Sarah Han - Church Visit #1

Church name: Saint Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church

Church address: 1855 E Fifth Ave, Aurora, IL, 60504

Date attended: 11 October 2015

Church category: Orthodox Church

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

I attended the Divine Liturgy service on Sunday morning. The service used the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, a church father from the 5th century. In contrast with the Baptist church I attended in Wheaton where my pastor speaks very informally, this service was highly structured and formal and every word and movement was deliberate. The pinnacle of the Orthodox service was the Eucharist and they interrupted the flow of the service to mention that they knew they had visitors that morning (the only non-Greek Chinese people) and wanted to be clear that only those baptized and in good standing in the Orthodox Church could participate in the Eucharist in this service. This contrasted sharply with the open communion tables characteristic of many nondenominational and Protestant churches I have grown up attending. As I followed along in the liturgy, I found it interesting that many of the prayers of the priests were to be spoken inaudibly. The impact of prayer does not depend on the congregation hearing what is being said. In fact, many of those extensive prayers were prayed as the choir sang in response to a previous part of the liturgy. The priority in this service was not on eliminating distractions, as I have heard many Protestant church leaders prioritize, but on the power of God to transform and respond to the prayers of His people.

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

I found it striking how this worship service was primarily vocalized through the singing and speaking of the priests and the choir. The participation of the faithful was through physical positioning, whether sitting, standing, kneeling, or bowing our heads. The only parts of the liturgy which involved the congregation speaking was the affirmation of the Nicene Creed and the Lord's Prayer. These two texts reminded me of the unity of the Church across space and time. Theologically, there was a rich subtext behind the participation of believers. Having visited many Orthodox churches throughout the Holy Lands trip, I have seen a number of churches which had a balcony for the choir. Getting to be a part of a service in which the choir sang from the balcony brought those buildings that I had studied to life. This experience reminded me of the difference between examining an unfamiliar church building and participating in a service in the same space.

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

Participating in this worship service reminded me of the value of engaging the senses in worship and the importance of physically and communally worshipping. I was reminded very unambiguously that even if I desire church unity, I am situated very specifically, not only on the basis of my gender and race, but also on the basis of the way I was baptized and what denomination I do or do not affiliate with. All of the history we have been studying has direct influence in shaping my positionality today, especially as we later look at schisms. Whether or not I like it, I enter into a conversation about the Church that must be seen in the context of its history. Seeking church unity without listening to history can have disastrous effects. Instead, I must continue to grow in my awareness of my positionality and appreciation for people with different perspectives and experiences in the Church.