David Huizenga: Church Visit #1

David Huizenga: Church Visit #1

Church name: River City Community Church

Church address: 3709 W. Grant st, Chicago

Date attended: September 21^st, 2014

Church category: Located in a low income neighborhood

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

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

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

I decided to attend River City Community Church, on the recommendation of Dr. Vincent Bacote of the BITH department.  River City identifies itself as having roots in "historical Christianity" and prides itself in ethnic and socio-economic diversity of its congregation.

River City bases its theology in the Evangelical tradition while also affirming core aspects of several other historical Christian traditions, namely from Liberation Theology, the Charismatic tradition, and a small handful of other less widely known beliefs.  Though they adhere to a wide range of beliefs gathered from various denominations and church movements, they clearly articulate that they are not to be confused with a non-denominational type church, so as to distance themselves from possible negative connotations which some perspective church goers might hold against "typical low income churches."

I grew up in a large West Michigan mega church that, despite claims to a nondenominational atmosphere, advocated many Baptist beliefs.  After coming to College, I began going to several Anglican and Episcopal churches and now consider my beliefs to align with the Anglican tradition more than any other.

River City Community Church actually reminded me quite a lot of the mega church that I attended as a child, only instead of a congregation of over 4,000, there was closer to 100.  This gave the church a feeling of closeness among believers that I don't believe I have ever experienced on this level.  The service (except for the sermon, itself) was more of an opportunity for the congregation to socialize and connect with other believers.  People were rarely in their seats for more than a few minutes, instead getting up to talk with old friends and make new ones.  It reminded me of one big game of musical chairs, with each person getting up and giving their seat to another person, so they could all have a chance to catch up with each member of the congregation.

Over all, I was a little off put by the lack of a one cohesive tradition of beliefs, but I found myself marveling at the commonality and bonds that could be easily observed between each and every member of the congregation.  I couldn't help but think back to Augustine's assertion that any two people with absolutely nothing in common should be able to find the strongest form of commonality between each other, insofar as they are both believers.