Marissa Jensen, Church Visit #2

Church name: Westminster Presbyterian Church 

Church address: 2821 N. Bell School Road, Rockford, IL 61107 

Date attended: March 2nd, 2014 

Church category:Church outside the Wheaton bubble    

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

I personally absolutely loved this church and it's service. It was similar to my home church in ways that made me feel comfortable but different in ways that I was looking for in a new church. I'm moving to Rockford this summer so I think this may be my new home church soon. But I really liked the sermon at this church. It was called "something old, something new". It was talking about how our experience shapes what we believe and understand in regards to our faith and how something new may be learning something from someone else through service. He elaborated on how other people have something to offer because their experience provides a unique perspective of God. This was similar to my regular context in that the sermon focused on service, my home church focuses on service quite a bit. But it was different from my regular context in that the highlight of doing service was for us to learn from the people we are serving, not the other way around, and how we may learn more about God by learning more about the people around us. I thought that this was very insightful to hear a church preach on. 

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

I thought that the most interesting part of the worship service was that it was more modern in it's message, meaning it wasn't super traditional. But, we recited the Lord Prayer, the Nicene Cree, and the Gloria Patri was stated in the bulletin. I thought that this was really neat how the church wasn't too traditional but still seemed to have very grounded foundational beliefs. 

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

I think that the most disorienting thing about the service for me was very similar to my last church visit. The church was mostly middle and lower class. For example, the women and her husband sitting in front of me placed one penny in the offering bucket as it passed. I though that it was a really beautiful demonstration of faith and it reflected the overall socioeconomic feel of the church. It really challenged me to think of how my home church, coined the "doctor church" back home, has shaped me and my church experience. I thought that this was a very good disorientation for me. 

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

I think that the most illuminating thing for me was how the church theologically highlighted how we have a lot to learn about God from the people around us. This has been a new phenomena for me over my college experience. I have not previously been encouraged to think in this way, before Wheaton. The sermon tied in this idea with Matthew 17 about the transfiguration of Christ. I thought that it was a really interesting passage to tie to the sermon. The pastor also talked about how it's alright to be honest about our sins from our past because that experience teaches us something about God's forgiveness and our journey through difficult times can be one of the most helpful things to encourage someone who may be going through something similar. And that discussion can bring a closeness between the two people also through vulnerability and honesty.