K: How long have you been a member of this congregation, FT number 1?
L: I have been a member of FT for 10 years
K: wow! alright...
L: It'll be 11 years in uhh... may
K: nice.
K: ok this next question is have you ever been a member of any other congregation.
Loria: Yes I have!
(deacon from the church interrupts) starting off w/ "here you go shug"
[laughter]......
K: ok so you said that you were a member of another congregation, which congregation was that? was that another denomination?
L: that was another denomination, uhm.. I had been a member of United Holiness Church and before uh coming here, Iwas a member of Wells cathedrel Church Of God In Christ.
K: Tell me about your experiences there. Is it similar to the way we have church here on a Sunday basis?
L: uhm.. there are some similarities. there are some differences, too. uhm
(Pause)
Someone else interrupts....( explaining the point)
L: Oh
K: Alright so I wannna jump to this question- and this is a bit of a thinking question
L: the worship is th- the worship is kind of the same, but the doctrines, the doctrines are a little different. the doctrine's a little different. Church Of God In Christ doctrine I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. I know the Baptist Church does as well, but uhm, uhhhm, in re- like in recieveing the Holy Ghost, they believe that the evidence of speaking in tongues, well speaking in tongues is the evidence that you recieved the Holy Ghost.
K: ok so its a doctrinal diference
L: Its a teaching (emphatically).
K: Ok...
L: the teachings.. are different.
K: but the worship experience...
L: but the worships... are kinda. the worship experience is kinda the same, yea.
L: you know, the choir singing, praising the Lord, but the teachings are a little different.
K: Ok so my next question is: have you ever experienced a worship service where the congregation wasn't uhhm predominantly black or African American.
L: (in a somewhat of a "wish I could say I have voice") Uhmm, No; like for most of my life its been predminatntly black.
K: Ok
K: Alright, so this is kind of a humorous question cuz I know I do this...
L: Ok
K: In colloqial conversation, everday language, do you find yourself saying things like "Amen" uhm.. "Thank you Jesus" (raised voice here) to people who are not apart of the black church? Do you find yourself doing that, like any slip ups or...
L: slip ups, sometimes, yes
K: well not so much slip ups, but just ...
L: well yea, yes. because I guess cuz its apart of my uh...Lingo. (she said lingo with a smile) so I just say it.
K: Now, so a follow up question to that would be if you heard somebody say that to you, and you didnt know their background, would you assume that they were... they was familar with uhhh your background, you know, the black church. would you assume or no?
L: I wouldn't necessarily think they we- uhh you know, part of the black church, but I would assume some kind of church background.
K: Ok.
L: (continued) I would assume that.
K:ok, alright, ok
K: Alright so, apart of my paper I'm gonna be discussing uhhh recall. You know, the preacher says something, people say amen.
L: (giggles)
K: but its not so much a call and recall, its just a recall. the preacher doesnt't call for anything...
L: (interrupting happily) you just say amen,amen.
K: or thank you Jesus...
L: ok so do you notice any violations.... [she jumps back in surprise] (laughter from a spectator)
Here I literally had to pause the recording because at the word "violations she jumped back and looked at me with a .. for lack of a better word, crazy look. I took the time to explain.
K: Ok so we just took a pause to explain what a violation is
L: Yes (still laughing a little)
K: Uhmmm.... what...what would... what guides those things, like what... what guides when somebodys in violation or if they're not. Do they.. like is it to long of a comment, to loud of a comment...uhh is it the wrong word they say.
L: Uhhh... uhh I don't know about the wrong they say. I think the violation of sayin' amen uhm may be due to an experience they have had maybe with someone or with a certain situation so I think uhm.. its like reading between the lines. Why are you sayin...
K: ok
L: (cont)....amen that loud.
K: ok
L: Its obvious that you've had some kind of issue.
L: [starting to laugh] ( prob because I am)
K: Ahhh ok
L: Ok?
K: ok.
L: yea
K: thats a.. thats a great answer... thats a great answer..
L: Or, too, you're saying amen to say,you know, to really speak back to another person in response to whatever occured prior to... the situation...
K: thats very interesting..
