Kelly Bradley - Church Visit #1

Church name: Saint Peter & Saint Paul Orthodox Church

Church address: 6980 County Line Road, Burr Ridge, IL 60527

Date attended: October 2, 2016

Church category: Orthodox Church

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

When I entered the church, I was warmly greeted by an elderly woman, told to have a seat anywhere in the sanctuary, and invited to join the congregation after the service for a potluck lunch, all things that reminded me of something that would happen in my home church. The service itself was quite different from my usual church experience. We stood for the majority of the service, following the liturgy prescribed by the prayer book. The majority of the service was prayer, responsive Scripture readings, and Eucharist. Every so often, a deacon walked around the sanctuary with the incense. While I did not go to the front of the sanctuary to receive the Eucharist, three different people brought me pieces of blessed bread, which made me feel very welcome and cared for. There was a short sermon based on the Gospel reading for the day, and announcements for the church followed the service. Overall, it was much more formal than my regular church context.

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

This experience was very illuminating for me, both through the service itself and through talking with members of the congregation afterwards. I learned that some of the defining features of the Eastern Orthodox tradition are that their theological beliefs correspond with the seven ecumenical councils, that the authority of bishops can be traced back to the Apostles, and that the worship services have remained relatively consistent throughout the centuries. Something that struck me was that the service itself did not culminate in a practical, down-to-earth sermon but was more focused on Scripture reading and Eucharist, which reminded me of how my Western culture has greatly influenced what I expect in corporate worship. I left this service with a greater sense of awe at the beauty and holiness of the God we worship, while I often leave services at my home church with thoughts about how I can apply the pastor’s message. While I do not think that is a bad  thing, I was grateful for the reminder that church is about worshipping God, not about coming to gain something for myself.

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

This experience really highlighted the unity of the Church as the body of Christ. While I was a little nervous at the beginning, I was quickly put at ease by the warmth and friendliness of the congregation. During the service, there were several times when I lost my place in the prayer book, and different people around me graciously helped me find the right page again. I felt no judgement whatsoever, only that I was very welcome to be in that beautiful space and worship God together with those people. After talking to members of the congregation after the service, I was struck again by the fact that my identity as a Christian is something that is so historically rooted. As an individual Christian, I am part of the body of Christ, which is something that is so much older and bigger than I can really understand. I came out of this experience with a deeper sense of gratitude in my identity as Christian, not because of being part of a particular tradition and denomination, but because of being part of something that transcends all of those divisions.