Trinity United Church of Christ

Everyone, including myself, from the Associated Colleges of the Midwest program attended a service at Trinity UCC together. Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago holds a historically predominantly black congregation that is ready to share their experiences and welcome outsiders into their community. The moment I sat down in t

he balcony, my neighbor introduced himself and welcomed me to the Church. Throughout the entire ceremony, people talked amongst themselves and shoute

d their approval at the Revered Otis Moss III. Besides Rev Moss's sermon, the service included a dance sequence inspired by "The Wiz" and vibrant musical performances by the energetic men's choir. The enthusiasm of the congregation was absolutely infectious! The service itself went on for over two hours, which didn't seem to faze anyone in the congregation, but was a shock to the outsiders who were used to a much more predictable service that lasted about an hour. I was really surprised about the feeling of inclusion that all of the visitors, including myself felt. Overall, it was a wonderful experience.

Trinity has been through quite a bit of publicity over the past through years. Because most of this publicity was not necessarily positive for their community, the people in the congregation, although welcoming, were not willing to be interviewed.

Here is Trinity's website:

http://www.tucc.org/