A sample of recorded ethnographic

observations

What follows is a sample of what ethnographic fieldnotes may

Please don't feel that this is the only way to write up fieldnotes.
Your style may be significantly different: more intimate, less
personal, more concise, more lengthy, more poetic, less chatty
... this is merely one example of the way one ethnographer has
recorded her observations.
 Marsha Michie – Field notes 1/27/01 2 of 16

Field notes 1-27-01 Jim is late. The service starts at 10:30 and he was supposed to be here at 10:00. By 10:18,
First visit to Mount Pisgah Chapel, Central NC
Marsha Michie when the doorbell finally rings, I have decided he’s not coming and I’m looking at a map to

I am getting ready to go to Mount Pisgah for the first time. This is the church Jim think about whether I should try to go tonight by myself. It’s impossible to make it on time now.

Peacock recommended to me when I asked for advice about a place to do my project for the I go with him out to the car and Mary is in the passenger seat. He is telling me that he was

ethnography class. He said that he had been doing research there for 25 years, and that it was a looking for an undergraduate who wanted to come but something happened ... I’m not really

Pentecostal church in central North Carolina. When I expressed interest, he said he could call the listening, because I’m preoccupied with our lateness and with trying to remember Mary’s name.

minister and find out a good time for me to go, and maybe even go with me. That was a couple Once we are in the car, he asks me to look at the map he’s left in the back seat to help him find

of weeks ago. Since I didn’t hear from him about it, I went to his office last Tuesday after class the place. I thought he knew the way! Thank goodness I already looked at my map inside. On the

and asked what I should do about going, whether he would be able to go with me, etc. He way, Jim tells us a little about the research he and Ruel Tyson did on this church 25 years ago.

suggested we could go this Sunday – although initially he sounded as if he was going to send me There are some videos of church services in the library, and mentions of the church have made it

on my own, something changed his mind and he decided to go with me. He called the church, into some of his work, but he and Tyson never did write a book about Mount Pisgah. Jim

although he had a hard time finding it in the phone book because it has a new name, it isn’t listed surmises that Jim Haywood may be a little disappointed in this, but also a little relieved, since

under Pentecostal churches any more, and it has moved from its original location. The minister, there was a rather sensationalist newspaper article about the church at one point. Ten years after

Jim Haywood, wasn’t in, so Jim asked the church secretary to tell him that I would be coming to this first research, a graduate student of Jim’s went back to the church and wrote a master’s

Sunday services, giving her both our names. (He introduced himself to her when he called for the thesis on it, and about three years ago an undergraduate student went back again and did some

minister, saying, “This is Jim Peacock. I’m – a friend of his.”) I am wishing that Jim had been research for an honors thesis. Jim repeats what he had told me before, that Mount Pisgah used to

able to talk to the minister personally. If the church is large enough it may not make a difference, be in a solidly working-class neighborhood, but has moved into a “better” neighborhood now. He

but I am hoping I can get there early enough to speak to him beforehand, so I won’t feel so has not kept up with them as much in recent years, but the changes in name and neighborhood

awkward about scribbling all through the service. Even though the church is now listed as non- lead him to believe that Mount Pisgah is de-emphasizing the kind of charismatic behavior that

denominational, I have decided to dress in a way that I hope would be appropriate for a characterized their services 25 years ago (faith healing, speaking in tongues), and perhaps –

Pentecostal service. I wear my hair down with a barrette, a long sage green sleeveless dress with although this would surprise Jim – they have even broken entirely with the Pentecostals. We find

a dark green long-sleeved jacket, black flats, and no jewelry, and I carry a small black purse to the road and eventually make it to the church, which is on the northern edge of town. It is a

put my notebook in. I put two dollars and some tissues in my pockets – better safe than sorry. relatively new-looking building but it doesn’t strike me as ostentatious – it is a familiar shape for

modern churches, octagonal or hexagonal with a roof that is not very steep. The wooden sign by
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the road is dark and fairly non-descript, and the building itself is surrounded by trees, blending an African American man (age around 60?) on the far side of the sanctuary. Soon after we arrive,

into the environment of this rural-turning-suburban area. The parking lot is still dark black with an African American family comes in and sits in the leftmost set of pews. Almost everyone in

bright white lines, further emphasizing the newness of the building. We all comment on the cars the room is wearing their “Sunday best” – ties, often suits, for the men, dresses for the women –

in the lot – Jim is embarrassed to be driving his wife’s Mercedes, but we park next to a shiny but there are a few people (most, I think, in their 20s or younger) who are dressed more casually:

white BMW and our luxury vehicle doesn’t look at all out of place. The lot is nowhere near full, men in sweaters or turtlenecks, women in slacks. A few teenagers are even more casual: I see

even though the service started 15 minutes ago. one girl, perhaps around 16, who is in a zippered, hooded sweatshirt. She is sitting in the back

