Since I was raised Catholic, I attended Memorial Baptist Church on Leslie Campbell Avenue in Buies Creek. After attending the 11:00 a.m. service on October 29th, I recognized similarities between this church and that of my childhood as well as differences in the areas of song, prayer, and the focal points of worship, a myriad of which were topics tied into class concepts addressed throughout the semester.
Several components mirrored those of Catholicism, but others contrasted my prior experiences. Singing was more prominent, and the service seemed like concert at times. Choir members were dressed elaborately, and, even though we were singing hymns, there was a solo section where it felt as though we were praising the singer, not God. Scripture readings were key and took place prior to the sermon, which appeared to be the central element. The sermon, …show more content…
The service was more traditional than I anticipated, although they didn’t recite creeds, which was done at my church. The liturgical elements consisted of altar calls and doxology instead of Communion, which didn’t occur. While the same hymns were sung, different words accompanied each song. In times of prayer, specific requests were spoken, while in my church the priest issued general prayers for the congregation. This may have occurred due to the church’s size, rather than a congregational difference, however. The sermon was titled “Everyday Saints” and relayed the idea that you don’t need to die to be a saint, but simply experience believer’s baptism and stay engaged, rather than become complacent. They mentioned that the Catholic view of saints draws attention away from Jesus and is idolatrous. This concept of everyone being a saint would be seen as blasphemous in my church. In short, there were quite a few contrasting ideas and practices between the churches, which can be tied to historical movements or interpretations of biblical
Several components mirrored those of Catholicism, but others contrasted my prior experiences. Singing was more prominent, and the service seemed like concert at times. Choir members were dressed elaborately, and, even though we were singing hymns, there was a solo section where it felt as though we were praising the singer, not God. Scripture readings were key and took place prior to the sermon, which appeared to be the central element. The sermon, …show more content…
The service was more traditional than I anticipated, although they didn’t recite creeds, which was done at my church. The liturgical elements consisted of altar calls and doxology instead of Communion, which didn’t occur. While the same hymns were sung, different words accompanied each song. In times of prayer, specific requests were spoken, while in my church the priest issued general prayers for the congregation. This may have occurred due to the church’s size, rather than a congregational difference, however. The sermon was titled “Everyday Saints” and relayed the idea that you don’t need to die to be a saint, but simply experience believer’s baptism and stay engaged, rather than become complacent. They mentioned that the Catholic view of saints draws attention away from Jesus and is idolatrous. This concept of everyone being a saint would be seen as blasphemous in my church. In short, there were quite a few contrasting ideas and practices between the churches, which can be tied to historical movements or interpretations of biblical