My journey in experiencing a Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic services.
Messiah Lutheran Church, Charlotte, NC 01/11/2026
Messiah Lutheran Church is associated with The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. I attended the 8:30 AM service, labeled the “traditional” service. The “contemporary” service is at 11:00 AM. I was greeted at the door by an usher who handed me a program and showed me to the entrance of the sanctuary. A fellow in a white robe introduced himself to me as Pastor Roger. He asked if I was a visitor. After I told him I was, he told me that they were having Holy Communion that Sunday, as they do every Sunday, and I should refrain from partaking of Communion if I did not adhere to the Lutheran interpretation of the elements (Consubstantiation: Christ is present within the bread and the wine).
The sanctuary’s appearance was plain, with white walls and no pictures or banners, but four thin stained-glass windows depicting the life of Christ. The altar had a small banner stating, “By One Spirit We Are Baptized,” along with a small stained-glass window of a crucifix. The pews were comfortable and equipped with kneeling pads (although no one around me used them during the service). I sat in the back and estimated that there were about 150 people in this service. The service started with announcements, and there were a lot of them. There was emphasis on Sunday School for both kids and adults, which took place between this service and the next. After the announcements, the music started with the pipe organ leading the congregation in the hymn “Beautiful Savior.” I felt drawn into worship by the organ and appreciated the traditional formality of worship. Two pastors in plain white robes, led by two candle bearers, proceeded down the aisle to the altar.
After the hymn, one of the pastors led the congregation in the liturgy of confession and repentance, capped with congregational singing of the Kyrie. This was a sublime way to begin a service, bringing people into direct knowledge that they are forgiven before engaging in the rest of the liturgy. The liturgy continued after singing the hymn “This is the Feast.” The readings of scripture followed the Lectionary schedule. There was also a congregation memory verse that the church changes each month, an effective way to get congregants to memorize passages.
The sermon was the centerpiece of the service, where the pastor integrated all three readings from the lectionary into one theme. After the sermon was the liturgy of communion. When the congregants lined up in the aisle, they were called to the altar, twelve at a time, taking a small cup of grape juice up with them as they went. They all knelt in unison, and the pastor led the Communion liturgy to those twelve together. This fostered a sense of unity within the sacrament. Following communion, the pastor gave the benediction, and the sanctuary emptied out, most heading to the education wing for Sunday School.
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Charlotte, NC, 01/18/2026
Although the website for the Cathedral stated that the service started at 8:30 AM, it seemed to have already started by the time I walked into the church at 8:20 AM. Immediately upon entering Holy Trinity, I felt an awe of worship. There was chanting of the liturgy in both Greek and English, beautiful icons adorning the narthex and every wall, paintings and words in Greek going up archways and filling the ceiling. The building is in the form of a cross with a dome in the center of the cross, painted with a huge icon of Christ the Teacher. Up on the altar was the iconostasis, loaded with icons, and the center doors were open. Most of the lights were off, and the room was lit by electric candlelight. The smell of incense permeated the room.
I sat with about ten other people in the pews as the liturgy went on. One of the priests, Father Christian, introduced himself to me and warmly welcomed me to the Greek Orthodox experience. As the liturgy and scripture reading went on, more people filed into the sanctuary. They stopped and venerated the icons in the narthex, and some went to other icons in the sanctuary. By 9:00 AM, the pews were nearly full, and the lights all went on. It was then that I learned that this was a special service celebrating new catechumens studying to enter the Greek Orthodox faith. The liturgy I was experiencing prior to this time was called Orthros – Matins, which is a preservice time of scripture reading, psalms, and prayer.
As the service continued, we had times of sitting and standing, and it was not clear to me when this was supposed to happen, as only half stood or sat at any single time. Other times, people were getting up and praying in front of icons and then going back to participate in the liturgy. This openness to worship blended with the liturgical singing and choreography of the priests in front of and behind the iconostasis. There was a time of gospel reading and a short, inspiring sermon. The culmination of the service was the eucharist. The elements of the eucharist were paraded around the sanctuary, preceded by the incense hand censor with bells, and into the narthex, and back to the altar. The liturgy of the eucharist was sung, and the people went up to receive both elements. It was at this time that I noticed that most of the congregation was under 40 years old, with many young single people and young families.
As I left the cathedral, the smell of incense was still in my nose. The sights, sounds, and smells of worship stayed with me the whole day. I was deeply affected by the sense of awe in the worship. I was also amazed at the age of the congregants. That the cathedral was filled with so many earnest young people gave me hope that, through the Greek Orthodox church in general and Holy Trinity Cathedral in particular, these young people are finding Jesus.
St. Matthew Roman Catholic Church, Charlotte, NC 02/07/2026
Having been a Roman Catholic in the past (within a New England context), I had some presuppositions coming into this Saturday afternoon Mass. My past experiences were that Saturday Mass was a quick, get-in-get-out affair that made Mass more of a fulfillment of obligation than an actual religious experience. I was very pleasantly surprised that this was not the case at the St. Matthew 5:30 PM Saturday Mass.
To start with, St. Matthew is a large church, and the sanctuary seats 1800-2000 people. I would guess that the sanctuary was filled to about 80% capacity. The congregation was multi-ethnic with many African Americans, Asians, Indians, and Caucasians attending. Their staff of priests reflects this multiethnic flavor with a priest from Africa and a priest from India. The congregation was also very multi-generational, with families, elderly, and young adults in attendance. I was warmly welcomed at the door and was greeted several times as I found my seat.
The sanctuary is an auditorium with pews surrounding the altar in a half circle. In the back of the altar is a 20-foot-high wall made of whitish pink brick. Inset into the wall is the shape of a cross and a large figure of Jesus crucified on the cross. Within the inset are lights that lit up when the house lights dimmed, focusing the eye on Jesus. On the walls are the stations of the cross. These were very large and made of ornate embroidery. Lastly, at the front sides of the church are four large statues – St. Peregrine, Madonna and child, St. Joseph, and St. Matthew.
The Mass started, and the entry song was “You Are Welcome Here.” The choir was composed of ten people (5 men and 5 women) singing with a piano accompaniment. The music wasn’t professional or polished, but was authentic. The Mass was officiated by Fr. Nicholas (dressed in a dark green robe with a light green and yellow stole) and Deacon Jack (dressed in a dark green robe). The Mass commenced, and opening prayers were sung by Fr. Nicholas. The Bible readings were done by lay folks, and the psalms were sung by the choir. It was at this point that I noticed many people raising their hands in praise whenever they were singing. I later learned that the parish has a very active charismatic prayer community.
As the Mass progressed, the lights dimmed when it came time for the eucharistic liturgy. The environment was very worshipful, and it appeared the entire congregation was engaged. When it was time to recite the Our Father, families held hands, and others raised their hands in praise and worship. Half of the eucharistic liturgy was sung by Fr. Nicholas, and that also lent to a profoundly worshipful environment. When the people went forward for communion, they were served by lay eucharistic ministers (host only). Some people received the host in their hands; others received it on their tongues.
As the service finished, I noticed a lot of people staying and talking with each other, praying before the eucharist, and enjoying being in the sanctuary. As I walked out, several more people greeted me and wished me a good week. Strangers, yet not strangers.
The Wandering Wesleyan 