Mary and I wait outside the church while Jim ducks into the restroom for a minute. We pew on the far side of the room; her dark, shoulder-length hair is tousled and hangs in her face,

talk as we wait and it isn’t until he returns and we turn toward the glass doors of the foyer that I and she appears to be playing with her fingernails or talking to someone whenever I look at her.

realize there are two or three ushers standing inside in full view, probably wondering what we Later in the service I see a boy of 14 or 15 wearing khaki cargo pants and a casual sweater. He,

were doing standing there. At any rate, they are prepared when we finally reach the door. They too, looks a tad bored. My general impression is that the formality of dress is directly

welcome us and hand us each a small burgundy red folder with a ballpoint pen hooked onto the proportional to age in this group, although I’m sure there are exceptions.

front, and a color-printed program for today’s service, a single sheet folded in half. They escort The sanctuary itself seems large to me. It swallows this small group; easily four times as

us to the closed double doors of the sanctuary and usher us in. Another usher inside the sanctuary many people as are actually here could fit in this room. I am not very good at estimating

asks us where we would like to sit and escorts us up the left-hand aisle just as the praise song the distances, and it’s even more difficult in this room, which is an odd polygonal shape, arranged in

choir, soloists, and congregation are singing ends and a man with a microphone (I guess that it is a fan pattern with all the pews facing the pulpit. But at the back of the sanctuary, perhaps the

Jim Haywood) tells everyone in the congregation to turn around and introduce themselves to the widest point, it is probably 100 feet across. The raised dais at the front of the sanctuary for the

people around them. Jim is leaning toward the left-most set of pews, which is nearly empty; I minister and the musicians is perhaps 30 or more feet across. There is plenty of room up there for

divert our little group into the pews on our right, so that I can be surrounded by the congregation the thirty-plus members of the choir, the minister, the pianist (and grand piano), organist (and

instead of totally apart from them. We are in the third pew from the back, at the left end of the Hammond organ), and guitarist, and four soloists (plus pulpit, music stands, chairs, and two

middle left set of pews. I am now standing next to an older woman (perhaps in her mid-60s) who monitor speakers). The sanctuary seems even bigger because of its vaulted ceiling, composed of

immediately introduces herself to me as Louise and welcomes me to the service. I tell her my wooden beams stained a natural blond color. The walls are painted flat white; the walls of the

name and say that I am glad to be here, which is true. back half of the sanctuary are also white, but look like textured tiles; I initially assume they are

I estimate that there are perhaps 100 people participating in this service, which may be acoustic tiles, but as I am leaving I notice that the walls are solid plaster or concrete, deeply

generous. It seems to me that all of them are white. I find by the end of the service that there is grooved into a grid of about 6 inches. The room is carpeted in a deep aqua green with flecks of
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white, and the chairs and pews are upholstered in a matching solid aqua green. The pulpit, the symmetrically placed are two large green potted plants, next to the piano and organ respectively.

pews, the wooden frames of the choir’s chairs, the double doors at the back of the sanctuary, the The pianist is to the minister’s right and the organist (who, it becomes clear at some point, is

piano, and the organ are all oak-stained wood. On the backs of the pews are what I think of as Jim’s wife Elaine) to his left, both facing him. A man playing an electric guitar is seated behind

standard accessories for a church: wooden compartments holding hymnals (looking rather old; and left of the pianist from my perspective; after this initial music portion of the service, he

but we never use them) and white collection envelopes are spaced to be within reach of anyone, leaves. The room is filled with bright white light, and the light is brightest just behind the pulpit;

and are flanked on either side with a flat piece of wood with three round holes, about 1” with I look up and see carefully positioned track lighting mounted in the ceiling. The room feels cool

metal grommets. I know from experience that these are for holding those tiny communion cups, to me, even a little drafty, despite my long sleeves.

