Ariana Damaske - Church visit #1

Church name: Lawndale Community Church 

Church address: 3827 W Ogden, Chicago, IL 60623

Date attended: 09/25/2016

Church category: Lower socioeconomic 

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

The Church was mostly African American, which is not what I am used to since I grew up in an Italian church in Milan. Even though the cultural component was different, it felt very familiar. We were warmly welcomed to the church by smiles and hugs, back home it would have been kisses. The usual personal space that I have noticed as an North American phenomena was almost completely absent. In order to find a seat we had to squeeze through people who were warmly greeting each other. The rows of seats were all facing a platform, on which the worship leaders were standing, all facing a different side of the room/gym. The chairs were all in a row closely together, and not separated in order to allow a comfortable personal space. The service was very dynamic, went from corporate "normal" style singing to a choir sinning and praising. We then transitioned into a time of celebrating the the most recent baptisms and to sharing prayer requests and praises with the whole church. After a time of prayer for the request the sermon started. The preacher demanded feedback on what he was saying, and the church body many times gave it to him without asking. The Lawndale Community Church reminded me of my home church in so many ways, and I could really sense the bond of fellowship among the people in that place. 

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

At my church back home, we often engage in a time of praise and petition together, asking each other what God has taught us and how we can be praying for each other. My church is quite small for US standards, we are about 50 people, so it makes it manageable to have such a time of sharing. I was very pleasantly surprised when I saw this time of sharing happen in a bigger church, and it being possible! One of my worries in seeing my church at home growing is that we will not be able to have these wonderful times of fellowship as a whole body. Going to Lawndale really encouraged me to keep pursuing this tight sense of unity and community even as more people join.  

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

I believe the most disorienting thing of the service was the way it was physically set up. The pastor, the worship leaders, and the prayer pastor stood on a square platform surrounded by all the congregation, so I could see the people who were sitting on the other side of the platform, which was a bit distracting for me. My thought is that is it set up that way in order to build more community, which I understand. The new set up made me want to observe the entire space a little too often, which challenged my ability to stay concentrated on what the pastor was saying. 

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

Lawndale just started a new series on being who God made you to be. The message today was called "Put on your own mask first," which focused on the importance of knowing yourself and making sure you are connected to the source of life (God), and that you know what your target is before you try to help anyone else.  What stood out to me the most, maybe because of the diverse context I was in, is that God made me exactly who I am ethnic background, gifts and all because it pleased him. God made every individual uniquely in order to show His greatness, and also to strengthen His bride.