Reed Bartley - Church Visit 1

Church Name: The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Demetrios
Church Address: 893 North Church Road, Elmhurst, IL 60126
Date Attended: February 28, 2016
Church Category: Greek Orthodox

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

The worship service was different than my regular context in nearly every way. The first thing that I noticed was that the priests of some kind were at the front with a microphone between them and they were meditating/singing in Greek. Because I don't speak Greek I wasn't really able to get even the gist of what they were saying. The people in the seats sat facing the front where all of the priests were but really had no participation in the service. The liturgy didn't seem to be inclusive of most of the people who attended the service, which I am not used to. There also wasn't a sermon of any kind which is what I am used to. Instead, there was a long period of the meditation/singing/liturgy that was interspersed with what seemed to be a bishop waving candlesticks at the audience and making the sign of the cross at various times. The congregation didn't participate in the Eucharist, which is not what I am used to. The service was also centered around the Eucharist and the largest icon in the entire sanctuary was the Virgin Mary with Jesus in her womb was immediately behind the Eucharistic table. 

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

It really emphasized just how much variation that there is in global Christianity stemming from different traditions. The service honestly seemed more like a Sikh worship service that I had been to than the usual service at my church. I think this shows a relatively cultural understanding of worship that I need to recognize and appreciate. The service also revealed to me just how different the eastern and western traditions really are. The sanctuary was dominated by icons and this was clearly a large part of their worship even though I didn't really understand what was going on since very little was in english. They also had images of the church fathers such as Athanasius and Ignatius, which shows the reverence that they hold for the tradition and the saints that have been recognized in the past that aren't recognized in the Protestant cannon as having authority.

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

The service really illuminated just how American western my typical understanding of worship really is, which isn't bad in and of itself but it does mean that I would like to learn more about other traditions and their spiritual practices and be willing to come at it with a humble perspective. As far as my personal identity as a Christian, it showed me that their are other people with very different stories in the area right around me, yet we all profess faith in Christ. My way is not the only right way or entirely right in and of itself. Jesus speaks into all contexts and it would be very beneficial to understand more of what other people and traditions have to say.