First Congregational Church of Riverside

This week has been an emotional rollercoaster for all of us. It feels like the entire nation is wearing its heart on its sleeve. A friend of mine updated his Facebook status to, "What a burden the pastors of the world bear today." It has to be tough to cut through the emotion, cut through the tragedy, and find something about this existence to bind us all together.

I don't have a system for selecting churches to visit each Sunday. Sometimes it is word-of-mouth that draws me in, other times it is simply that I drive by a church and decide to give it a try, and still other times it is through research online or elsewhere. A little research last night brought me this morning to the First Congregational Church of Riverside, an "open and affirming" church just across from the historic Mission Inn in the heart of downtown. The church itself is old and beautiful, giving off the feeling it has been there forever.  In reality, it has been there for over 125 years, purporting to be the first established church in the area.

As worship began, one of the pastors announced a series of candles had been placed on the alter, one for each life lost in Newtown, and as I looked upon it, I couldn't help but think the alter felt way too crowded. Not saying it wasn't a beautiful gesture because it was, but to have to place so many candles for such a reason is nearly devastating to the spirit.

Additionally, a family lit the candles on the Advent Wreath, a welcome tradition to welcome the birth of Jesus. Something poetic about one group of candles celebrating the creation of life while another group of candles marks the passing of life.

The service began with a choral procession, and the choir does resonate through the old church. The order of worship was mostly traditional, a hymn here and a prayer there, here a prayer, there a hymn, everywhere a hymn hymn. Things were routine until it came time for the sermon, when it was announced it would be a bit different.

The image of Alessandro Vittoria's Annunciation was projected onto a small slideshow screen (no PowerPoint setup in the church). As it appeared, one of the pastors emerged in civilian clothes (the rest wore robes and related vestments) and began delivering more of a monologue than a sermon. It is worth noting the children were led away to Sunday School prior to the start of all this.

The main focus was on Mary and her role in the life of Jesus, not just as the mother who carried him to term, but as the woman who had found favor with God and helped shape Jesus into a man. She was chosen to carry a heavy load. The broader theme was that people face hardship and sacrifice, and that joy is sometimes the mask we wear to get through troubling times.

In the monologue/sermon, a woman turns to Mary for inspiration, just as she assumes Jesus turned to his mother. She repeatedly visits a museum and stares at Vittoria's work, hoping for an annunciation of her own. Hoping for inspiration. Hoping for answers to life's hardest questions.

The overall mood of the room was somber, with many spontaneously shedding tears, unable to hold back, and not seeing a need to hold back. A church is a sanctuary, a place for people to feel safe and protected. The people I encountered in God's house this morning seemed grateful for that safety. I hope and pray for the protection of all those in need.

Amen.
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Sunday Scorecard:

What is the contact info for the church?

First Congregational Church of Riverside
3504 Mission In Ave.
Riverside, CA 92501
http://www.fccriverside.org
951/684-2494

What was the denomination?

United Church of Christ, a.k.a. the pilgrims

What Bible verses were referenced?

Luke 1:39-55

What are the demographics of the congregation?

Mostly white, more older than younger, but some families with children

Was the atmosphere formal or casual?

Semi-formal... feels like an old church trying to embrace the new

What was the music like?

Decent choir, accompanied by organ. Bell tower has some mighty loud bells.

How was the use of PowerPoint?

No PowerPoint, just a small screen on a tripod for the purpose of projecting an image related to the sermon.