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Sign that I carried at MeckMin's March for Social Justice
This is the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation |
It has been six months since I completed visiting 50
churches in 52 weeks. It is time for
reflection. It was the most challenging
and rewarding projects I’ve ever attempted.
But if you are taking the time to read this, you already knew that. So, what did I learn?
I'm a "Liturgical Girl"
While I appreciated the diversity of the different churches
I visited, I learned that I am a “liturgical girl.” Having grown up in the Lutheran church, I
need the structure and ancient symbolism of the liturgy to bring me to a familiar
spiritual place. It is my spiritual
home. Looking back, I realized that when I experienced the death of my father and one of our best friends, I sought refuge in the liturgy. But this doesn’t mean that I can’t
or shouldn’t get out of my comfort zone regularly to encounter God in new and
rich ways. Going into this project I
knew that God was Universal and Omni-present.
But experiencing it in so many diverse settings truly brought it home to
me.
On Sunday Morning inside the I-277 Loop...
We truly do live in the Bible Belt! I worshiped in over a
dozen churches just inside the I-277 loop (and there are at least 10 others!). The diversity and similarities among these
churches are amazing. All of these
churches are Christian, but each has a unique way of expressing their common
belief that Christ is our Savior. The
two St. Peters (Roman Catholic and Episcopal) will quiet your soul with rich
classical music, ancient liturgy and amazing art, while just across the street, Elevation
(meeting in Spirit Square) will wow you with a production that would make any
rock concert producer proud. Near Panthers
stadium, the United House of Prayer for all People will test the limits of your
eardrums with a battle of the shout bands and folks will become so worked up by
the Holy Spirit, they will speak in tongues and need to be restrained from
falling down. A pastor three times the
age of most of the millennials in the congregation will have their rapt attention
via video as they sip their lattes at the Forest Hill Satellite at First Ward
Elementary. Gospel harmonies will have
folks standing and clapping at Little Rock and they will rise again when the
crescendo of the rhythmical hour long sermon comes to its climax. One Baptist church will be a beacon of
progressive ministries, housing Head Start,
six homeless families, and providing office space for a half dozen
service agencies, while another Baptist church will host a workshop after the
service to help you live according to their version of family values. First Presbyterian’s television ministry
allowed me to participate in their worship in my “jammies” on an icy Sunday
morning. Also tuning in that Sunday were
the extended family of a child being baptized who could not attend because of the
icy roads. And Caldwell Presbyterian
church has seen its own Resurrection from an average attendance of 17 to
becoming a healthy thriving beacon of diversity, social justice and hospitality
at the end of the trolley line. And all of this is going on at the same time and is within a segway ride of my house!!
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| Going to church in my jammies! |
Stretching outside my comfort zone...
My curiosity led me to visit several non-Christian houses of
worship. These experiences were
definitely richer when I was able to find a “worship buddy” to accompany
me. I discovered that the Ba’ha'i create a welcoming diverse atmosphere every Sunday
over a meal shared with all (Thank you Beth Wells!). Nearly
30,000 Hindus are coming together to build a Temple in East Charlotte with
marble mined and carved in India. There
I learned about rituals and gods foreign to me, but with ideals of peace,
physical and spiritual health, and environmentalism that were easy to
embrace. I experienced the separation of
men and women at an Islamic mosque and the beauty of chants in another
language. At the Jewish Temple I was
grateful the Hebrew had an English translation beside it and had to keep
reminding myself that the book was arranged from right to left. The art especially the sculptures in the temple were amazing. Everywhere I was welcomed and found folks
eager to answer my questions.
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Thakor Topowali, my "worship buddy" at the Hindu Temple
He encouraged me to reflect on my experiences when I finished my project |
African American Church have a special rhythm...
I came to love the gospel and jazz in the African American
churches, and now regularly attend Jazz Fridays at First United Presbyterian. The preachers I encountered varied in their theology but all had a special rhythm and cadence to
their preaching missing in predominately white churches. I’ll never forget the tears in many of our
eyes at First United Presbyterian as we tried to make sense of the uprising
going on around us after the shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, and the pastor’s
big bear hug as he greeted me after the service.
