On the first Sunday I spent with my host family, I told them that I would love to go to Church with them. Church, started at 11:30am and we needed to leave at 11am. So, I was up early and was ready to leave, but the rest of my family wasn't. It was interesting because I really wanted to go to church. We ended up leaving around 12pm and getting there a little before 12:30. The church was singing very contemporary music and it was packed. Many people had their hands in the air and behind the altar a band made up of two vocalists, a guitarist, and a keyboard made the music for worship. It was different for me, who is use to a pipe organ.
The pastor, who is originally from the United Kingdom, gave a little prayer after the music has stopped and then, he left. Before he left he and his wife introduced themselves to me because they knew I was from the United States. They welcomed me to the church and told me to come to the youth events and to the youth service at night. It was weird for me to have a pastor open up a church service and then leave. Pastors, like everywhere (my church in the United States is currently looking for a pastor) are hard to come by, so here this pastor ministers many congregations and workers who just have a passion for the Lord write sermons and lead the rest of the church services. Sometimes, the pastor does run the service, he recently gave the sermon on sex and how it should be saved for marriage.
It was very awkward for me at times during the service because I come from a very traditional, conservative brand of religion. During church in Santiago, sometimes groups will form and have little prayer circles, or will yell out Alleluia! Which is great, just something I am not use to. Not to mention everything in spanish makes for an interesting service, where sometimes you feel lost (with the language) and found (with the power of Christ) all at the same time. At times in the service you are suppose to hug the people next to you, which is somewhat like Peace Be With you in the LCMS chruch, but much more contact. For example husbands and wives often kiss, very deeply during this part of the service.
Overall it was a great experience and the people really did open up to me like a family, which was a wonderful feeling. They even sang worship songs by Michael W. Smith, which made it more easy for me to follow along.
I never even said what type of church this is. The church is Anglican and the more liberal kind, not like that of the formal Church of England that I attended during holy week this spring in London. You can definitely tell the people in this church have a love for God.
At the same time, from what I did understand in the two sermons I have heard, it seems much more like a feel good church then what I like. I like churches where they challenge you to live better and help you become humble in the sight of God. I didn't get the feeling of challenge in these services. Also, I miss communion, which they do not have during the services that have contemporary music. They have a traditional service that my family does not go to earlier in the morning. Also something that I have found I really enjoy about my church is the very direct confession of sins that we have at the beginning. When I attend churches that do not have that part at the beginning where you say as a group... "I have sinned against you by my thoughts, words, and deeds..." I don't feel the sin being lifted off my shoulders... even though I know it is... I have a spiritual moment when those words are said and the pastor tells me that my sins are forgiven. Its very special, important, and personal.
To be fair, there are times when Pastor Dan at my church would not have this part in the service and its something that bothered me then too. I really enjoy that very direct confrontation I have with my sinful nature and with my God and the feeling of forgiveness afterwords. I hope this is not something that I alone experience, I am sure that others have to experience as well.
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