15-minute Assignment PRIOR TO JANUARY 13, 2017 CLASS
Field Observation in a Congregation
One of the ways we understand the culture and theology of a congregation is by observing its social setting, its building, its artifacts, and its rituals. This is a very brief introduction to how to start this process.
Visit a church building – preferably one you do not know. It can be for a worship service or at a time when worship is not held. Write brief notes to answer the following questions.
What does a quick look at the neighborhood tell you about the community surrounding this church?
I visited St. Peter’s UCC in Knauertown. From the church, you would think you were in the middle of nowhere. There are no visible houses or businesses...just the church. Because I know the area, I know that there are a wide variety of houses and businesses within a mile or two. The houses range from farms (mostly horse) to trailers to large new homes with in-ground pools. I would say that the community is expansive. Certainly nobody is walking to church here. The community would appear to be a mixture of working class, possibly poor to relatively wealthy.
What does the building tell you about the culture of this church?
The size and structure of the building tells you that this is an old church and a deeper dive might point in the direction of a “family” church. They do, however, have another building that they rent out to the community. This could be to supplement their income (which, based on the size of the congregation, I would guess is not much) and/or for outreach. A quick look on their website tells me that it’s probably both. They rent out the hall for weddings, banquets, and also to exercise groups and local community groups. It is also where they hold a craft night once a week for members and non-members to bring their projects that they’re working on.
What do the material objects inside the church tell you?
The main thing that I noticed inside the church was that there was only one bible and that was right below the pulpit. I know this because I looked for one during the reading and found nothing but hymnals in the pews. I’m not certain if it is a UCC thing not to have bibles in the pews (I noticed we don’t have them in Santee chapel instead) or if it’s a Baptist thing to have them (I think we’re actually in the minority on this one...my old Episcopalian church didn’t have bibles either). It’s just something I notice. There was not much in the way of decoration in the church, but the pulpit was somewhat ornate. Not Catholic-ornate, but more than my home church is.
Looking at the bulletin (if one is available inside the sanctuary), what do you learn about the symbols, rituals, worldview, tradition, and culture of this church?
The bulletin was very plain, save for a black and white photo on the front put there by the visiting preacher as reference for her sermon. Hers and the organist’s name were the only names listed on the bulletin as far as leaders go. Other than that, it was strictly an order of worship.