Mark Sawyer
Church name: The Faith Community of St. Sabina
Category: Different racial makeup
Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?
The church was almost exclusively African American - I was one of three or four white congregants in a congregation of one or two hundred people. One of the biggest differences between my regular context at a PCA church was the venue itself. The church is located in a cathedral that used to hold a largely white, immigrant population. It is very ornate with high ceilings and beautiful art, as one would expect from a cathedral built in the early 1900s. The service was fairly liturgical, as it is a Catholic church. The message as given by a priest originally from South Africa, and he interacted with his congregation as he spoke, entering the pews to refer to people or talk to them. We did sing some of the same kinds of songs that I would sing at my home church, though they were adapted for a choir of sorts (5-6 people).
What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?
I felt so welcomed at St. Sabina. When I entered the church, the women greeting the arrivals gave me hugs and welcomed me with a "Happy Sunday" (such a good hug that I smelled like her witchhazel for a long time after!). During the course of the service we were welcomed by most of the congregation during the fellowship time, with people making a point to come over and make contact with us, even if it was just a handshake or a hug. Furthermore, we were asked to introduce ourselves briefly at the end of the service, and one of the ladies sitting next to me leaned over and made sure I knew when the service was going to be next week in case I wanted to come back! This welcoming atmosphere was not just directed at me as a visitor. The whole congregation was very welcoming of each other.
What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?
To be perfectly honest, I felt fairly comfortable at the service in regards to the flow of the service, how easily I was able to worship, etc. I did not feel disoriented. The most challenging aspect was the offertory time, because I think everyone was expected to give, as we were dismissed by rows. I and the other Wheaton students with me did not get up, as I had not brought any tithe money. However, it was interesting to observe how they presented their gifts. Rather than passing around a basket, everyone came down the center aisle and dropped their gifts into a large basket. In addition, families would gather around the offering basket and give a quick prayer over their gift. This was convicting and encouraging for me - I rarely think about or pray over the money I give to my church in such an intentional way.
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 importance of beauty in a worship service was apparent at St. Sabina. For example, the building itself drew one's eyes upward and towards the beautiful stained glass windows and towards the cross over the altar. However, the sanctuary was also decorated with pieces that were clearly not part of the original design. These pieces may have seemed out of place for a traditional, white, Catholic church. A neon "Jesus" sign hanging from the ceiling. Palms and plants. A very natural looking wooden altar. A painting of a black Jesus with hands outstretched. These pieces really beautified the space, but in a way that was distinct to the congregation. In this way, beauty drew me into worship differently than I would have worshiped had I been in my white PCA church.
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