I attended at St. Daniel’s was a one hundred meter dash. It was a rush and then over before you knew it. The service structure was different from what I am used to. The order of everything was different. While I am used to a pattern that goes something like singing-announcements-message-songs, this service did things very differently. I found it to be similar to that of the Church of the Resurrection, as I’ve been a few times to see how they do things there. They had all the readings and songs in a book that one picks up on their way into the sanctuary. After the first couple of songs, they had the message, prayers with more scripture readings, communion, and a couple closing songs. In all, I believe it was forty five minutes.

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

               I suppose I did enjoy the precision of the service. It definitely eliminates the showy and entertainment traps that contemporary churches could fall into. I know in the past that I’ve felt disillusioned with contemporary worship services and styles in the times where I haven’t felt close to God or just on a worse day. Seeing someone constantly on stage with a huge smile on their face can be really annoying and it makes one wonder if they’re really being genuine or if it is for show. Here, it felt more like real life. There wasn’t the pressure to play into a role. I can see where this also has downfalls as well. The precision could also hinder the work of the Holy Spirit or it could support a ritualistic mindset of performance Christianity.   

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

               The thing I found most challenging and also disorienting was trying to keep up with the service so that I didn’t look like a complete outsider, which I probably still failed at. I have been to mass with my mom’s family in Indiana but that was quite a while ago when I was a child, so I had wondered if there would be anything I wasn’t ready for. Of course there was. While I did pretty well remembering responses and how to find songs and prayers in the booklet, I either forgot this was common, or it was something specific to this church. While praying, couples and families held their hands upwards and overlapping with each others. I caught on about half the way through after a significant nudge from my girlfriend. I guess I still did pretty well keeping up for having not been in a number of years.

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

               I think the biggest aspect that was emphasized in this service was the body of Christ. I know, this shouldn’t come as a surprise when going to a Catholic church, after all, that is kind of their thing. I just know that though it didn’t feel very vibrant compared to what I’m used to, I felt like I was taking part in something bigger- like I was one part of a giant Jesus machine. When I’m at my usual church setting, it feels catered toward the individual rather than the church as a whole. While I still know that it is the body of Christ and that we work as a whole, it is easy to feel like I am there for myself and to see what I can get out of it. This experience felt more participatory and brought me into an experience that went beyond myself to a bigger picture conception.