Today I visited Trinity United Church of Christ the home church of Barack Obama and the church where controversial preacher Jeremiah Wright was the senior pastor, and he is still pastor emeritus.
I was a bit apprehensive about going there. Even Barack Obama's description in his book "Dreams from My Father" mentions about the security and the rule of no cameras. And I've also read about the strong black identity of the church - Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian - a place where Africa is part of one's theology ... a place where liberation and salvation meet. As you read those words, taken straight from their Website, you know what theology they have there. Take a look, there's good things too. And I've read about the picture of a "black Jesus" .... and it's true, I've seen it now! Mind you when I went to work with the Vietnamese Refugee Children in Hong Kong all those years ago I stopped colouring Jesus the bright pink that even doesn't look like us "white" people, and started colouring a Him a light brown colour with black hair. And my co-teacher from Sweden stopped using her pictures of him with bright yellow hair! But it wasn't just to make Him more acceptable to the Vietnamese. It seemed more natural, more true to His Mediterranean sun-tanned (He was outside a lot!) Jewish complexion. And when you read the next paragraph you will understand why I did get too critical of Trinity United Church of Christ.
Yes, when you travel to the part of town where the church you will notice that there are no white people there. Well, today there was one, and he was me! But I'm telling you, go to Africa and you will see more white people than you will in that part of town. But this is an interesting thing about America, there are different places within the land. After my first visit to Trinity United Church of Christ and went to visit Chicago's China Town. I felt more at home there, but it felt much more like Hong Kong than America, and you would be more likely to hear Chinese being spoken than English. So the "blackness" of the neighbourhood was perhaps not so unusual.
I went to the area by train. It was the end of the line. I had bought a 3 day pass and think it paid for itself just today. Interestingly you put your plastic card pass into the turnstile as you into the station (much like you do on the English Underground) but you never need it when you exit. I suppose it's the same fare whether you go one stop or many. Anyway I felt a little self conscious being the only white person on the train. I got of at the last stop and the lady station attendant said it was about 4 blocks. I said I'd walk as it was so nice and sunny. But they were big blocks! When I later went a second time and took the bus it was 2 stops! But it was good to walk. I didn't go past by mistake... Here's a picture of it.
The security was tight. They don't like people taking photos. They can't stop you from taking photos outside, but inside it's strictly no photos. That's not just no photos during a service, or no photos without permission, but no photos at all, full stop! So my drawings of the inside of the church in my book will have to be based on my memory and my imagination.
I wanted to meet Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but that was not possible. The man at reception gave me an internal number and directed me to a phone which I could use to phone his secretary. But she was clearly not at her desk and I only got a recorded message. I could not look in the sanctuary and the bookshop only opened at 4:00pm. But they had a security guard as well as 2 receptionists and various other people came in and out. but I suppose in that neighbourhood they need some security, especially with such a nice church building ...
I walked back to the train station. Chicago downtown (where my hotel is) is very clean, cleaner than London, but this neighbourhood less so. There were weeds poking through cracks in the pavement. There were young black men hanging around with nothing to. There was metal mesh protecting the windows of the "liquor" store, and metal bars protecting the doors of the new looking houses (like I had in my flat in China). The tree-lined side roads looked nice but you could tell there was poverty. Walking back I thought to myself "I don't really want to walk here after dark"!
Then I had lunch in McDonalds ... and then went to Chinatown on the train and also did a little shopping. I thought about seeing some sights in the sunshine but as it was after 4:00pm and still bright and sunny I decided to go back to Trinity United Church of Christ and see their bookshop. They had lots of books about slavery and black struggle and black church history and theology, but a few classics like 'My Utmost for His Highest' by Oswald Chambers and some books on prayer and a book by Max Lucardo. Certainly the books looked quite intellectual and serious. The door of the bookshop was not open, but I was able to enter and leave via the reception and I passed their back hall which had a kind of wall of fame with photos of Jeremiah Wright and previous pastors. When I came out a train was crossing the level crossing. This was not the line of my electric Underground style train. No, no, no, this was the rare passing of one of those mile-long freight trains. It just went on and on. After a minute I decided to cross the road (that I needed to do) and it was easy to cross that 4 lane high way as the cars could not go anywhere with train passing in front of them. And they were backed up as far as my eye could see.
Well, I did buy a book by Jeremiah Wright, and you never know, I might yet get to see him. Pray about it! I would love to hear from him how he led Barack Obama to Christ. Oh, and I would love him to sign my copy of his book!
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