but there is no communion held during this service. There are windows along the sides of the After we take our places in the pew and meet those around us, the choir sings one more

sanctuary, but because of the shape of the sanctuary and the arrangement of the pews they attract praise song, led again by the man who I soon confirm is Jim Haywood, the minister who started

little attention; I didn’t note them during the service and now I cannot recall any details about this church. He has an lovely baritone voice and he sings energetically, walking around with a

them. On the wall behind the choir, words to the praise song they are singing are being projected handheld microphone, gesturing the beat with his other hand or simply lifting his palm up in a

onto a large screen from an overhead projector next to the soloists. After the song, the projector gesture that many in the church make during singing or prayer. Sometimes he sings an obbligato

is turned off and the screen is slowly raised into the ceiling, revealing a cutout in the wall in the line above the melody; at other times he may speak the next line of the song to encourage the

shape of an upside-down chevron (about 6 feet tall, with its bottom edge at about waist level of congregation to sing along. He wears a warm grey suit with a crisp white shirt, a matching

someone standing on the raised dais). About 5 feet behind it is another wall, painted a pale aqua geometric patterned tie, and dark dress shoes. His hair is mostly grey and he has wire-frame

blue, with a large golden cross affixed to it. I can only assume this is the baptismal, but since no squarish glasses. His overall look is quite distinguished, but his demeanor is anything but stern.

one is baptized during this service it is not used. I am curious about two huge (perhaps 5’x6’) His voice is full and clear, and although he frequently raises it to make a special point in typical

rectangles on either side of the baptismal; they appear to be fabric, white with a swirly pale grey evangelical style, he just as frequently uses silence to accomplish the same thing. In general, his

and blue pattern, framed by white painted dentil molding. From my vantage point they look like speaking style is relaxed and unaffected.

theatrical scrims (fabric screens that are opaque to the audience when light hits them from the The praise song ends and Brother Haywood welcomes everyone to the service. To my

front, but translucent when light comes in from behind); however, they may simply be for surprise, he points out Jim, introduces him to the congregation as a professor from UNC, and

acoustics. In front of the pulpit is a large dried flower arrangement in shades of red and orange, asks him to stand up and introduce the two people he’s brought with him. Jim does this, and Bro.

and two similar ones are placed on 4-foot pillar pedestals at each side of the raised dais. Seven Haywood tells the congregation that Jim came and studied the church when it was at its old

cardboard boxes are stacked on the step in front of the center flower arrangement. Also location on Main Street. He asks how many of the members remember this: I see six or seven
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hands go up. He asks Jim to tell everyone about the book he wrote, and Jim says that he and Ruel out that the number of students at the gathering would in fact be 1000. Once again he asked the

Tyson never wrote a book just on this church, but they did do a book on religion that had several congregation for help, and the remaining money came through. Now he has all 1000 copies of

references to Mount Pisgah. Bro. Haywood tells Jim that his wife must be taking good care of the book to give out, and people have been praying over them each service until he takes them to

him, because he doesn’t look like he has changed at all; Jim replies that he was just about to say ECSU. He asks all the senior citizens in the congregation to come up and pray over the books,

the same thing. Bro. Haywood laughs and says, “We could go on like this all day!” He welcomes because so many of youth are going astray and need their elders to help them find the way.

all three of us to the service. About twenty people come to the front of the sanctuary (including Louise, the woman seated

Bro. Haywood then turns his attention to the seven boxes stacked in front of the pulpit. next to me) and Bro. Haywood asks one of the men to lead a prayer. He leads an impassioned

He tells the congregation that a friend of his gave him a copy of a book called The Prayer of prayer and many people punctuate it throughout with “Amen”s, holding their palms upward.

Jabez (not sure about the spelling – I’ve never heard this name before, although I get the Somewhere during this story, the musicians have begun to play softly; music is such a constant

impression from Bro. Haywood that it is Biblical) and that he found it very powerful. He asks if presence during this part of the service that it is only noticeable when it stops – or when it swells

everyone remembers the attempted plane hijacking that took place a couple of weeks ago, when to accompany a moment of heightened intensity. While these things are going on, I am dividing

two men wrestled the would-be hijacker to the floor of the cockpit. Many people raise their my time between listening and watching what’s going on, writing in my notebook, and filling out

hands and nod. Did anyone hear that those two men prayed the prayer of Jabez before they got the guest card that was in the small folder I was given by the usher.

on the plane? Several people nod and say “Amen.” He notes that a young Black man named Joe As the seniors return to their seats, Bro. Haywood asks the congregation to pray for a

visited the church a while back (I’m not sure why it’s significant that he is Black) and told Bro. minister he knows, whose wife and granddaughter have both been afflicted with cancer. He

