Church Address: 1891 Kaneville Rd, Geneva, IL 60134
Date attended: 12, October 2014
Church Category: Significant more liturgical than my normal experience
Describe Worship Service:
This service was a Catholic Mass, so it was driven by a very high-church liturgy where form, tradition and symbol all played huge roles. St. Peter's is a large, modern building with a set of double doors opening from the outside into the narthex. We joined many worshipers walking into the sanctuary which was a very large space it could probably fit 1500-2000 people) with a high ceiling and beautiful, stained-glass windows. There were ray-like lines of wooden pews that made a sort of amphitheater around the stage where the musicians stood and before them, the priest's pulpit. The mass itself was rigidly structured according to the written program for the date of our attendance; the subject for the homily was already written in an order-of-service book for October 12, and included the same information for every other Sunday of the year. We sang traditional hymns, (led by a small vocal ensemble and accompanied by piano, percussion and at one point a saxophone) between prayers, confessions, declaration of our faith, the priest's homily, and the Eucharist.
This service was a Catholic Mass, so it was driven by a very high-church liturgy where form, tradition and symbol all played huge roles. St. Peter's is a large, modern building with a set of double doors opening from the outside into the narthex. We joined many worshipers walking into the sanctuary which was a very large space it could probably fit 1500-2000 people) with a high ceiling and beautiful, stained-glass windows. There were ray-like lines of wooden pews that made a sort of amphitheater around the stage where the musicians stood and before them, the priest's pulpit. The mass itself was rigidly structured according to the written program for the date of our attendance; the subject for the homily was already written in an order-of-service book for October 12, and included the same information for every other Sunday of the year. We sang traditional hymns, (led by a small vocal ensemble and accompanied by piano, percussion and at one point a saxophone) between prayers, confessions, declaration of our faith, the priest's homily, and the Eucharist.
Interesting, appealing:
As soon as I walked into the sanctuary, I was struck with the power and beauty of the symbolism in the architecture and decor. The high ceiling and stained-glass windows created the feeling of vast, lighted space. There was a large cross prominently hung over the back of the stage and the pews were arranged in a sort of ray pattern pointing every worshiper towards the cross.
Being someone who thrives on order and pattern, the physical liturgy of the service appealed to me in two ways: 1. Everyone who attended knew the pattern and could follow with the creeds and prayers; it was familiar. 2. The physicality of the worship; the congregation sat to listen, stood to declare, pray and greet one another and knelt to confess and ask the Lord's forgiveness. These symbolic expressions of our faith definitely made me think and reminded me of many aspects of our faith.
As soon as I walked into the sanctuary, I was struck with the power and beauty of the symbolism in the architecture and decor. The high ceiling and stained-glass windows created the feeling of vast, lighted space. There was a large cross prominently hung over the back of the stage and the pews were arranged in a sort of ray pattern pointing every worshiper towards the cross.
Being someone who thrives on order and pattern, the physical liturgy of the service appealed to me in two ways: 1. Everyone who attended knew the pattern and could follow with the creeds and prayers; it was familiar. 2. The physicality of the worship; the congregation sat to listen, stood to declare, pray and greet one another and knelt to confess and ask the Lord's forgiveness. These symbolic expressions of our faith definitely made me think and reminded me of many aspects of our faith.
Disorienting, challenging:
The most disorienting and challenging thing about the service was not being familiar with the liturgy of the mass. Without knowing the liturgy (and only finding an order of service near the latter part of it) in order to participate I had to watch and follow what everyone else did--a little awkward as I was a few moments behind everyone else. Not being familiar with the liturgy made me me feel out of place. This was extended when it came time to take the Eucharist, because as a Protestant I sat with my two other protestant friends in our pew as everyone around us filed out, walked to the front of the section received the bread and wine. Not being able to participate in this key part of the service (and of our faith) gave me a feeling of distance, as if speaking to me,"Even if you could memorize the liturgy, you could not participate fully."
The most disorienting and challenging thing about the service was not being familiar with the liturgy of the mass. Without knowing the liturgy (and only finding an order of service near the latter part of it) in order to participate I had to watch and follow what everyone else did--a little awkward as I was a few moments behind everyone else. Not being familiar with the liturgy made me me feel out of place. This was extended when it came time to take the Eucharist, because as a Protestant I sat with my two other protestant friends in our pew as everyone around us filed out, walked to the front of the section received the bread and wine. Not being able to participate in this key part of the service (and of our faith) gave me a feeling of distance, as if speaking to me,"Even if you could memorize the liturgy, you could not participate fully."
Aspects of Scripture or theology the worship service illuminated that I had not perceived as clearly in my regular context:
The aspects of theology that the service illuminated to me that I do not perceive as clearly in my regular context was the emphasis on the church family. The form of the service really seemed to bring the whole body of worshipers together as one, literally on their knees together as one body before the Lord. I thought about how this was just one parish, part of the whole Catholic church that participated with other parishes around the world in the exact same way. This reminded me of the fact that as Christians, protestant or catholic, we participate together with believers from around the globe to worship our God. In short, through participating in this service I was struck with the global unity of the body of Christ.
The aspects of theology that the service illuminated to me that I do not perceive as clearly in my regular context was the emphasis on the church family. The form of the service really seemed to bring the whole body of worshipers together as one, literally on their knees together as one body before the Lord. I thought about how this was just one parish, part of the whole Catholic church that participated with other parishes around the world in the exact same way. This reminded me of the fact that as Christians, protestant or catholic, we participate together with believers from around the globe to worship our God. In short, through participating in this service I was struck with the global unity of the body of Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment