Tessa Larsen - Church Visit #3

Church Name: Dupage African Methodist Episcopal Church

Church Address: 4300 Yackley Ave, Lisle, IL 60532

Date Attended: 4/6/14

Church Category: Different racial demographic

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

I thoroughly enjoyed visiting this church. It reminded me of the church I grew up in down in southern Florida because there was a great emphasis placed on community and welcoming in new visitors. The order of the service was fairly typical of my church back home in that it was less liturgical and more contemporary, which is quite unlike the church I currently attend here in Wheaton. The difference in the service centered mostly on the style of worship. This church was full of life and involved significant contributions by all members of the congregation. Worship was a heavily engaging affair, as was the sermon. Everyone was very vocal and expressive about the movement of the Spirit in the service. It was encouraging to me to see the passion that they had for the Gospel and their utmost surrender to their Savior.

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

The most interesting or appealing part of the service was probably the interaction between congregation, worship team, and pastors. As I mentioned before, everyone was exceptionally engaged in worship. They worshiped with complete surrender. And the overall spirit of involvement continued as the pastor preached his sermon. It was a refreshing respite from a typical Sunday worship in my church.

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

I was taken a bit by surprise when they asked all the visitors to stand and introduce themselves to the whole congregation. After we introduced ourselves they had us sit back down while they all stood around us and sang a song to us. It was a really sweet gesture, but I did feel a little awkward while they serenaded us all. After they sang they all came up and greeted us individually. It was actually really precious the way the cared and welcomed us into their congregation. I think it was just a bit disorienting, but I’m glad they did it. Made us feel welcomed.

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

This service helped me to better perceive the work of the Spirit in a worship service. This congregation was so open and ready to be moved and not afraid of expressing the passionate love they have for their Father. It was just refreshing to experience a worship service with individuals that were not in any way cold or pretending to be somewhere spiritually they were not, but instead be surrounded by a congregation of vulnerability who found freedom in worshiping their Savior.