There were curiosities and customs that felt
awkward to me in these churches too. I
wondered where the children were. Only a
few very well behaved children sat in the pews with their families. While the music was uplifting and amazing, it
was often hard to join in. Everyone but
me seemed to know the words, so hymn books or detailed bulletins were rarely
used. And I will admit I was not
comfortable with the offering processional I encountered in several churches, and gave my offering to a
parishioner beside me several times rather than walk up before the
congregation.
A few things were awkward...
A few other customs, not confined to African American
churches also provided me with awkward moments or uncomfortable feelings. Coming from a German-Lutheran background, I
defined “late to church” as coming in during the first hymn, prayer or (Heaven
forbid!!) the confession. Folks would
continue to “dribble” in to African American churches, Greek Orthodox, and
Catholic churches until the sermon or in some instances just for
Communion. In one instance, I was one of about a half dozen worshipers when the service began, but by the time I left 2 hours later, over a hundred folks had gathered. Another time there was a “mass
exodus” after the sermon and the preacher asked the deacons to shut the doors
and retrieve folks from the narthex for the benediction. Perhaps it is also my Lutheranism that makes me uncomfortable
with selling things around the church.
The mosque had an almost bazaar-type atmosphere with folks selling items
from the trunks of their cars in the parking lot. While I assumed this was just a cultural
difference, I will admit that my it got my "hackles up" when a preacher in a Baptist
church mentioned during a sermon that his books were on sale in the lobby book
store.
I also felt awkward
several times during the “passing of the Peace” a practice that is becoming
more and more common in congregations.
When you do not know anyone, this can become awkward, especially when it
goes on for ten or more minutes. I had
always been taught that this was a time to truly wish for peace and
reconciliation with your fellow parishioners, putting aside or seeking
forgiveness for any conflict among you, not just a time of happy greetings. I
appreciated the churches that placed it at the beginning of the service, but
often it came in the middle and disturbed the spiritual flow of the
service. The best use of the passing of
the peace I found was at First Methodist, where we were asked to turn to our
neighbors and respond with “where we had seen Christ at work among us this
week.” Having a “hook” made it much
easier to approach folks and have a meaningful, if short, exchange.
While it was comforting, it was also sad that many of the African American churches and several of the churches I attended that were LGBT-friendly had to have off duty (I assume) police present for security. Just last week I visited Wedgewood again to support them during clean up of ugly words sprayed on their beautiful doors. I wish the "Y'all means ALL" sign in the crowd becomes "truly true".
It was an election year...
Having a presidential election in the middle of this
project, brought a different perspective to the separation (or not) of church
and state. Several African American
churches organized “souls to the polls” events to help their parishioners vote. Other congregations hosted candidates at forums or in worship. Less than 5 blocks separate First Baptist
Church and Little Rock AME Zion. If you
stand at the right place in either parking lot, you can see both churches. The preacher at one equated President Trump to
Beelzebub, and President Obama to Moses.
The other preacher told me from the pulpit that he was voting for Trump
and that those who intended to vote for Hilary should fear going to Hell. I found both perspectives unsettling and
while I want preachers to help me live out scriptural lessons during the week I felt both of these “crossed
the line”. Working in the real world for
social justice is part of my faith, but I do not deify or demonize politicians or others. Rev. Nancy Kraft's motto of "Loving, not Judging" while speaking truth to power (as the prophets did) could apply here.
Architecture and Art matter
Attending a different house of worship each week gave me a
new perspective on church architecture.
While the Holy Spirit was definitely present in several simple settings
of folding chairs and purposefully plain architecture (Ba'ha'i, Mormon, Quaker), some of the religious
art and architecture I encountered was definitely awe-inspiring. I was immediately awed by the stained glass windows at Friendship Missionary Baptist
Church. One side depicts scenes from the
Bible and the other side depicts their journey from Africa in slave ships. I also encountered Tiffany chandeliers,
frescoes, mosaics, icons and finely woven vestments and banners that were
obviously made to glorify God, and helped me do that too.
