Anna Claire Gall - Church Visit #2

Anna Claire Gall – Church Visit #2

Lawndale Community Church

3827 W Ogden, Chicago, IL 60623

22 March 2015

Church Category: Non-denominational

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

I attended the 8:30 service, during which a little over half the seats were filled. Arriving at the church, I found that racially, Lawndale was significantly different than my regular church. Socioeconomically, I did not notice much difference, since I come from a very poor area in rural Ohio. The church itself is in a building that was probably not originally a church, which made me feel quite at home, since both my churches at home and at Wheaton are held in buildings that do not resemble what is traditionally thought of as a church building. I did not know what to expect when I first arrived, but I was surprised to discover that this church reminded me of my church at home. The position of the podium surrounded completely by seats was significantly different than anything I have seen before. That being said, the style of preaching was familiar.

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

Firstly, I found the use of both a worship team and a choir quite interesting. I have never attended a church with so many different modes of worship and song applied in a single service. Most places I have attended use a band and little else. The mix of styles was quite engaging and I would like to see my regular church incorporate more than one worship style in a single service. Secondly, I found the content of the preaching appealing. The preaching reminded me of the kind of Word I used to hear at Kenneth Copeland’s Southwest Believers’ Conventions that I attended when I was younger. Concerning the sermon, I also enjoyed the active participation from the audience. The pastor asked for a reply and he received one! The pastor preached with such energy; considering the early hour of the service, I was thankful that he kept us engaged.

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

While this is not specifically about the service itself, I found the drive to the church somewhat challenging. Having never ventured into the city aside from airport trips, I was not prepared for the amount of trash discarded everywhere in the neighborhood around the church (however the area immediately around Lawndale Community Church was quite clean). The buildings were so crammed together, it was difficult to tell where the service was to be held. I suppose being from a much more rural context, things are much more spread out. In the church itself, I found the central location of the podium to be somewhat difficult to handle. The pastor and the worship leaders constantly had to rotate to face the entire audience. And while they clearly have mastered the art of turning throughout the service, I found the times during which the pastor turned his back to me somewhat distracting.

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

At Lawndale, I understood the diversity of the Body of Christ. This church had significantly more African-Americans than any church I have been to before. However there were also Asians, as well as Caucasians. People appeared to be of varying socioeconomic levels as well, not just one social class was represented. As I sat in my seat and listened to a familiar message, I realized that God moves throughout the church, not just at my own. This seems obvious I suppose, but sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking my church is the greatest church in the world. I expected something radically different than what I find in my usual setting, but I found a church that was actually quite similar to my own. In this different yet familiar setting, I realized that the same God that inspires my pastor’s messages also inspires this pastor’s sermons just as much.