In Which She Discovers Churches Full of ChristiansJosh and I have been visiting a broad cross-section of churches since he got back to school: the comfortable, welcoming, what-I-think-of-when-I-think-of-church church; the 45-minutes-of-announcements-so-um-we're-leaving-early church; the Indian Assembly of God church; and the Greek Orthodox church.
Last week we slated ourselves to visit Faith Assembly of God expecting a service that at least Josh, having grown up in AG churches, would be familiar with. When we walked into the sanctuary, however, we discovered that we were the only white people present, that this was a church made up entirely of Indian immigrants. We took seats in the back of the room, and only a few minutes passed before I whispered to Josh, "I'm sitting on the wrong side of the room." He glanced at our side of the room, filled with men in suits, and then at the other, filled with women in saris, and agreed. We decided I could stay beside him though, since we were so obviously visitors.
The church was incredibly friendly and welcoming, asking us to introduce ourselves to the church body and explaining their background. Everyone in the church was from a specific region in India, as they all spoke the same dialect. Only about 1/3 of the service was in English (and we wondered if some of that wasn't for our benefit). Although we suspect there was some speaking in tongues, it was impossible to tell the difference between that and the native language. The service was 3 hours long and included much singing, both in English and in the Indian dialect. All the singing was loud and enthusiastic, the songs in their native language being particularly beautiful.
At the end of the service, Josh and I decided that we would definitely return to this church if it were not for the extreme language barrier. These people were devoted and joyful followers of Christ. The service was encouraging, but it was also exhausting to process the unfamiliar language and strong accent.
This morning we attended Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church. Last Easter when I visited Josh's parents' house, we had read a very interesting article about an influx of people beginning to attend the Orthodox Church in Lancaster and elsewhere in the U.S. It was that article, primarily, along with curiosity, that sparked our visit today.
The church was beautiful, absolutely covered in vibrant religious artwork. The brochures we picked up explained that the icons exist to remind us that when we worship God, we are in communion with Christ and all of the saints who have died before us. Incense wafted around us. It felt peaceful and reverent, a place that inspired worship of God. Divine Liturgy, as the service is called, was conducted nearly entirely in song, some in Greek and some in English. The priest sang parts and the chorus sang response. Even the scripture passage was sung rather than read.
After the service, Josh and I stayed to look at the icons. The priest approached us and introduced himself, welcoming us to his church. One of the first things he said was directed to Josh: "Never cut your hair. I used to have hair as long as yours, but the archdiocese asked me to cut it when I came to this church. I miss it." Then he explained that he was not always part of the Orthodox Church and that when he converted he never expected to end up a priest. He used to be a Creative Writing professor and still teaches on the side when he can. He welcomed us to ask any questions we had, as it would give him fodder for his question-and-answer time with the church's children. He was the most amazing priest I have ever met.
And so, in the past few weeks, I have seen God at work in so many different ways, in so many different types of people. Church-hunting can be a valuable experience.
The conclusion of the matter: Josh and I have decided to become a part of Park Evangelical Free Church (the welcoming, familiar-feeling one), and also to visit the Greek Orthodox Church about once a month, because we both appreciated the extremely reverent approach to worship and would like to learn more about the Orthodox tradition.
Happy church hunting to all others who have moved.
Comments (4)
I really love this post. I never thought I would say this, because I have visited many a church in my lifetime, but...I can't wait to do it again. To do it on my own, independently, or with someone close to me, and just...live. I didn't realize what I was missing until I came here, where there are two Protestant churches and several Catholic, none in English. Although I am loving my tiny church here, I think that when I return to the U.S., the fellowship I will experience in the multitude of churches there will indeed be sweet.
Oh! I love that you've found the intense enjoyment and wonder that comes from an Orthodox (or High Anglican/Catholic) service. The priest sounds absolutely amazing! Congrats on finally finding a church home among the multitudes. ^.^
Ooh, good post. ^_^ I also like how you're titling your posts these days... very Dianna Wynne Jones.