ANY GIVEN SUNDAY: CONGREGATIONS ALONG 'CHURCH ROW' WORSHIP DIFFERENTLY, BUT THEY ALL HAVE A COMMON GOAL

Churchgoers in Cape Girardeau may choose nearly any style of worship, doctrine or music on Sunday mornings, but 5,000 attend one of 11 churches along a 1.5-mile stretch of Mount Auburn Road and Lexington Avenue.

Some call the stretch "church row" or "The Holy Land," and they hold 14 percent of the city's population on any given Sunday.

The congregations vary in size as much as doctrine. There may be 65 at a single service and as many as 1,000 at two services. But they all attract a faithful following.

From Southern Baptist to Evangelical Lutheran, United Methodist to Pentecostal, the congregations come together with one purpose: changing lives with their messages.

Some might think so many churches in close proximity compete for members, but that isn't the case, said the Rev. Dr. Derek Staples, pastor at Lynwood Baptist Church for six months. Regardless of the church a person joins, every church in the community rejoices, he said.

People aren't going to church because of new or expansive buildings but because "they have hurts and struggles and need to be touched by God," he said.

Three members of the Southeast Missourian staff visited the churches on July 29 to learn how the community worships. In some ways the churches are alike in that they focus on Christian ministry; in others, they are as different as the hymns they sing.

8:15 a.m.

Those who rise for the earliest service at La Croix United Methodist Church are alert by 8:20 a.m. when the congregation finishes singing its opening chorus and hallelujahs. Some latecomers slip into the auditorium as the worship team -- a group of 11 people who play instruments and lead songs -- teaches a new chorus by singing it through once then asking the congregation to join in. Only a few seated in the plush, cushioned chairs reach for a Bible at 8:38 a.m. as the Rev. Ron Watts begins his sermon about the fruits of the spirit. Others choose to read the words from a projection screen.

8:30 a.m.

Open communion service begins at Cape Bible Chapel, where 150 gather to partake of the body (unleavened bread) and blood (grape juice), symbolic elements that represent Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

9 a.m.

Hymnals sat in the pew slots, unused, at First Assembly of God because churchgoers worship with a six-piece band as the words to praise songs flashed across screens.

Rose Brothers, whose husband, Gary, is pastor of the church, encourages everyone to turn to another person and say, "I'm blessed."

The church observes communion because it is their custom on the last Sunday of the month.

9:01 a.m.

A van from First Free Will Baptist Church leaves the parking lot to begin its pickup route.

9:10 a.m.

At Lynwood Baptist Church, the orchestra and choir recite a psalm about praise and then sing "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow." Moments later, Staples is seated on a platform ready to lead the children's sermon.

The children leave their seats beside parents and gather around him on the blue, carpeted steps. He holds a cookbook in his hand and talks to them about ingredients -- ingredients for cooking and for creating a dynamic church. The children return to their seats, and the congregation sings twice more before Staples begins the sermon.

9:15 a.m.

Hugs, handshakes and introductions are part of the morning at Cape Bible Chapel as people arrive for the service. Many gather around a welcome desk inside the building to pick up name tags. Every regular attendee has one, and a few more remain blank for visitors. Inside the auditorium, two projection screens display the Bible verse for the day and any announcements.

9:40 a.m.

The Rev. Stephanie Curran leads prayer from an oak lectern inside the sanctuary at First Christian Church. Five minutes later, Jan Lohr gathers the children to talk about prayer and the pastor's sermon. She reminds them to PUSH -- pray until something happens -- and then hands out a bracelet with those letters to remind the children of prayer's importance. She dismisses the children at 9:55, and Carole Clayton heads to the piano to sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness." Scripture is read at the conclusion of the song, and the Rev. Phil Curran heads to the pulpit to deliver a sermon.

10 a.m.

Sunday school begins at First Free Will Baptist Church, where people gather in small groups based on their ages. The room seems to be overflowing with middle-aged and older adults ready for a Bible lesson. Guests are greeted in the hallway that leads to the sanctuary.

10:10 a.m.

The pianist at First Pentecostal Church finishes playing and takes her seat in the second row of pews. The tambourines quit jingling for now but will be used again in worship an hour later. About 25 adults, mostly women, sit in the pews for a Sunday school lesson.

10:25 a.m.

The Rev. Robert Klein reminds his congregation during worship at St. Mark Lutheran Church to be more like children who can be taught by God. The traditional worship service included recitation of the Apostle's Creed and the Lord's Prayer, readings from the gospels and communion.

10:30 a.m.

Traffic picks up on the road between the churches, particularly at the intersection of Cape La Croix Road, where three churches sit within a half-mile. Parking lots start to fill since the late worship time generally attracts more people at any church.

10:45 a.m.

Choir members at First General Baptist Church, donned in blue robes, stand and sing "Let's Just Praise the Lord" as worship begins.

10:50 a.m.

Youths lead the service at Mount Auburn Christian Church, where casual attire is common and members wear peel-and-stick name tags that can be retrieved from a welcome center near the church's entrance.

Ushers show latecomers to empty spaces in the pews as the youths lead the choruses "You are My All in All," "To Do Your Will," and "Amazing Love." The service also includes testimonies from youths who had just returned from a camp in Carbondale, Ill.

10:55 a.m.

During congregational prayer, the Rev. Art Hunt asks those at Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church to share requests and volunteer to pray for specific needs. One young girl asks for prayer because her mother had decided to home-school her in the coming year. Her request prompts chuckles from the congregation. Before leading in the prayer, Hunt reminds churchgoers that prayer must follow the ABCs and be audible, brief and Christ-centered.

Hunt reads Scripture and preaches about "spiritual deadbeats." It isn't a sermon that bores, but it grabs everyone's attention like a good movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end.

11:15 a.m.

The Rev. Sam Ramdial begins his sermon from the pulpit at First General Baptist Church, where he stands until the final prayer. He speaks with a booming voice, amplified through a microphone. He tells those seated in the pews that the church depicted in Acts 4:23-33 was growing and affecting the lives of people around them just as the church should do today.

11:55 a.m.

Hunt ends the service at Christ Presbyterian Church with a "pastoral blessing" prayer and dismisses the congregation for another week before heading immediately for the door where he and his wife, Linda, greet each person as they exit to the parking lot. People mill around talking with friends before heading to their cars and back home.

dbedwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 211

blewis@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 226

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Worship times and attendance:

* First Assembly of God

Worship at 9 and 10:45 a.m.

Average attendance, 800 (combined)

* Mount Auburn Christian Church

Worship at 10:30 a.m.

Average attendance, 165

* First Free Will Baptist Church

Worship at 11 a.m.

Average attendance, 100

* Cape Bible Chapel

Worship at 9:15 a.m.

Average attendance, 650

* First General Baptist Church

Worship at 10:45 a.m.

Average attendance, 145

* Lynwood Baptist Church

Worship at 9 and 10:30 a.m.

Average attendance, 1,000 (combined)

* St. Mark Lutheran

Worship at 10 a.m.

Average attendance, 130

* La Croix United Methodist Church

Worship at 8:15, 9:30 and 10:50 a.m.

Average attendance, 900 (combined)

* First Pentecostal Church

Worship at 11 a.m.

Average attendance, 100

* Christ Presbyterian Church

Worship at 10:30 a.m.

Average attendance, 65

* First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Worship at 9:30 a.m.

Average attendance, 135