McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church

March 23, 2025

It’s spring break for the University of Illinois, so I decided to visit a campus congregation while street parking was easier. Inside the door I was warmly welcomed by a couple of people who gave me the week's bulletin and invited me to have a hot drink and cookies. The ginger snaps decorated for St Patrick’s Day were really tasty!

Another beautiful sanctuary with high ceilings, stained glass windows, hardwood floors, and an impressive pipe organ. Ideally there would be plenty more worshipers on hand, but with spring break students missing and with kids elsewhere in the building, we had a nice multi-racial, multi-generational group of about forty. The atmosphere breathed peaceful grandeur as a tone sounded to call us to our seats.

This church is part of the social justice tradition, we were told as announcements began: chances to serve at the food pantry, notice of a fellowship of working adults at the Esquire Café, landscape work on the courtyard, support of a peaceful Rally for Democracy at the county courthouse, a recital on campus by one of their grad students. A look at the website shows that there is a lot happening here. 

The responsive call to worship was from Psalm 55, one of my favorites. All were then invited to light a candle representing our prayers for peace, our hope for the world. Those who came forward did this in a bank of votives that shone throughout the service, a lovely testimony.

There followed a hymn, scripture reading from Luke 13, and a call to confession. It’s corporate, so even if this confession does not reflect how you’re feeling today, it is reflecting how someone is feeling. “The broken come, and we hand them an aspirin . . . . Have mercy on us, Steadfast Love."

A powerful rendition of “Make Them Hear You,” was sung and played by congregant Alonzo. Wow! Then we went back to Isaiah 55 for another reading before Rev. Weatherford’s message. She began with a report of what other Presbyterian churches in the area are doing to reach out to the community and how meeting and collaborating with those churches is encouraging for sharing both vision and concerns for the future. It was good to hear a pastor praising other congregations!

In the fig tree account of Luke 13, the impatient landlord is like the Roman Empire, choosing efficiency over all else. When we live in an empire situation, when the government around us values efficiency and income over the gifts of the land and the tenants of the land, what are we to do? Remember that God has given the land and its produce to tend. Out of that we remember, connecting back to Isaiah, that God will provide what we’re thirsty for and hungry for. Be encouraged knowing that one doesn’t have to work alone. We are stronger together as a neighborhood of people of faith working to see that others have what they need.

Next we sang Joy to the World! Why not? :-] Offering plates were passed as the organist played a closing. We were encouraged to greet one another and then the internet feed was shut off as we were invited into a circle around the communion table for the prayers of the people. Linda, who had welcomed me in, made sure that I, a newcomer, knew I was welcome in the circle. This was a sweet time, not awkward at all, as those who wished to speak shared prayer answers and requests, followed by the group responding to each, “Lord, hear our prayer.”

I left thankful for this worship experience.