L: yes
K: ok. alright
L: I know about it
[We all laugh loudly]
L: "Amen"( jokingly mimicing how someone who was in violation for the reasons she expolained would sound)
K: Alright so I wannna jump to this question-and this is a bit of a thinking question
L: ok
K: can you describe to me your fondest experience in a worship service-- or one of your fondest experience
L: ok one of my fondest experiences is....uhhm........(4 second pause here) I know its/it is church order to follow the program, you know, thats why... a lot of churches have programs but, when you go/ when the spirit of the Lord comes in where you don't/you cannot follow the program because the Lord is having His way....
K: (interrupting) His way, yea
L: (continuing) per say, yea
L: And uhm where you cant/where the Holy... Ghost or the Holy Spirit speaks to every individual in the house if u open up your heart to him. And sometimes you don't even have time or need for a preacher per say to speak a word.
K: mmmhh
L: They don't have time to speak because the Holy Ghost is having his way.
L: And that has happened many times in my former church.
K: Really?
L: Yea, wher the preacher/ the pastor couldn't even... he couldn't even say a word; matter of fact, I have gone there to speak- they asked me to come back and speak, and give a, you know, give a word- and I couldn't even speak. Because uhh the Holy Ghost was having His way, and guess what!?
K: what?
L: I hadn't recieved anything from the Lord.
K: oh wooww
L: And that's why...
K: (interrupting) cuz he knew...
L: right, he knew it was gonna take a different/ (to an onlooker viewing our interview and listening) isn't that something!
[All of us pausing to let what has just been said marinate a second]
L: (directly into the mic) The Holy Ghost is real.
K: (also directly into the mic) Amen!
L: Amen! (to the same onlooker) see... amen!
K: Ok so I've used this term uhh black church quite a lot in this interview uhhm and the reason is because its/ the black church is different from any other church . I .. I think.. uhhmm..
L: It is..like any other church/the asian church is different from the...
K: Yes, yes
L: (continued) ya know, so..
K: so what would you/ what would you say is speacial and uhh peculiar.... like, what would you say is speacial about the black church compared to you know.. the asian church or the white church, or maybe even a hispanic church, which a lot of people think are some similarities. whats/ would you say is special, like, what makes the black church have that... thing they call the black church.
[We paused the recording here because of an interruption. It didnt take very long to resume but long enough for me to pause the recording]
K: Ok we were explaining the differences between the black church-- or what makes it special.
L: What makes it special, what makes the black church special... uhhm, I believe we are a lively people uhhm we have.... if we have not had a lot of experience with being in bondage- I know we've been taught about, you know, slavery and I guess uhhm.. just .. we're very expressive, uh an expressive people...
K: yes,yes.
L: and uhhm...... if I could say, like having a/ its like, its like when the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt. And when God allowed them to become free, they remembered that God.. (did not all the time)- but me as/ and I'm sure the black church, I 'm gonna say that we remember when we were in bondage.
K mhmm
L: I mean being in bondage of slavery to sin.
K: uhmn
L:And I think uhm our teachings/ the teachings that we have recieved down through the years have taught us to uh you don't have to be in chains, you don't have to be in shackles,so if you're not in shackles and you are free: act like you're free.
K:mmh
L: Uhh show that.. this is a testimony of testament that God has... uhmm ( to one of the onlookers aside) I hope I'm answering this right....
K:[here I said no very quietly in a way meaning "no, you're fine". I probably also had some phsyical communication giving her a green light]
L: (continued) God has.. delivered you...from bondage. And so, because he has sent the Holy Ghost, which is the comforter, I think the black church is more open to uhhh letting the Holy Ghost have His way- recognizing who He is, and what He has done, and what He's continuing to do. And so I think we / and we're also soulful people....
K: mhmm
L: (continuing) so we're able to connect, you know, with the music, and the rythm, and...
K: mhmm
L:so when the Spirit of the Lord takes control... Idk its just different- black church church is just different.. and uhm I appreciate.... those uhmm.. what word can I use... those attributes... can I say that? tryna use my words...
K: thats..No, that's great..
L: correctly...Great then.
K: We want to thank Evangelist Loria Blue for this interview, it is now time for her to participate in the black church, so we'll let her go..... Thank you!
[Weak Appplause]
L: Thank you!
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