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.

Second Baptist Church of Riverside

For years, I've had a standard joke when it came to church names: Why is it always the First Lutheran Church or First Presbyterian Church? Nobody's ever seen the Third Episcopalian Church or the Fourth Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Only the firsts seem to exist in my universe.

Until now.

In my research this week, I was humorously pleased to uncover the Second Baptist Church of Riverside. Their motto: Second in name; first in love.

A lot can be said about Second Baptist. For starters, do not come to Second Baptist wanting to be sad or depressed. Ain't happening. Also, do not come to Second Baptist wanting a quiet, solemn service. Really ain't happening. I'm sure there is a more politically correct way of saying this, but Second Baptist is a black church. I was literally the only white man in attendance, which is not to say I felt isolated or unwelcome. Immediately as I entered, a man named James introduced himself, and others approached me after he was through. It was a warm and inviting environment. It was also crazy -- the good kind of crazy.

The church had an organ, but it wasn't a pipe organ. No, they had what sounded like a vintage Hammond organ, and the man at the keys knew how to play. And the choir in the front of the church knew how to sing. And everyone rose to their feet, clapped, and either shouted or sang along. Some danced. It was up-tempo. It was loud. It was joy.

This was not an old fashioned choir; they were accompanied by drums and an electric guitar, but they were not a modern phone-it-in praise band, either. Approximately 25 men and women sang with such gusto that their emotions infected the rest of us. We all sang three songs to start, then the preacher welcomed everybody and went over some church announcements, then the choir sang another three songs, after which the preacher began to preach. And through it all, the congregation was anything but passive. The preacher welcomed responses to what he was saying. Sometimes what he said caused people to simply shout "amen" or "mmm-hmm," while other times the preacher's rhetoric seemed to force people onto their feet to cheer him on. In much the same way Paul Shaffer will add a musical zinger to one of David Letterman's punchlines, the church organist would sometimes punctuate a thought spoken by the preacher. I sat near the back of the church, but it didn't matter -- he drew me in.

The subject of the sermon was keeping hope alive, and I confess I was in need of that sermon this week. To say the Reverend T. Ellsworth Gantt is a dynamic speaker is like saying Aretha Franklin has an above-average stage presence. But what really impressed me was that this was a preacher who did not talk down to the congregation. Gantt treats people like adults, and approaches the Bible in mature terms. The children were ushered out to Sunday School before he began diving into the Bible, specifically the book of Ecclesiastes, more specifically the portion that says, "... to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion." Subjects of death and addiction and suicide were discussed candidly, but oddly without dispair. There is hope, he maintained, as long as we still draw breath.

As was the case at Crossroads last week, near the conclusion of the worship service there was an "altar call" for those wishing to be baptized into the church. However, unlike Crossroads, the baptisms did not immediately occur, the idea being that wanting it is important, but understanding it would seem to be of equal import. Those who approached the preacher were dubbed "candidates" and led away to discuss issues of faith with a church elder.

There were things I did not like about Second Baptist. Behind the preacher on the front wall was not a cross, but a screen projecting a PowerPoint display. That will always aggravate me because from an aesthetic point of view it appears as though we are worshiping Microsoft. Also, though the choir and musicians were good, the audio mix was decidely not; even behind the baffles, the drums were often overpowering. For that matter, when the preacher is shouting so loud that his voice would carry to Yorba Linda, to maintain the same volume through the speakers as when he is calmly speaking -- well -- it hurts the ears.

Having said that, Second Baptist was an amazing church with a vibrant ccongregation. In discussing my quest to find my own house of worship, more than a few of my friends have told me to let them know if I ever encounter one of those vibrant come-to-Jesus/revival type churches, the kind epitomized by James Brown in "The Blues Brothers." Well, I am happy to report that the Second Baptist Church of Riverside is such a church, a harmonious achievement of both style and substance. Admittedly, it takes a lot of energy to regularly attend a church like this one, but if you have never been to a church like this one, then I believe you are missing out on what it means to share and revel in the good news of the Lord. "Joy cometh in the morning," one of my favorite Biblical phrases promises. And -- what do you know -- it did.

Amen.
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Sunday Scorecard:

What is the contact info for the church?

Second Baptist Church of Riverside
2911 Ninth Street
Riverside, CA 92507
951/684-7532
http://www.secondbaptistriverside.org

What was the denomination?

Baptist

What Bible verses were referenced?

Psalm 100, Ecclesiastes 9:4

What are the demographics of the congregation?

Almost entirely African-American, a healthy mix of ages

Was the atmosphere formal or casual?

Men wore collared shirts and slacks, women wore semi-formal dresses, and the preacher wore a coat and tie. If you were to bring a cup of coffee into the church or attempt to use your phone, I'd be concerned for your safety.

What was the music like?

Decent choir, decent trio of musicians, though the mix was off.

How was the use of PowerPoint?

PowerPoint during most of the service. Not to my personal liking.

Calvary Presbyterian Church

Disclaimer: I debated whether to actually post a church review this week. I did attend worship services at Calvary Presbyterian Church, but I have not been sleeping well, and Calvary is a church in transition (an interim pastor arrives next week). It is entirely possible Calvary is a better church than my mental image would suggest. 

