Week 6: From Presbyterian to Pentecostal: Experiencing Worship Diversity in a Matter of Hours

Last week I wrote about my wonderful experiences at Knox Presbyterian church, but what I failed to mention was the fact that I was able to attend and observe worship services at multiple churches in one day.

Since I was unable to get in contact with the pastors at Knox, I thought it would be better to spread out my observations over two weekends. However, since I needed to continue visiting all of the churches on my list, I had to double up on churches for one weekend.

So, at 9:00am I went to a traditional Presbyterian worship service, singing hymns and reciting traditional liturgy.

But, a mere hour and a half later, I found myself sitting in the largest church in Naperville: Calvary.

Over 50 years old, this church sees more than 7,500 worshipers on a weekly basis. In many ways, a fair number of churches in Naperville could fall under the megachurch category, but Calvary tops them all in size. With a sanctuary that seats thousands, Calvary has become a place where people flock to on Sunday mornings. In addition to their regular Sunday services at 9:00 and 11:00am, you can find services in Spanish in the fellowship hall at the same times. They also have an Indian Church meeting at 11:00am in their prayer chapel. What is so amazing about all of these opportunities is Calvary’s appreciation and consideration for diversity in Naperville and its surrounding towns.

    

However, these programs are not what I appreciated most about my experience with this church.

Walking into their worship service, you are met with a wonderful display on their stage. Risers accommodating large choirs, multiple keyboards and guitars, and a lively worship leader. Contemporary worship on a large scale, their worship team involves many musicians from the congregation. With their Pentecostal Roots, the feel of the service was definitely on the more charismatic side, a great deal different from the traditional Presbyterian service I had experienced mere hours before.

I’m not using this blog as a medium to comment upon my own personal preferences, to rant about which is better than the other. Because while I may connect with God through worship one way, people connect with him on the same level in other ways.

My project is meant to celebrate worship diversity. What better way to do so then up close and over the span of a couple of hours?

Its so incredible to be apart of so many different worship experiences. Week after week, I go from one church to another, learning and experiencing all of the different ways people worship God, broadening my horizons.

But while it revolves around Him, my research isn’t about God, its about people. The diverse ways in which we as humans come together to praise His name is a reflection of our own diversity as humans. Whether we like hymns or gospel music, organs or acoustic guitars, its all a reflection of our own experiences and differences.

And I think differences are okay. But I also think that we have to be open to accepting those differences.

Similarly, when it comes to church shopping, we have to be open to trying new things and exploring those differences. Some of my favorite experiences have come from the churches that stray outside my own church background.

When I studied abroad in Aberdeen Scotland, I attended an incredibly small and very traditional Church of Scotland. It was completely outside of my own experiences, but I loved every part of it. I loved that everyone was so welcoming and genuinely wanted to get to know me as an American student at the university. I loved that everyone knew everyone, and that the interactions between the pastor and the congregation during worship seemed so personal. I loved that we were worshiping in a church that had been around longer than my own country.

If I had never taken the time to step outside of my comfort zone I wouldn’t have discovered that I loved all of those things. That’s why I think it is so valuable to explore worship diversity, and why I am so grateful to even have that experience over the course of a few hours. Trying new things is scary and often a bit uncomfortable at times, but by getting out of your comfort zone you will grow to enjoy and appreciate things that you had never imagined you would.