Church visit 3

Blog title: Harrison Cowell - Church visit #3

Church name: Rock of Our Salvation

Church address: 118 N. Central, Chicago, IL

Date attended: 11/2/14

Church category: low income community

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context? The minute Rosie and I got out of the car we were greeted by members from the Church. It was obvious everyone knew each other and the community was tight knit. The service began with awesome gospel style worship. It reminded me of our gospel choir at Wheaton. Everyone was worshiping and singing at the top of their lungs. The songs were simple words of praise to God. The simplicity and repetition of these gospel style songs was meaningful. Because it was such a tight knit community, the announcements were very interactive. A young member of the church asked the congregation to come to her high school musical reflecting the congregation’s involvement in each other’s lives. Another member performed a skit as part of her announcement for an up coming church party. There was more worship after announcements including a time where anyone could come up and join the choir to sing. Throughout the service, the pastor addressed the congregation like a family. Before the kids were released for Sunday school, he came down from the stage and prayed with them. The message was about strengthening your faith. The pastor reminded us that our confidence is in Christ and not in our circumstances. He spoke transparently about trials in his own life and how God was meeting him.

         The community was definitely of a lower income than the church I attend. I was encouraged to see the strong faith of the members in the midst of challenging circumstances like needing food or a place to live, challenges that I have never experienced. It was encouraging to hear their testimonies of faith. The worship was much more charismatic than what I had ever experienced, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service? In addition to the worship, I was encouraged by the constant words of praise and affirmation coming from both the pastor and congregation regarding God’s ever present faithfulness in our lives. This coming from a community who knows great hardship and trial was a powerful witness to their faith.

Everyone was extremely warm and welcoming. One couple greeted Rosie and I right away, introduced us to their kids, and invited us to sit with them. I found out later that they were Wheaton grads and had felt a calling to minister to that community. It was awesome to here about their life and involvement in the church and local school system.

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

To see everyone praising God for his faithfulness with open conviction caused me to reflect on my own life.  I was challenged to reflect on my own circumstances and the ways I could be praising and reminding my soul of God faithfulness more.

The only thing a little disorienting was the length of the service. I was not used to nor expecting a two and half hour service, but it was worth the time.

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 pastor reminded me of how our faithfulness is credited to us as righteousness through Christ. He shared the quote “your faithfulness will speak highly of you” and talked about the faithfulness of the patriarchs and how God credited their faithfulness as righteous. We have an opportunity to act in fear and doubt or to act out of faithfulness. It was a helpful reminder and challenge to look at every decision as an opportunity to respond in faith and to have a heart posture of praise for the one who works all for our good and His glory.