Cyanea Poon - Church Visit #2

Church name: Lawndale Christian Community Church

Church address: 3827 W. Ogden Ave, Chicago, IL 60623

Date attended: 14 September 2014

Church category: significantly lower socioeconomic demographic

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

The demographic of the church is majorly of darker skin colors than myself – either Africans or African-Americans. Unlike what I’m used to in a church setting – where the podium is at the front and the congregation is seated as an audience facing it – the seats are arranged around the venue (the gym) in a spherical manner and the podium is in the center. They sang Gospel music (without lyrics on the screen) for worship, and the church did not pass around a basket or bag ‘asking’ for offerings. Yet in spite of all the differences, the general flow of church service that I’m used to is similar – worship, greetings to one another, announcements, sermon, blessing.

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

There are two aspects that is most interesting and appealing to me for the whole service. First is worship through Gospel music, where the congregation sang along with the leader and no PowerPoint words. It is an amazing experience as we got to worship together not in a ‘orderly’ manner that I am used to. The other most interesting thing to me is how the message is tightly connected with the day-to-day life in the community, and the Gospel is to be lived out every single day. It also strikes me way much more what it means to live where danger and evil is real, and why we need God’s kingdom on earth.

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

The most disorienting thing about the worship service is when I come to realize I am very self-aware of what I am wearing throughout the whole service. I still remember how awkward it is when I first come to the States and realize everyone dress up for church; Two years flew by, and now, I find myself on the other end, feeling really uneasy being the one who is significantly more dressed up than the rest of the congregation. Much as we say that we are a body of Christ, the idea of having a social stratification makes me very uncomfortable.

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

One passage that the pastor (coach) mentioned that really strikes me is our calling in accordance to Matthew 28 – that we are called to spread the Gospel to the end of the nations. I had a very strong conviction at the service that day for me to realize that preaching and living the Gospel is a daily thing that we should be doing, not only when we are ‘evangelizing’. Another illumination that really strikes me is recognizing our glory is in heaven, and seeking not of the glories of this earth. When living in the neighborhoods where life is endangered every single moment, the recognition of this truth is way beyond conceptual understanding.