Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church

September 8, 2024

Beautiful sanctuary of woodwork, archways, and stained glass. A crucifix hanging high over two columns of twenty rows of wooden pews. Up front a choir of a dozen, robed in white with red trim, line a path to the altar glowing with candles and blooming with flowers. A US flag and the Christian flag stand one to each side. 

"Be thoughtful, be silent, be reverent, 

for you are in the House of the Lord. 

Before the service, speak to the Lord.

During the service, let the Lord speak to you.

After the service, speak to one another."

The priest was singing an opening prayer as I was handed a multi-page leaflet containing the day's liturgy. I much appreciate this attempt to clarify the process, but it was still a little hard to follow for one unfamiliar with the format. The service is divided into The Word of God and Holy Communion. Its various aspects involve some standing, some sitting, and some kneeling on benches built into the pews. 

Our first scripture reading was from Isaiah, followed by music, then a reading from James and another hymn. The final reading involved a procession in which our priest today, Associate Marisa Vogel, was escorted by four other robed officiants halfway down the aisle. Here they stopped and one of the four held the Bible so that the priest could read the day's passage from The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark. Everyone in the room turned toward the center to see and hear this reading for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost.

A ten-minute sermon followed. Unfortunately, I failed to grab my notes when I left, but from what I do remember we were encouraged to trust God for our rescue as he had provided a rescue in the Isaiah passage. Next came recitation of the Nicene Creed. 

Prayers of the People included mention of President Joseph, Governor JB, the archbishop and others in the church hierarchy, and then a list of first names which I guessed to be people in the congregation in different kinds of need. Prayer confessing sin was next. At this point, it being the first week of September, all students, teachers, and school administrators were called up for a special blessing of the new school year. As those returned to their seats we had a minute of people greeting each other with peace.

The Doxology and another beautiful anthem led into the Eucharist. After the choir and other robed persons up front were served, the congregation of about forty people stepped into the aisle to move forward. It seemed a special privilege to be invited onto the stage with the choir and candles. People knelt as they reached the altar rail and one of the officiants, a lovely lady with silver hair, went back and forth along the row putting round, paper-thin wafers into outstretched hands and offering the cup as each new group arrived. Watching for the custom of this particular church, I saw the second person from me actually sip from the cup which the officiant then wiped with a cloth. The woman next to me however, offered her wafer back to the server who dipped it in the wine and put it to my neighbor's mouth. This is the method I chose. And yes, it was actually wine, not evangelical grape juice. :-]

The service was then soon ended with another brief word and prayer, blessing, dismissal, processional hymn. Here's where I missed a cue. We had been dismissed and I saw someone leave, so I grabbed my bag and headed out. But apparently it wasn't really quite the end yet, as most people remained seated to hear a final piece from the organist, Prelude and Fugue in D Major. 

Seventh Day Adventist Prophecy Seminar

August 20 (and 24)

A flier addressed to Resident arrived in our mailbox last week, invitation to a free nine-session Bible Prophecy Seminar at the Champaign Seventh Day Adventist Church. Who am I, with my church curiosity, to turn down such an opportunity? This is a  bonus post, as the meeting wasn’t a regular worship service. There was no singing or offering or general announcements, and the church's pastor didn't take the stage. The only person to speak was the guest teacher, Carlis Clinton as noted on the flier.

A greeter opened the door for me and indicated registration just ahead. Apparently, even though the seminar was free, the speaker wanted to know who was there. As said before, I’m not interested in being on the mailing list of all the churches I visit, so I slipped in a side door to the event avoiding the sign-in tables. I hoped no one would notice, but after a minute a gentleman approached to give me a raffle ticket which, to his surprise, I politely turned down. Thankfully, he didn’t ask me to go back out and register.

Our speaker was already on the stage and engaging the audience. He drew for the raffle and announced the winner's name. If I understood correctly, this winner as well as the person who brings the most guests on another night will receive a Strong’s Bible Concordance, no light-weight gift!

About sixty people half filled this attractive sanctuary. An American flag was up front on the left and the Christian flag with two others on the right. Rev. Clinton briefly reviewed the previous four sessions of the series and previewed the four yet to come. Friday he will talk about conspiracy, he told us, which will leave everyone with questions he will answer on Saturday morning. (Remember that Saturday is primary worship day of the Adventists.) Clinton said the man of lawlessness will deceive the majority of Christians but that those who attend these anchored-in-scripture lectures will know more than most pastors. 