Of all the churches I visited in Hollywood, my favorite was the Presbyterian church just up the road from Roscoe's Chicken 'N' Waffles. I wrote about them several times, and continued to visit after terminating my Hollywood church blog. The minister made the church special, merely by refusing to talk down to the congregation. The congregation was active during worship, singing and praying and generally attentive to what was happening. They offered two forms of worship. The traditional service skewed older but was well attended, and the contemporary service was a younger, more diverse group (but it featured a praise band that was not to my liking). Since I liked one big Presbyterian church, I opted to try a big one here in the Inland Empire.

Calvary in Riverside is adjacent to a hospital, and parking is complicated. It is also built higher than the parking lot, which made some of the elderly congregants sigh as they traversed the stairs leading to the entrance. As with the church in Hollywood, Calvary offered two services. I went to the later traditional worship service. Reviewing the attendance information in the bulletin, most of the congregation attends the later service.

The interior is church-like, with stained glass and dark wood adorning the room, which is long and tall with massive arches. One feature that hinders the church is a bump-out to the side of the alter area; it is a hindrance because it sucks up the audio and spits it back out as an echo-filled jumble. They had a decent sized choir and pipe organ, but both were perched in front of the church, so sounds fell into the pit of the aforementioned bump-out and came out distorted. The same was true for those who spoke or read in front of the sanctuary, but -- oddly enough -- the handbells sounded really good. Moving the choir to the balcony might help, but they are in need of a sound engineer to fix the audio issues.

The sermon was delivered by a female minister, and it has been a while since I'd seen/heard one of those. I've never had a problem with women having an equal role in a church, but it is a sticking point for many. A woman orator with genuine skills has the power to command any room she is in. This minister was not overly commanding, but again I was having trouble focusing due to lack of sleep. And judging the church by one pastor when another one will be there next week isn't fair.

At several points during worship, we prayed to "Father God" and "God the Father," or just simply, "Father." Fathers have a bad reputation in my book. My late father's birthday would have been today as I compose this. Not to speak ill of the dead, but he was not a very good man. He gave me life, and -- part of the time -- provided for me. He was also half crazy and had a foul temper. Perhaps this is evidence of a crisis of faith on my part, but God the Father oft' times reminds me of my own dad. He also gave me life, and -- part of the time -- provides for me. And the less said about His temper, the better. I bring this up because while the imagery of a paternal deity might bring comfort to some, it really doesn't work for me at all.

We don't know what God is really like; the phrase "made in His image" is vague. Wars have been waged over different interpretations/definitions of God. And, as is the case for me, in a lot of instances, the bad feelings stem from internal issues. In my search for a church to call my own, one aspect I would like is a feeling of belonging, if not a feeling of family. I think many humans spend their life struggling to find a place to, if not fit in, at least feel comfortable standing out. I felt more of that sensation at the Presbyterian church in Hollywood than the Presbyterian church in Riverside.

Amen.

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Sunday Scorecard:

What is the contact info for the church?

Calvary Presbyterian Church
4495 Magnolia
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 686-0761
http://www.calvarypresch.com/

What was the denomination?

Presbyterian

What Bible verses were referenced?

1 Timothy 6:17-19, Mark 13:1-8

What are the demographics of the congregation?

Mostly older white folks, but a few families with younger children

Was the atmosphere formal or casual?

Formal church, casual dress (the acolyte wore shorts and flip-flops as he lit the candles on the altar)

What was the music like?

Organ, choir, and handbells.

How was the use of PowerPoint?

None at all, but speaking in terms of technology, the church is crying out for an acoustician

Immanuel Lutheran Church

One of my favorite websites is 27bslash6.com. It is a hysterical and well-written website about the banality of little things -- little things that bug us, little things that nip at our heels, little things that make up the bulk of our lives. In one fictional exchange between two coworkers, one of them is punished for questioning a corporate policy. He replied with the following parable:

"I once read about five monkeys that were placed in a room with a banana at the top of a set of stairs. As one monkey attempted to climb the stairs, all of the monkeys were sprayed with jets of cold water. A second monkey made an attempt and again the monkeys were sprayed. No more monkeys attempted to climb the stairs. One of the monkeys was then removed from the room and replaced with a new monkey. New monkey saw the banana and started to climb the stairs but to its surprise, it was attacked by the other monkeys. Another of the original monkeys was replaced and the newcomer was also attacked when he attempted to climb the stairs. The previous newcomer took part in the punishment with enthusiasm. Replacing a third original monkey with a new one, it headed for the stairs and was attacked as well. Half of the monkeys that attacked him had no idea why. After replacing the fourth and fifth original monkeys, none had ever been sprayed with cold water but all stayed the f*ck away from the stairs. Being here longer than me doesn't automatically make your adherence to a rule, or the rule itself, right. It makes you the fifth replacement monkey. The one with the weird red arse and the first to point and screech when anyone approaches the stairs. I would be the sixth monkey, at home in bed trying to come up with a viable excuse not to spend another fruitless day locked in a room with five neurotic monkeys."

