God In Chicago

My destination matches the stately brick mansions on this stretch of Woodlawn Avenue. Tan brick archways, adorned with Christmas lights and wreaths, form open hallways on either side of the hall.The walls rise to meet a series of large wooden beams, which run from left to right, and form the base of the hall’s A-frame ceiling. A traditional Christmas carol plays from the large organ pipes which hang over the front stage.Inside, a handful of people are scattered across the padded dark wood benches of the main hall. A man greets me, and two older people in light blue robes smile gently at me, and wish me Happy New Year. A few minutes later, a young woman in a dark robe introduced herself and welcomed me into this space.The event moves peacefully through a series of organ-backed hymns, poems read by the main speaker, and written meditations which were read aloud in unison by everyone in the hall. The eight-person, blue-robed choir provided musical interludes between the readings from the side of the front stage.