Haywood that God had told him to come there. Joe is a student at East Carolina State University, becomes emotional as he tells the tragic story of this family. He asks everyone to pray for this

and he asked Bro. Haywood if he would come speak to a gathering of students there. Haywood minister and for any minister we know who is beset with troubles. He leads a prayer, but

agreed, and later was inspired to bring copies of The Prayer of Jabez to give to all the students at everyone in the congregation speaks at the same time. At first I think that this is a prayer

the gathering. But he did not have enough faith, Bro. Haywood said, because he assumed that everyone knows and says together, but it quickly becomes obvious that everyone is simply

there would be about twenty students there, but when he spoke to Joe’s grandmother on the saying their own prayer out loud. The music continues, rising and falling in intensity with the

phone she said there would be 800 students. He looked into the cost of getting that many copies mood of the prayer, which ends with many “Amen”s. Bro. Haywood then asks a woman to come

of the book, found that he could get them for $5 instead of $10, and asked the congregation for forward. She was saved last week, he tells us, and he asks her how her week was. She tells him

help to buy them. After the collection that day, one of the ushers told him that there was a $4000 she had a wonderful week, and he repeats her answer to his question: “She had a wonderful

check in the collection plate. (Many murmurs of “Amen.”) Then he called Joe again and found week!” as the music swells again. But she has come forward to ask for a healing for the baby she
Marsha Michie – Field notes 1/27/01 9 of 16 Marsha Michie – Field notes 1/27/01 10 of 16

holds in her arms. Her baby is 18 months old, but is behind on its motor skills development and feel a little self-conscious not contributing when I visit a church, so when the plate comes I put a

is not yet walking. He listens to her explain the problem and then repeats it for everyone to hear. dollar in with my guest card. I pass the plate to Mary, who passes it to Jim, who puts a crisp bill

He calls for a healing, and several people rush to join him in laying hands on the woman and her of a considerably higher denomination in the plate and hands it to the usher. He sees that I have

baby. They pray over her and as everyone returns to their seats he sings the words to the tune filled out a guest card and begins filling his out as the service continues; he’ll eventually give

being played on the organ, piano, and guitar. Some in the congregation join him; the words are this to someone in the foyer after the service. I watch him for a moment and think about his odd

about healing through God’s power. The song is almost spontaneous, but I think the pianist position in the church; never a member, but at some point extraordinarily familiar with everyone

shifted to this tune during the healing, so I can only guess that it is probably sung every time they in it; now, almost a stranger again, but not quite. When does an ethnographer stop filling out

lay on hands during a service. guest cards?

[everything written before this point (except for some minor edits) was recorded right As the collection started, music began playing, and I was distracted by looking for money

after the service; everything from this point on was not recorded until three days later, so my and guest card, so I didn’t notice at that moment that it wasn’t the piano and organ that were

memory is much dimmer.] providing it. During the collection, I hear a woman being singing, and I look up to see a woman

After this song is finished, the music stops, and Bro. Haywood hands the microphone to in a blue suit (jacket and knee-length slim skirt) and red blouse holding a microphone and

another man whose name I don’t catch. He immediately says, “He who keeps the tithe is a thief!” singing to recorded backup. She is in her early 40s, with large squarish glasses and shoulder-

and begins speaking about the necessity of giving to the church. He speaks for a minute or two, length dark hair; I recognize her now as one of soloists who were singing with the choir when we

and then four men in coat and tie come to the front with collection plates. The plates are really first came in. She walks around with the microphone and sings energetically, sometimes making

large shallow chrome bowls about 14” in diameter, with a wide flat lip that makes them easy to a fist with her other hand and leaning over a bit at the waist. She is pushing the notes out; what

hold and pass. Two of the men stand on either side of the pulpit (but at the bottom of the steps), she loses in accuracy, though, she makes up for in passion. (I can’t now remember anything else

one stands in front of the aisle to my left, and the other stands in front of the corresponding aisle about the lyrics or style of the song.) By the time her song is finished, the collection is mostly

on the other side. The man with the microphone then leads a prayer, after which the men begin finished. I am a little preoccupied with making notes about the space, so I’m a little startled when

passing the collection plates. The two men in front of the pulpit come down the center aisle and the congregation applauds her at the end of the song. Then another woman comes up and stands

pass their plates down the pews on either side; then the plates are taken up by the men on the side behind the pulpit. She is in her early 30s, thin, medium height, with blonde hair in a pageboy

aisles and passed back to the center through the next pew. I have put a couple of folded dollars in hairstyle. She is wearing a little black jacket dress with tiny sparklies embroidered on the bodice,

my jacket pocket for just such an occasion. The guest card I filled out earlier said to place it in which isn’t as formal as it sounds. Jim passes a note to Mary and me on the back of a collection

the collection plate, presumably excusing visitors from putting money in the plate, but I always envelope that says this is Jim and Elaine Haywood’s daughter, Kristina (Kirsten, as we later find
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out). She has a spectacular voice, although the song she is performing isn’t all that flashy. whether they will let the men back into the sanctuary or not, implying that it’s two special