Today is a big day in the protestant calendar: Reformation Sunday. This is the Sunday when people commemorate Martin Luther nailing 95 theses to the doors of a Catholic Church, or -- in modern terms -- this is the Sunday when people remember Martin Luther tweeting 95 DMs to @Pope2YouVatican. This is the Sunday when one lone nut dared to question the largest religion in the course of human history. Luther questioned authority, and for that alone I can relate to the guy. Luther's actions not only led to the foundation of new forms of Christianity, but it ultimately led to certain reforms within the reluctant-to-change Catholic Church itself.

In my previous review, I stated rather emphatically that I was not a fan of modern forms of worship, but I'd like it known I am not against change. What I am against is change for the sake of change. I see a modern service and in my mind I picture the organizers thinking to themselves, "We can do this differently," but I don't envision them questioning why things were done the way they were, or why different equates to better. But the other end of the spectrum are those churches that are so set in their ways that Martin Luther could walk into them today and feel at home. Tradition matters. But a tradition devoid of meaning or intent is just as distasteful as a change made without purpose or forethought. In my travels, I have encountered churches with congregations merely going through the motions -- congregations so locked into doing things a certain way that they are done without thought. In short, churches do things, and they never know why, and they never question it.

Immanuel Lutheran Church in Riverside has existed for over 100 years. My family is actually a part of that history. Both of my parents worked there at various points in their respective lives. Two close family friends whom I referred to as my aunt and uncle were longtime members. As a child, I worshiped there on a few occasions, mostly during Christmases spent with my aforementioned aunt and uncle. This is a church I once knew. I called myself Lutheran for most of my life; now I call myself Christian. Over the centuries, there have been divisions and splits within the Lutheran church itself. Presently there are two main branches of the Lutheran Church: LCMS and ELCA. Immanuel is an LCMS church. Immanuel is one of those churches that Luther would recognize.

Much has changed at Immanuel, but much hasn't. This Sunday was set aside to appreciate and thank those who have served as ministers and deacons, and that was when I learned the senior ranking member of the ministerial team had only been there 10 years. The head pastor was in his fourth year of service to the church. As the opening processional took place, 10 people in robes and sashes made their way down the aisle, some holding candles, one holding a cross, but -- oddly enough -- nobody holding a Bible. Odder still, instead of a Bible, the book being raised up for all to see was the Lutheran Service Book, a.k.a. the hymnal. This was peculiar to me for many reasons, and by peculiar I mean I stood there thinking, "What the f*ck!" Considering we didn't even follow the order of worship found within the hymnal, it seemed beyond odd that we ought to revere it in a way I normally reserve for the actual Bible (and a few books by the late Douglas Adams). But nobody seemed to question it; everyone droned through their 1,500th singing of "A Mighty Fortress."

As the droning of "A Mighty Fortress" drew to a close, the droning of three pages of calls-and-responses began murmuring through the sanctuary. Sigh... talk about phoning it in. Last Sunday I was in a church where over 1,000 people phoned it in, many holding their actual phones as they did so. Now, in an entirely different style of church, apx. 100 people stood or sat, going through the motions, none of them asking why. On this of all days, what the Lutheran Church needs is another Martin Luther to awaken their spirits and embolden their voices. The Bible tells us to "make a joyful noise," but I couldn't hear any joy at Immanuel. Mostly, what I heard was a tired congregation, and while I can in many ways relate to that, the function of the ministers being honored is to breathe life (and faith) into the pews.

I liked that the pastor preached from the pulpit; I liked that there was a pulpit. I was excited to see no trace of projectors for PowerPoint slides upon my entry to the church, only to be saddened to see a giant screen swing out and drop down from out of nowhere so a PowerPoint could go on during the sermon. The candles and vestments were nice to see, but I didn't -- for lack of a better phrase -- feel it.

In his sermon, the pastor drew a parallel between a story in Matthew 13 and Confederate currency at the time of the Civil War. Looking at the average age of congregants, I guess the pastor assumed a Civil War analogy would be something they could relate to? But I did appreciate that the (by comparison) young pastor emphasized the need for continued reformation within the church. "Reformation is meant to go on," he said, adding that we should all continuously "rediscover, reevaluate, and recommit" to God and faith and all that implies. In an LCMS church, such talk is practically blasphemous -- I half expected to see a gang of monkeys try to drag him down the stairs.

Amen.
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Sunday Scorecard:

What is the contact info for the church?

Immanuel Lutheran Church
5545 Allesandro Blvd.
Riverside, CA 92506
951/682-7613
http://www.immanuelriverside.com/

What was the denomination?

LCMS Lutheran

What Bible verses were referenced?

Matthew 13:44-46, 51-52

What are the demographics of the congregation?

Mostly seniors, a few families

Was the atmosphere formal or casual?

Formal church environment

What was the music like?

Organ, choir, lacking in oomf

How was the use of PowerPoint?

Sneaky... screen slides out and unfolds as the sermon begins