He told a joke that was pretty funny and began tonight’s talk, which he called the most technical of the nine lectures. For the next hour, he went into detailed explanation of numbers and dates and events and years from various prophecies in Daniel, Revelation, Hebrews, and other scriptures. He took issue with the writings of Tim LaHaye and Hal Lindsey—see 2) on the card.

We are living in judgement now, he said, and our good works cannot get us to heaven. Cosmic conflict between good and evil is coming soon, but the door of mercy is still open.

As we were simply dismissed, this response card was distributed, the third opportunity/request for our names. On the way out, I was handed an end-times diagram and a list of supporting scriptures which related to tonight's message.

Harvest Church

August 4, 2024 

A friend suggested a visit to this church. The nice big building is only about 25 years old and sits on scenic acres east of Urbana. I was greeted at the door and offered communion elements and a printed outline for message notes. The sanctuary is a good-sized room with a high ceiling and a stage flanked by the US and the Christian flags. There were way more empty seats than those filled by the fifty people in the room. Kids were elsewhere in the building. Music from the worship band had just begun. None of the melodic songs were familiar to me.

Communion was first. All Christians are welcome to participate said Pastor Jon Callahan. He took the hand of the young woman who delivered his cup and prayed a special blessing over her before moving to wider concerns after we had taken the wafer and juice. “When President Trump was shot, Lord, and he stood up and he said ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’ I believe, Lord, that that was a prophetic word from you to your church.”

A woman (indicated later as Jon’s wife, Pastor Debbie) stepped forward from playing keyboard to invite people to fill out prayer request cards. She prayed for a woman fighting cancer and told a story of her own healing some years ago when she took her toddler’s hand to agree with her in prayer.

The offering plate was passed and those joining by internet were welcomed. 

“Keep praying for Israel,” Callahan advised. “This thing is getting serious. Pray that the demonic forces of the earth would not be able to usher in the antichrist.” He then went into a lengthy introduction of Psalm 150 and read through it in animated fashion, singing and shouting as indicated. He encouraged listeners to shout and dance. “Your shout has power!”

Today’s sermon was a brief retelling of Joshua 6.12-19 with excursions into health and politics. Our bodies are like that Ark of the Covenant; they carry the Holy Spirit. We should keep them holy and clean. Some of us are struggling in body, we were told, a big area of discouragement. The devil wants you weak, defeated, and in a brain fog. “You’ve gotta shake it off, people.” Press in. Keep fighting. One aspect of Callahan’s own good health has been the elimination of sugar from his diet. (Not a bad idea.) He took a few minutes to talk about this. 

Another point in regard to health: it’s important to not be constantly focusing on the negative. If you have pain, depression, "weird stuff in your head," start praising God. "Shout it out!"

Then we got Jon Callahan’s political opinion. It's not his candidate who is the weird one, he said, but Pete Buttigieg. There’s no need to worry about offending people “of the other persuasion” in saying that because Callahan is “just telling you truth.” Truth heals and restores. Desiring to see this nation be great again, "that's not weird." 

There followed a short prayer and the service ended simply with a dismissal. No one spoke to me as I went out.

New City Church

July 14, 2024

This morning I hiked toward the Shoppes of Knollwood in south Champaign in search of New City Church. One of its site pages said start time was 10 and another page listed services at both 9 and 11. Since it’s really hot today, I decided to hope the 9 was correct. On my first pass of the Google-maps-indicated location there was no sign of a church, nor any collection of cars. I wandered about the buildings and parking lot for a few minutes before a couple of guys came out a door and put up a welcome sign. I’ve been in enough churches with rented locations to realize that this was probably the spot. Bingo. But where were all the cars? Turns out the double service times are for during the school year, not summer. I was an hour early.

An engaging young man offered me water and showed me to the main room where I sat down to wait. Rather than leave me there, he struck up a conversation. When I asked his story, this Midwest Baptist seminary student was happy to pull up a chair and share it in enough detail that took us right up to start time.

In the meeting room, a large cross hangs behind a stage up front. Under the open ceiling are rows of cushioned chairs with QR codes on the back of each so that visitors can get more information, an innovation not surprising in a youthful church. Soundboard and coffee are in the back. Keyboard and guitar players and the lovely singer were getting set up and practiced a few songs. About half way into the hour of waiting, the pastor called his team to a huddle in the back in preparation for the morning’s event. He asked the speaker what today’s sermon would be. I could tell from what I overheard that it might be a difficult day because something tragic had just happened.

