Rebecca Fox – Church Visit #1

Church Name: St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

Church Address: 893 Church Rd, Elmhurst, IL 60126

Date Attended: October 2, 2016

Church Category: Greek Orthodox

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

The service was much different from my regular context in many ways. The service lasted about 2.5 hours and followed the Divine Liturgy of John Chrysostom. Significant moments in the liturgy included the prayers echoed by the Kyrie, the presentation of and reading from the Luke 6, the recitation of the Nicene Creed in both Greek and English, a brief sermon given by the Bishop of the Metropolis of Chicago, and the Eucharist. The space was very ornate with icons covering every surface, yet another difference from my typical church environment. The service followed a pattern in which each stage of the liturgy the priests first venerated a depiction of Jesus, which was set apart at the front of the church, and then turned to lead the congregation. The arrangement suggested that direct interactions with Jesus were rather limited and came primarily through the intermediation of the priests.

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

As the majority of the service was in Greek I spent most of the time not sure what was happening. While this could make for some uncomfortable moments, it’s important to experience worship that is unfamiliar. It’s a reminder that my style of worship isn’t the only way to worship, and that there is much to learn from how other Christians worship. I was forced to pay attention to how the practices and physical postures during the service are just as important as what is said. I noticed how the space of the sanctuary created a historical orientation to our worship. The walls and ceilings were beautifully decorated with icons of Jesus and the saints, and the only windows were stained glass depictions of important saints. With the images of various saints gathered all around, we were not only worshipping among the members of the body who were present in the church that day or even gathered around the world, but I was also aware of the many who have run the race before me.  

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

Too often I approach worship on Sunday morning with a me-centered attitude—what is comfortable and familiar, what do I bring to worship. The arrangement of the Greek Orthodox service was not about the gathered congregation, but about what we had come to participate in.

We were there to worship the one, true God. That is a big deal that should not be entered into lightly. The service made me yet more grateful that I can approach Jesus personally while challenging me not to take that for granted as well as to do so with greater reverence. The experience was also a reminder that when we gather in our different church buildings we are joining in worship with the whole body of believers. We join with our brothers and sisters across the world, across the traditions and languages, and across time. When I think of it that way, it’s a little glimpse of heaven.