The Gawd

Dominique Dixon

Religion-Hendry

March 26, 2012

Church Visitation Paper

After visiting several churches throughout the Detroit area, I came to the conclusion that there is no such thing as a typical church. Growing up in a Baptist church I became custom to the traditional Sunday morning service. Because I was unfamiliar with other types of worship, I was easily intrigued by the differences between different churches. I was curious to know how different churches would accept certain ethnic groups, if sexual orientation would be discriminated upon, or just simply, how the community interacted within the church.

The first church I visited was my childhood church home Beulah Baptist Missionary Church, located on Inkster Road in Inkster, MI. Before this previous visit, I had not been to a Sunday service in years, but as I entered the wooden doors leading to the lobby of the church, my childhood memories had overwhelmed me. Friendly smiles and warm hugs from elders that watched me grow as a young child made me feel like even through the absence of my presence, those people still had a strong love for the people in their community that served God. It was home.

The Church had not changed even the slightest. The same red pews filled the sanctuary, the chandeliers swung from the ceiling like they did when I was a child, and the color blocked windows were still intact. The service started at 10am, and ushers handed out church bulletins as we entered the sanctuary to show the order of service, and people in need of special prayer. Service began with the Choir singing its’ first selection. Similar to the Catholic Church the pulpit sits above the congregation, usually having to walk up a few stairs, along with the choir on both sides of the pulpit. The alter sits just below the podium at which the pastor preaches. When it is time for prayer, the whole congregation stands, some walking to the alter, some still in the pews, but all holding hands....