Church Visit and Fieldwork

Part of the religious culture of the South includes the churches of the many Southern denominations. The presence and life forms of these churches not only give us access and insight into the beliefs, social forms, and culture of the South, particularly the rural South, they sometimes also reflect influences of older cultural forms that can be traced back to Reformation Europe. This assignment asks you to visit a local church--not All Saints' or Otey--and write a detailed report on your visit. The church you pick should be within 30 miles of Sewanee, and the visit should be made on January 30, or February 6, or 13. [Mardi Gras is the next Tuesday!--the 15th.] The assignment will be due on Tuesday, February 22nd.

Note: don't put the assignment off--bad weather often occurs during this period.

General guidelines

No more than four students (i.e., a carload) should visit the same church the same Sunday. We will use a church sign-up sheet to make sure a variety of churches are visited. Also, there will be scheduled an afternoon session to view slides of some churches, to go over the assignment sheet, and give directions to churches. TBA

Most churches begin their "Sunday School" around 9:30 or 9:45 and their morning worship services at 11:00. There are many variations, but most will have their main service about 11:00. It is ok to go in late. Go quietly and sit in the back.

YOU MUST NOT MAKE NOTES DURING THE SERVICE!

Take a dollar (="folding money") for the offering.

Content of the Fieldwork Report

You need to make a number of careful, detailed observations during your visit. Some of the areas of your report will deal with the mode of worship in the church you study; some areas will deal with social and cultural matters. The report should be complete, typed/Macintosh if possible, and should attempt to present as much detail as possible. It should include the following items:

Denominational Profile

What denomination is the church? What is the history, geographic distribution, beliefs, and practices of this denomination? You should use library resources here [or a brochure from the church if it has them]. You might consult the Yearbook of American Churches, Encyclopedia of Southern Religion, and the other denominational sourcebooks in the library. This should take up about two pages in your report. Use the library! There is information available.

The Church Building and its site.

Give the name and location of the church you visited and describe its structure and the site where it is located. How big is it? What are its dimensions? How many parts does it have? Is it in the country or in town? What is next to it? Does it have a parking lot? Is the parking lot paved? How many cars will it hold? Is there a graveyard? Is the church wood/frame or of another material? How is the inside laid out? How is it decorated? How many people will it hold? What instruments or furnishings are on the inside? What pictures or decorations were present? What kinds of pews were there--chairs, benches? Was there a built-in baptistry? Include with your report a site plan--a diagram of the lot where the church is and a floor plan of the church showing the arrangement of the pulpit, pews, choir, etc.

The People and their background.

How many people were present? How many males? Females? Children? What was the age distribution? Was the congregation all white? All black? Integrated? Did the children sit as a group? Did the women all sit on one side? What kind of clothing was worn--"dressy" go-to-church clothing? Did the men wear ties? Did the women wear heels, hats, or gloves? What kinds of cars or trucks were in the parking lot--new, old, American, foreign? How did they deal with babies in the church--did women nurse infants, change diapers, etc? Did the men chew tobacco during church? What did you hear them talking about?

The worship service.

What was the order of service? Did they use a formal program or bulletin? [Include a copy if they did.] What hymns did they sing? [Include a copy of one of the hymns. A few of the hymnals in local use are available in Smith's office.] Was there a choir? What version of scripture was used? What passages were read? What was the theme or point of the sermon? Did the minister conduct the service alone? Did members of the congregation participate in running the service? Did the congregation pray as a group? Did people pray in tongues or with their hands raised in the air? Did members of the congregation shout [Amen, Hallelujah, Glory to God, etc.] or move during the service? Was an "invitation" [to accept Jesus as a personal savior] given at the end of the service? Did anyone "come forward" to do so?

Your reaction and interpretations

In this final portion of your report, you should present in two or three pages your considered observations on your experience in this church visit. This can be a narrative of the experience from leaving Sewanee to your return, or it can be a more introspective essay on your experience. Whatever form or style you employ, you should attempt to reflect upon the experience and give order and interpretation to it. It is also permissible to give your observations about the people and denomination you visited. Do not skimp on this part of your report.

Format of the Report

The report should be neat, preferably typed, and it should be complete. Some portions of it may be summarized in outline form, but other portions require good essay prose. Do not use binders or covers unless you have several brochures or other church materials to include. Use a spring clip or a staple to hold the material together. Do not use paper clips. Make sure that your name is in the upper right corner of the first/top page.