I also witnessed
congregations struggling with retrofitting spaces to accommodate new worship
styles. Praise bands and musicians can
dominate a chancel with just their sheer numbers, not to mention all of the
electronics. Many congregations have
adopted large screens for power point presentations during the service and
sermon. Sometimes these are very
effective and truly enhance the experience.
Other times, they dominate and “get in the way.” In one church the screen came noisily down from the rafters and blocked both the light and beauty of a magnificent stained glass window. However, I witnessed several sermons where
great works of art were projected on screens beside the chancel and were used
to help interpret the Biblical teachings of the day. While embracing new ways of worship, I think it is important to remain reverent. When the music or power point becomes the focus, rather than God, the point has been lost.
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Steele Creek Presbyterian was able to add screens to a very traditional chancel
How sad that they will be leaving the Sanctuary to merge with another church. |
Getting Technology Right is Hard
I came to appreciate having the readings , hymns,
and announcements projected on a screen, and see it as an environmentally
friendly alternative to having a bulletin with multiple pages (though a few churches did both!!?). Somewhere in all of this there is a healthy
balance.
I also found that some churches embrace technology, and
others totally reject it. Only one
church, a very tiny one,(only 15 people on the Sunday I visited) did not have a
website. Churches need to know how
important the website is to visitors.
Myers Park Methodist probably had the most sophisticated website I
encountered with portals for signing up for various activities. Steele Creek Presbyterian and Living Savior Lutheran had sites
that were easy for visitors to follow and know what to encounter when they
arrived. One church in Atlanta had 3 different
times listed for their main service. It
was listed as 11 am at one point on the website and 10:45 at another, and the
sign out front said 10:30! Having a
visitors’ portal that describes the service and gives easy directions to
the church, parking, and nursery is very important.
Also letting folks know any dress codes or specific rubrics to follow
(such as who can commune) is very helpful.
And I knew that the church didn’t monitor its website when the “latest
news” or sermons posted were 3-6 months old. The best use of technology I encountered was
two different preachers who encouraged folks to post on social media that they were in church
right BEFORE they silenced their cell phones!
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| Steel Creek's Visitor Portal on their website |
We are not all middle age adults...Nor are we all alike
I also noticed a trend in several congregations toward
making the young and the elderly feel included, and providing for everyone’s
comfort. Several congregations had pews with built in hearing devices and areas
that are wheel chair and walker friendly.
Several had removed the back pew and put in a row of rocking
chairs. Another arranged the room to resemble a coffee shop so that millennials would feel at home. Two churches had “pray-grounds”
where young children could play with quiet toys in the sanctuary. “Wiggle bags” or children’s bulletins were
also common, except in African American churches. Several churches had a variation of Children’s
Church where the children were dismissed after a short children’s sermon to a
special active service just for them, and then returned to the sanctuary before
the benediction. My favorite dismissal
was at Caldwell where the congregation dismisses the children by corporately saying
“May the Lord be with you there.” And
the children reply, “And may the Lord be with you here.”
Dr. King's admonition that 11 o'clock is the most segregated hour of the week, does not always apply to churches in Charlotte. I considered about a third of the congregations I visited to be integrated.
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| Rocking chairs at Wedgewood Church |
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| Signing and interpretive flags at St. Paul's |
ART!
One of my pleasant surprises was the wide use of art within
worship. At a congregation I visited
while traveling in Virginia, a member of the congregation who was an artist was
actually painting the Biblical lessons for Lent during the service. Her finished products were framed in the
hall. First United Presbyterian was commissioning
a piece of art for its 150th Anniversary.
Performance art was also part of several
congregations. Liturgical dance and
flags helped interpret the music in two congregations. And the music was as diverse as the
congregations I visited. I encountered
great Gospel and jazz musicians using guitars, saxophones, electornic organs, flutes, and
drums. Native American drums and flutes
had a completely different but equally inspiring setting at the Unitarian Universalist
church. At a Thanksgiving service
Antiphonal Alphorns (think the Ricola
commercials!) were juxtaposed with the Buddist bells and the Islamic cantor’s
call to worship! One church at a typical service in January had a full orchestra and ended the service with the Hallelujah Chorus! The exuberance of the Shout
Bands with their trombones, bass horns and drums were in a completely different category . I could never figure out how
the trombonists circling the drum set kept from “goosing” the drummer! The silence at the Quaker Meeting had a
beauty all of its own.
