EDITOR’S NOTE: Exploring how people are building connections in today’s world, Mellow DeTray’s monthly column “In Search of Community” delves into the diverse ways individuals are finding a sense of belonging – not only in churches and religious gatherings, but also through secular groups.
Online interaction through social media can only go so deep, and I think more and more people are finding that it does not fulfill our real need for human connection. I’ve begun a project to explore the ways people are finding community in real life, with monthly visits to different community groups. To this end, this summer I attended Sunday service at Highline Christian Church. By a long shot, this seemed to be the most popular of the churches I’ve attended as part of this project.
I am not sure of the number of people in attendance, but the large church was nearly full. I went to the earlier of two Sunday morning services; they also provide an identical service on Saturday evenings, for the night owls. The construction of extra seating in the balcony also spoke to a thriving church membership. Oddly, despite the large crowd, there was only one child at the service I attended. Perhaps the children all go to the later service.
Several enthusiastic greeters stood by the entrance as I made my way to the building. A few people introduced themselves and when I said it was my first time there, I was brought inside and shown around. My guide pointed out the coffee station, the tables where pastries would be available after the service, the bathrooms. He said I could experience the service from the main room, the lobby, or even from the new balcony, still under construction.
At the coffee station, there was a sad (to me) assortment of flavored creamer packets. I am a bit of a snob for real dairy, and as there was no actual milk or half & half, I served myself a little plain black decaf coffee. The plain coffee was surprisingly good. I took my cup and sat in the back center row of the nave. I had bumped into an old acquaintance at the coffee station, and she joined me in the back row, sweetly offering to be my guide and interpreter.
The room was large and looked more technological than other churches I’ve attended, with lots of rows of lights and speakers along the ceiling, and two huge screens that would later display biblical quotes and song lyrics, along with striking nature photography. A giant blue glowing cross served as the focal point for the room.
There was a band onstage that accompanied several songs at the beginning of the service. Knowing this was a possibility, I had brought earplugs just in case they were really loud. However, the music maintained a comfortable volume throughout.
The entire room stood to sing along to lyrics focused on Jesus. I stood along with the crowd, and then sat as the first song was ending. I quickly stood again when I realized no one else was sitting. However, my companion whispered to me that it was totally fine to sit. I had worn high heels, so I did eventually sit down, though literally everyone else in the room was still standing. My companion soon joined me, and then eventually our entire row was sitting. Perhaps I had started a tiny revolution. Everyone else remained standing for what felt like an eternity, many with their arms raised as if ready to literally embrace Jesus.
When the music ended, after many songs in the same theme, I checked my watch, sure that the full hour must nearly be over. Only 22 minutes had passed. There must be something about singing together that sustains people. I had not been singing, and was not sustained.
There followed an interlude where lots of church news and updates were shared. Activities like the family campout, prayer group, men’s summer BBQ, youth group, and the pastor’s retirement were described. One program was spoken of at length: Water Walkers. This group pairs one “adult believer” with one anonymous youth. The adult prays for the youth throughout the school year, and then at the end they are finally introduced. Water Walkers is donation-based, and now offered free for the first year for youth organizations and schools.
On a bulletin board in the women’s bathroom, I saw that the church also has a ladies quilting group, as well as a support group for those grieving the death of a spouse. There was a room for nursing mothers attached to the ladies’ room, with several rocking chairs and a television so moms don’t have to miss the service.
The sermon began with a biblical passage that made no sense to me and still doesn’t. Something about Simon who was called Peter. Peter was hungry but refused to eat unclean foods. God told him he had made it clean, so eat up.
This was all a preamble for a sermon about overcoming prejudice. God so loved the world, the entire world–not just the rich, or white people, or whoever was in power. He loved all the children. According to this sermon, the early church was a “beautiful mosaic” of different people, with different social status, skin color, and education. The pastor said this beautiful mosaic was lived out at Highline Church. He listed practical ways that we can reduce our own prejudice: Travel, read, listen, and hang out with people who are different from ourselves.
The pastor spoke about Gandhi being turned away from Christianity by a prejudiced usher. He said that finding Jesus should help us reject prejudice and embrace everyone. I did see people of various races in the mostly white crowd. However, on the church website they list a series of their defining beliefs based on scripture, and among them is a statement which emphasizes that marriage is a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman. They also specify that they value life at all stages–from conception to eternity. These defining beliefs lead me to conclude that this church might encourage some types of prejudice, though I truly got the sense that the church is run by very kind people. I did not receive a response to a follow-up email.
Towards the end of the service, communion was passed on fancy silver trays, the dark liquid in the most adorable tiny cups. I didn’t see the body of Christ being passed. Maybe He was in the pastries available in the lobby after the service.
