Anna Relph- Church Visit 2

Church name: Lawndale Community Church
Church address: 3827 W Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL 60623
Date attended: Oct. 4
Church category: Significantly lower socioeconomic demographic

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

            The worship service I attended was similar to my regular context because of its emphasis on worship through music, prayer for people in the congregation, communion, and strong Bible teaching. It was obvious as well that this church intentionally fostered a familial atmosphere, which I am thankful to say is also very similar to the church context I come from. Prayer was one of the main avenues through which they did that, which was familiar to me. In my home church people also shared personal prayer requests in the service that were immediately prayer for out loud. This creates an environment where people are treated as they truly are; significant, and part of a community that loves them.

            Different from my context was the demographic of the church. The church context I come from is one from a higher socio-economic background. Here the church was more diverse, whereas I am from a church that was about half Caucasian and half Indian. Lawndale seems to have more of a mix of ethnicities, and primarily African American.

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

            Most interesting about the worship service was the preaching. I am not comfortable in environments that are significantly different than the ones I’m used to. Honestly, I’m selfish and want to know I’m accepted BEFORE I enter in to a place that is new, particularly into a low socio-economic area when I come from so much privilege. Because of this, I find church to be more meaningful and truthful when I am in that context. When I am uncomfortable, or starting to learn of struggles of people from a different neighborhood, understanding who God is and how to work well in his kingdom with other believers is right in my face. If I’m happy, and safe, and feel loved, I don’t feel the urgency as much. Being somewhere new and challenging motivates me to pursue God’s truth with more fervor, and with more need.

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

            Most challenging about the worship service for me was probably the context of the worship service. At one point the person doing announcements described the process of paying in installments for the upcoming Men’s retreat. In the church I grew up in, most people would probably have no problem paying that same cost out of their pocket, some of them with no blink of an eye. It was this small example, as well as the church being in Lawndale Community health Center, that was most challenging for me to think through. No, money shouldn’t be important, but in our current society, no having money makes for severe hardships. Being in such a loving and inclusive community, I obviously wish that no one in the church would have to deal with hardships that come from money not being there, or being in a neighborhood that involves extreme risks, particularly for little ones who can’t even escape the cycle.

           

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 service, Dr. Darryl Saffore discussed the passage, along with many others to the same theme, “whoever wants to be my discipline must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.” This was especially salient in light of the CCDA conference being so close to the day I attended. The conference was still fresh on my mind, only being a couple weeks prior, to being at Lawndale Community Church and seeing the community from which CCDA began. At CCDA I was completely overwhelmed by the undertakings of believers who were facing huge, seemingly insurmountable social issues with humility and courage. Being in the gym and hearing Dr. Saffore talk about denying ourselves started to make some more puzzles pieces come together. If I’m actually serious about denying myself to the mission of Christ, if the church claims it’s dedicated to this work, then maybe it will not be so surprising to me when Christians take on the work like the work they do at CCDA.