The service began with a couple of songs as people filtered in. The crowd of maybe 50 or 60 people was fairly young with only a few looking retirement age. Kids were down the hall in Sunday School. Pastor Nick came to the podium and told the group that one of their own had unexpectedly died last night. Soft sounds of grief were heard as we went into a time of prayer for this wife and children. The deceased man is worshiping in person with the Father today, Nick said, and he would want us to carry on even in sorrow. The pastor and others would be available after the service and all afternoon for anyone who wanted to process their pain and questions. “Whatever you’ve got, bring it.”

There followed about five minutes for people to greet and connect with each other. I made the acquaintance of a woman sitting behind me. We then sang the nineteenth-century hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus and couple of contemporary songs. One man raised a hand. At two stations set up in the front, we went to dip bread in juice in remembrance of the sacrifice of the cross.

Everyone seemed to be familiar with the speaker, Josh. We stood for the reading of the Word, II Peter 2, a timely warning against false prophets. Here are a few of the points. False teachers deny that God’s judgment is real. There aren’t so many prophets today (hmm). We are more vulnerable now however. In the first century a person pretty much had to be within earshot to hear someone’s message. Today we can speed through multiple conflicting messages with a click. Who do we trust for information? How do we know what is true? Look to the Bible and to Jesus, the God-man. Spend more time there. 

Pastor Nick took the stage again and reminded everyone of the annual Mission Trip to Campus which the church does when university students return in late summer. He closed with gratitude that the people of God can continue to sing songs of praise and hope even after such a sobering event as the church community is now experiencing. The benediction was from Hebrews 13.

Church of Scotland, Geneva

 June 9, 2024

June’s visit is at The Church of Scotland in Geneva, Switzerland. Wow! Steve and I were on a Reformation Tour, checking out various historical sites with a group from Urbana Theological Seminary. This church ministers to “English speaking people who wish to worship in the Reformed tradition.” Just before 11 a.m. our group was warmly welcomed along with other worshipers through the Gothic stone arch entrance. The Auditoire de Calvin (reformer John Calvin’s lecture theater) has a high arched ceiling trimmed in stone. The décor is fairly simple, however, as compared to the huge glittering cathedrals we’d been shown.

One hundred or so wooden chairs in two columns pretty well fill the floor space of this historic auditorium. When we arrived, the room was full enough that our group of fifteen had to separate to find seats. The formal order of service was printed in the bulletin: prelude, then introit, then welcome and edict before the call to worship. There followed various readings and prayers. Prayers for others included Ukraine and Gaza. Doxology. Three-fold amen. There was a brief talk for children who were then dismissed to their Sunday School classes. Collection of offerings. Some announcements. All this was interspersed with hymns. We stood up and sat back down five or six times. A musical piece was performed on bassoon, horn, and viola.  

The gist of the story of the Bible, said Minister Laurence Twaddle in his ten-minute message, is God’s passion for relationship with us. A key question from Genesis is “where are you?“ Revelation responds: God’s dwelling place is among his people. This is the aim. God wants to be more to us than creator, designer, law-giver, provider. God wants to be with us. He took the risk of giving humanity freedom, freedom to run far away, to slam the door, even though we’re made in God’s own image. We have been given potential for love and for disaster. God deeply desires our love. “Being with us is so worth the trouble that he goes to the trouble.” Christ went to hell and back. And we, with our heady freedom, with our independence and our stubborn hearts, will we open the door to him? God asks every single one of us, “Where are you?”

I found it really interesting that in this bastion of Calvinism which attests to God’s absolute sovereignty, this message focused on our freedom of choice. Hmm

All were invited to refreshments up a narrow winding stair, but our group decided to move on to our next stop, the far more imposing and grand St Peter’s Cathedral right next door.

St. John Lutheran Church

May 19, 2024

Two things struck me as I entered the sanctuary of St. John Lutheran Church in Champaign:  cold air and angelic children’s voices singing Come, Holy Spirit. But where were the kids? Ah, look up and behind--a loft. A multi-page bulletin given by a greeter helped me track where we were during the seventeen parts of the service, standing and sitting multiple times.

