You are required to make four visits to worship services on your own this semester. You are encouraged to do more if your schedule permits. Often we see things on our second or fourth visit to a church that we don't see the first time. For example, we see that behavior that seemed spontaneous happens the same way week after week. Or, behavior that services that seem complicated or formal actually have a simplicity and spontaneity about them once one is familiar with the basic pattern.

The visits need to be to specific types of churches. A careful observation of your own church can satisfy one of these requirements. You are encouraged to make your visit well before "the due date." On the due date you should bring notes and reflections with you to class for discussion.

1. To a weekend or major feast day eucharistic liturgy at a Episcopal, Lutheran, or Roman Catholic church. Feel free to attend weekday services to supplement your observations, but you must attend at least one Sunday/feast day liturgy

Due: Feb. 19, Final paper due: Feb. 23

2. A non-eucharistic Sunday service featuring the sermon

Due: Apr. 9, Final paper due Apr. 17

3. A Pentecostal or Charismatic Church

Due: Apr. 30

4. Another church service, different in some cultural way from #2 (e.g., traditional or contemporary, rural or urban, lower class or upper class, predominately white or Hispanic or African-American).

Due: May 14

Learn something about the tradition you will be visiting.
Valuable resources include:

• Allow sufficient travel time so that you arrive before the service begins.
• Dress neatly and appropriately. (This will depend on the congregation or type of service. If you wear "church clothes" (e.g., a coat and tie) to most Roman Catholic churches you will be overdressed.)
• Respect the tradition of the church you are visiting.
  (E.g.: The congregation sits of kneels in silent prayer prior to the service in most Episcopal and Catholic services. They do not usually bring Bibles with them. Protestants are not normally welcome to receive communion in Catholic and Orthodox churches. See attached sheet for one Catholic statement on this. In some churches, visitors are expected to introduce themselves when the enter or at a certain point in the service.)
• Sit, stand, or kneel as appropriate. (If kneeling would be disingenuous for you, simply sit).
• If you talk to people before or after the service, be honest about why you are there (if the subject comes up).
• Do not take extensive notes during the service, unless it is common for worshipers to do this (as during the sermon at some churches).
• Observe the spirit of the service without overlooking important details.
  Things to observe include:
• What is the worship space like? How does it "feel?" What does it look like? What are the focal points? What art works are included? How do other people act in it?
• Who is in the congregation (age, gender, apparent economic class)? How are they dressed?
• Who leads the service (clergy, laity, choir, praise team, band, folk group)? . How are they dressed? How do they act (formal, informal, serious, carefree, warm, cold, etc.)?
• What can you say about the theology or message of the worship service? What is the purpose of worship? What is this congregations picture of God or of Jesus? What is their understanding of the gospel? What does it mean to be a Christian?
• What can you say about the style of the various parts of the service? How does this relate to the type of people who are present? How does it relate to the theology?
• Be sure to consider, prayers, comments, hymns, anthems, solos, actions, sermons, skits, etc. in answering thinking about these last two topics.

Sit down and write down notes on what you observed and felt. Use the above questions as a guide. It is often helpful to do this before you talk to anyone else about the service. If you are far from home, stop, get a cup of coffee, and write.

Review you notes, supplement them as appropriate. Highlight things to talk to other class members about. Begin to think about how this relates to course materials and assignments.