Reaching out and in!
One of the reasons I engaged in this project was to see new
ways of doing things and to encounter new ways of living out my faith. I kept lists in several different
categories: basically outreach and “in-reach”
(ideas within the worship or congregation).
The most impressive outreach I encountered was at St. Paul’s Missionary
Baptist where they are addressing affordable housing and gentrification by building
affordable apartments on land they have purchased that almost totally wraps
around the church. I was also impressed
that St. John’s Baptist actually houses six homeless families on their campus. Many churches had great outreach
opportunities listed on their website, but never mentioned them in their
bulletin or during worship. If I had not
gone to the website, I would never know about their outreach opportunities as a visitor. Other churches would spend way too much time highlighting opportunities during announcements that could easily have been read in the bulletin or on a scrolling
power point. Again, I think it is
important for worship leaders to think about striking a balance between the two
extremes.
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| Apartment Plans for St. Paul's |
I also encountered many great “in-reach” and worship ideas. Almost every church published a prayer list,
but Abiding Savior Lutheran in Asheville publishes theirs on a bookmark so that
you can take it home and have it handy during your daily devotions. St. Martin’s Episcopal has a column in their
bulletin that explains why the hymns and music were chosen for that Sunday and
a few comments about the composers or their own interpretation of the pieces. Leesburg (VA) United Methodist had a
variation of the Advent Wreath during Lent.
Instead of lighting a new candle each week, the candleabra began the season
with all of the candles lit, and one was snuffed out each week until the church
went dark on Good Friday.
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| Lenten Candles in Leesburg |
Worship Leaders have insights...and humor too!
One of the most rewarding things about this project was the
interaction I had with the various pastors and worship leaders. Since I wrote about each church in a blog, I
felt it only fair to give them a “heads up” that I would be publishing comments
about them on line. So if I could, I
would send the pastor or worship leader a rough draft via email. Usually I would explain this briefly when I
would meet the pastor after worship and give him or her my card. Some took the time to respond to my blog with
wonderful and insightful comments. Occasionally
they would clarify something that I misinterpreted or give me insight into a custom or point of theology that was new to me.
Only once did one of them ask me to change or include something, though I would always try to include their comments Several appreciated having “fresh eyes” on
the service and getting feedback from a visitor. Several wistfully voiced that they would like
to be able to be a visitor and be a worshiper without leadership
responsibilities. One of my favorites was a late night email exchange I had
with Rev. James Howell at Myers Park Methodist.
He asked me if I was a member of the Ship of Fools. My only reference for that was the song by
the Grateful Dead. Dr. Howell had had
several pop references in his sermon, so I asked him if that is what he
meant. He introduced me to the British
website Ship of Fools.com where “mystery worshipers” visit churches and then
write rather snarky (very British humor!) critiques much like food or movie
critics. I assured him that was NOT my
intent, but I now regularly visit the website and laugh out loud! As a result, I also started including humor in my blog
either from Ship of Fools or by googling comics related to the topic
encountered in the service that week. My
friend Rev. Nancy Kraft also introduced me to John Crist videos on
YouTube. I included a few of these
too. If you haven’t seen the one where
the pastor is “losing it” trying to get ready for Easter Sunday, you need to
check it out! I sincerely hope I did not insult anyone with my humor.
So what is my worship life like 6 months out? I’ve re-connected with my home church and will be co-teaching a small group on our church's social statement on Race, Ethnicity and Culture. But I'm still am not in the pew every Sunday. I’ve
revisited a few of the churches that I’ve found intriguing and have also
visited St. Mattress a few times. And
after writing this “wrap up” I realize that maybe I’m getting a little too
comfortable again and need to visit a “new-to me church” outside of my comfort zone
soon.
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| This is something I wondered about at each church I visited! |