First, everyone stood and turned to the back entrance. The robed pastor came in with a large crucifix on an extended post and carried it well above our heads as he walked up the aisle during the Processional Hymn. Today’s service was to honor the feast of Pentecost, he told us in a radio voice (except for singing, the only voice heard in the service) .

First, a baptism. Following the script of the Lutheran service book, a baby girl received “the sign of the holy cross both upon [her] forehead and upon [her] heart to mark [her] as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.” The book explains that when a candidate is unable to speak, the sponsors may answer. So, this eight-month-old child promised through the words of her parents to renounce the devil and all his works. Through her representatives, she further testified to belief in the trinity and her desire to be baptized. And so it was gently done, and she was forgiven of all her sins. Her parents and two men who stood with them accepted responsibility for this little one’s spiritual oversight as she grows, no small commitment as outlined.

After prayer we moved through other parts of the service, some of the names of which are unfamiliar to me: Introit, Kyrie, Salutation and Collect. There were readings from both testaments and another processional, this time with the pastor going down the aisle and back with a Bible held high over his head. We sang a hymn or two, accompanied by some out-of-sight horns at times and bells at others. Lovely music.

Although the entire service was ninety minutes, the sermon lasted fewer than fifteen. Rev. Caithamer shared thoughts on Peter’s preaching at Pentecost. Ushers passed offering plates back the twenty rows of pews. The pastor then prayed again, including the names of several dozen people of concern.

Next began the Service of the Sacrament. It took the time of three or four hymns for all present members in this first service, maybe a hundred people of all ages, to be released to the altar. The body of Christ given for you. But the bulletin informs guests that ”it is in [our] best interest that [this church] practice closed communion,” so I did not partake. The Alleluia Ringers, still out of sight, played a closing song and the crucifix was taken from the front, back down the aisle and out.

Community Church of Christ on UI campus

 April 21, 2024

This past Sunday I visited the Community Church of Christ on campus. It had been recommended to
me as a bastion of liberality! The first entrance I tried was locked; the second one I came to, locked as well. The third door—bingo!—let me in. I was two minutes early, but there was no one in sight and no indication of which way to go to find people. Tentatively I started up a hall, soon able to follow the sound of voices. Ah!

The classic grand sanctuary had tall ceilings, a wall of warm paneling up front, and a pulpit on each side of the stage. About fifty attendees were scattered throughout. I was given a multi-page order of service and after several minutes, the pastor gave a call to worship. The day’s focus was on moving out of bondage, from brokenness and addiction to freedom in Christ.

Soon the room was filled with beautiful song from the choir:             “When all is lost our hearts are warmed,                                                 Our hope restored, our lives transformed. Alleluia!”                     There followed a fairly normal progression of responsive reading, hymn, passing the peace, and a children’s message. Several young teens were in the audience, but I didn’t notice evidence of a separate kids’ program.

From their New Century Hymnal we sang together a 1906s favorite This Is the Day the Lord Has Made. This song book has a mix of classic and new music, including some from other languages. Cool! It strives for gender neutrality which I noticed as well when we recited the Lord’s Prayer beginning “Our Creator, Who art in heaven.”

In her sermon “Testimony to Resurrection:  Freed,” Pastor Julie told a couple of stories of people finding freedom. One was multi-genre singer Jelly Roll, another a New York fire department chaplain. The stories exemplified two kinds of broken:  broken apart and broken open. Bravery is feeling our fear and acting anyway.

A moment of silence, then prayer and response followed the message. Requests which had been sent in were read as the congregation responded to each one, “God, in your mercy, hear our prayers.”

 As they walked back the central aisle a couple of ushers made offering plates available while the enthusiastic music director led all in the offertory song, Rise. Then we sang Amazing Grace and Pastor Leah gave a benediction. “And may the God who created you to be raised up, the Christ who showed you what resurrection looks like, and the Spirit who is transforming your life even now, be with you now and evermore. Amen.”

I did not stay for the after party in the parlor or the following Mental Health 101 workshop although it sounded interesting. A regional youth event is coming up and the bulletin also lists multiple other opportunities like body image and safer sex talks for seniors. CUCC hosts a free dinner for college students and needy people on Monday nights, the Jubilee Cafe. This church is fully affirming and they have Tuesday night LGBTQ and AA groups. Lots going on.