Sarah Antioho - Church Visit #2

Sarah Antioho – Church Visit #2

Blog Title:  Sarah Antioho – 2

Church Name:  St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

Church Address:  393 North Main Street, Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137

Date attended:  3/5/14

Spanish Speaking Service - Different Ethnic Group

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

The service was very liturgical and traditional.  The sanctuary was simple and small.  The congregation was around 100 people.  I picked up a bulletin on the way into the service.  In my pew there was a bench for kneeling.  The service began with a hymn sung in Latin by the adult choir.  There was a Lesson that only lasted for about 15 minutes followed by a portion of responsive singing between the Cantor and the People.  There was the traditional imposition of ashes, which never happened at my church back home followed by a confession of sins and liturgy of the table.  I didn’t understand the Spanish and tried to follow along as well as I could.  There were others there that did not speak Spanish and so when we said the Lord’s Prayer we tried to follow along but ended up saying it in English.

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

I still felt a part of the congregation and unified with the people I was worshiping with when we were singing hymn that I knew the tune to or had to recite something that I could crudely pronounce.  The Spanish language is beautiful, and I enjoyed listening to it being spoken.  There were many families present and the children were sitting in the pews with the parents.  When a child was crying no one looked oddly at them and scowled.  This would not have happened in my church.  In my church we are meant to be silent and still.  The children were also allowed to go and take communion, which would never happen in my church, only those who are confirmed can take communion.   

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

I didn’t know what was being said when there was Spanish being spoken.  I found my mind wandering during the service because I didn’t know what they were saying.  I had to find unity in the music itself instead of the words.  I had to find unity and meaning in the act of kneeling instead of what was being said.  I had to find unity and meaning in the physical acts of worship and not the words because I couldn’t understand them.  I also had a difficult time knowing when to stand up, sit down, and kneel.  I just followed along and it wasn’t too awkward or disruptive. 

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

We are all one.  We are all united in the body of Christ even if we don’t speak the same language.  We are not just connected by the color of our skin or the language we speak, the God we serve connects us.  We each received the same body and blood of Christ when we went up for communion.  God did not come for just the white middle class people; he came for everyone.