Micah MacAskill - Church Visit 1

Church name: Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Christian Church

Church address: 28W770 Warrenville Road, Warrenville, IL 60555

Date Attended: 9/20/2015

Church Category: Orthodox Church

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

As I walked into the small sanctuary, I instantly felt out of place in the gold-accented, incense filled room. Right before walking in, I could hear a small number of voices conducting the Orthros, or the daybreak service focused on the Psalms. The Divine Liturgy had not begun, but the first thing I noticed about the worship was the lack of instruments. On my way in, I had been handed a binder full of the liturgy. I was flustered by failed attempts to figure out what page everyone else was on. The smell was strange at first, and the images of the saints were beautiful but distracting. I was not used to the incredibly small size of the congregation (totaling about 55 people), and due to this factor I felt as though I stuck out every time the congregation crossed themselves at a mention of the Holy Trinity. At my church, I am also used to the pastor facing the congregation, whereas the priest spent his time facing toward the altar at the front of the church.

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

There were several fascinating instances where some particular aspect of the worship stood out to me and highlighted the contours of global Christianity. These instances often occurred through the affirmations of worship and the creeds. For example, we recited the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, but without the filioque. This instantly reminded me that I was no longer in a Western church. One of the hymns highlighted Mary as being a perpetual virgin. This concept was foreign to me, and I doubt that many Protestant Evangelicals would feel like this affirmation is necessary for faith. Lastly, much attention was given to the saints and martyrs of the past. In Protestantism as a whole, the saints and martyrs play no significant role in worship. However, in the Orthodox church that I visited, it appears as though non-Protestant church traditions attend to the historicity of faith much more closely. Even though I could detect differences of faith, I still felt at home in this Christian community.

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

During my time in the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, I was deeply fascinated by the liturgical elements of the service. I had never experienced something so beautiful yet mechanical. Something so foreign and yet familiar. During the homily, I realized how valuable a good exposition of a Biblical text is for spiritual growth. The homily seemed less focused on the content of the Biblical text and more focused on practical advice. Even though I value a more intellectual sermon, I could not help but think about how much I had in common with the other Christians present. On a bulletin board at the entrance of the church, I noticed some pictures from a pro-life event held by church members. Even though I disagree with some doctrinal statements made by the Orthodox Church, I recognized that there is much room for collaboration within the Christian Church in the addressing of fundamental moral issues in our culture. In the future, I hope that this experience will have a unifying effect on my interactions with other Christian traditions.