First, that the black church is the most rhetorically rich environment I have ever been in- nothing else even comes close! In fact, I'd say the only thing that could surpass such an environment in such rhetoric is another mass religious gathering.
You see, its not just what is said, but how. So much intertexuality occurs during a single service its mind boggling. I have unsuccesfully tried to upload a recording I took of an individual praying corporately as a part of the service about two weeks ago, because as I listened I noticed a lot of references to hymns and general church jargon. This, of course, aside from the multiple scriptural references.Beyond all of this however, wasd the deacons prayer style. I have noticed ( and this can be seen on youtube) that just as preaching is delivered in a sing-song style at certain points in black sermons, prayer is also delivered in this format.
Second, although I have not interviewed many people, I happen to know from being in the community for such a long time, few members have ever been outside of the black church, as far as their experience in different worship settings go (my interviewee too had not been exposed to any other discourse). From this, I guess I coulddraw the conclusion that because of this, members can possibly be limited in their belief of what church should be, but I think this would be false. as a member who has been apart of two Christian church communities (white & black)- the black church community obviously a lot longer- I have seen that members of both for the large part chalk different worship styles as a peripheal and trivial matter. There are members in both communities who would make their style of worship superior to all else, but these members in the black, though not open rubuked usually, are not recieved with the same agreement as typical in the black church if you say anything agree-worthy- I've witnessed it myself. I have every reason to believe that the same goes for Asian, Hispanic, Hatian, etc. Christian church communitities as well.
What I think I can draw from this that will be accurate, is that this lack of exposure from christian communities of other races besides their own, causes a strenghthening of the values and traditions that are established in the black church.
Finally, many black churches are made up of families. It really has been just the past two years or so that I am coming to the realization that everyone in my church is related somehow. And this is what makes it different from the white church, at least. Most churches are made up of families- its a family friendly environment. However, it does strike me as strange (even today) that in my church of over 300 people, there are so many family connections. If you want to know how bad (or good) it is, try this on for size. Everyone in my church, excluding myself, and perhaps uhh ...I'll say 50 or so more people can fit into 2 or three major families. The reason I call it a bad thing is because, perhaps because of church politics, people really emphasize family connections in a way that they might not be if left alone outside of church. What I mean is, most people do not cite their fifth or sixth cousins who live in another state family because if they hardly talk to them. Even more so, as in the case with my church, if they were distant cousins through a marriage.
Interview
One thing is shows well, I think, is exactlyand even how it functions:
I actally did the interview during a period in which my interviewee and others were waiting on a second service to start- another invention of the black church. The black church, in contrast to the white church, sometimes as often as once or twice a month, have second services that are completely different than the first-like its not Sunday morning worship. We had just finished eating food that all the mebers contribute to buy, cook, and feed, which occurs for nearly every occasion in which there is a second dervice or special event.
Then, we were interrupted several times by members who came up to us talking, and saying the most jargonistic stuff! It was great! In fact, I actually cite a piece of something a deacon begins to say because he was came up to the table saying it! The children screamin in the background were also typical of these between service settings.
Also, the fact that Evangelist Blue and I had an audience of people we knew was also reticent of the black church. It is this: nothing is beyond intamacy. I took this serious, my interviewee took this serious, and was nervous. I tried to play it down but she knew that this was official. Still, it did not keep from our fellow members coming to sit and listen. They respected that could not interfere by talking or answering any questions, but they laughed when they felt like it, and did not reactions to certain questions I asked be hid (It was all over their face). I appreciated them being there because it certainly helped Evangelist Blue be at ease. What I mean by the statement that nothing is beyond intamacy is that it does not matter how 'official' something is, since memebers of the community know each other on a very personal level, there is less of a reason to digress to a more standard interaction even if the setting calls for it. For this reason:
Members sometimes slip-up and call each other first names when referencing the person during services and business meetings. In fact, one lady, whose uncle and brothers are deacons, and whose mother is a preacher a lot of the times says "my brother/uncle/mommy" when referring to them during meetings or service. She tries though ha.
Members know the day and frequently the hour of any member being admitted to or discharged from a hospital- and call it out during announcements if the secretary provides information on a sick member that may be 24 hours or less old.
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