(Again, I can’t remember much else about the song; what struck me at the time was her lovely events, one for men and one for women. Elaine clearly takes this second view, since after the

voice and the recorded backup, this time with recorded backup voices as well.) Some in the service she makes a point of telling me how much fun it will be to be “just us women” in the

congregation raise their palms heavenward while listening to the song, and afterward there is sanctuary, where “we can cry” and do all sorts of things that we might not do otherwise. She

enthusiastic applause; most of the congregation gives her a standing ovation. After the service repeats the joke about not letting the men back in.)

Elaine and Jim Haywood (each, separately) tell the three of us how proud they are of Kirsten, Some high points of Bro. Haywood’s sermon:

and that this is her first time singing since she has been going through “a rough time” (Elaine), a • He compares the story of the Israelites going from their bondage in Egypt into the

difficult separation (Jim). wilderness to our spiritual lives today. “I did not deliver you from Egypt to wander in the

Now Bro. Haywood returns to the pulpit and the musicians leave. He is no longer holding wilderness.” Most of us in this room are not really in bondage in Egypt any more, but we are still

a mic but has one clipped to his shirt. He said in the first part of the service that he was not the wandering in the wilderness. We need to stop wandering and go into Canaan in order to fully

regular minister of music, and that they were looking for one, as their minister of music had experience the miracles God sends.

recently left them. I didn’t really understand his point at the time, but now it seems clear to me • He talks a lot about miracles as occurrences that are not necessarily spectacular,

that he switching between clearly defined roles. Instead of walking freely around the front area, but are miracles nonetheless. He mentions his conversion at the age of 9 as an example, as well

as he did before, he goes directly to the pulpit and stands behind it (although, as he gets going as the recent conversion of the woman who earlier brought her baby to be healed. “If I just

during the sermon, he will begin walking around more). He begins his sermon (which I haven’t believe God for the spectacular, I’m gonna miss him.” Still, he mentions other more spectacular

recorded much of); for the past few weeks, he says, he has been preaching on the topic of miracles too, e.g. a woman in the congregation who came to be healed of her Parkinson’s

miracles. Only a minute or two into the sermon, he seamlessly threads in an announcement that disease. She came in using a walker, fell on the ground as she was being healed, and got up and

he will be continuing the “maximizing manhood” series (he holds up a book titled Maximizing walked out on her own.

Manhood) with all the men who wish to come tonight, in the fellowship hall. Meanwhile, his • He occasionally speaks directly to someone in the congregation (often his wife,

wife Elaine (he motions to her; she is now sitting in the front middle-left pew) will be teaching a but sometimes others), usually asking for a factual detail or an affirmation that something he says

lesson for everyone else in the sanctuary. (There is a slight conflict in the way the two of them is correct. “What did Patty have? Parkinson’s? She had Parkinson’s disease!”

describe this division; he at first makes it sound as if Elaine will be teaching for anyone who • He spends some time talking about five sins that will keep you from going into

doesn’t want to go to the “maximizing manhood” series, whether male or female - in other Canaan: fornicating, tempting God, murmuring against God, and two others I didn’t note. He

words, the manhood session is the special event. He then jokes that the women haven’t decided especially spends time on the second and third ones. He asks what it means to tempt God and
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answers his own question – not obeying God’s law, then expecting him to bless me. He mentions prayer or healing. There is silence except for the music, still continuing softly in the background.

not tithing as tempting God, which segues smoothly into a quick summary of the missions He asks the African American family that came in late if they are related to Joe, the ECSU

supported by the offering today. Then he notes that it seems out of place for something as student he mentioned. They respond that they are not. [I stop taking notes at this point.] Then an

innocuous-sounding as “murmuring” to be in a list with sexual sins. But murmuring against God elderly woman on the other side of the room asks for prayer. Her brother has recently died, and

“devalues” God, just as murmuring against your loved ones devalues them. As an example, he she is still very sad. Her daughter is also having some kind of trouble, depression perhaps?

says that if he murmurs against his wife Elaine, that means that he is always focused on her People crowd around her and Bro. Haywood leads them in prayer over her.

negatives rather than her positives (“and folks, she’s got some great positives.”) – and that would After this, the service is over. Bro. Haywood announces that there will be a very brief

devalue her and hurt the marriage. wedding immediately following the service between two of the church’s members, and that

• He then returns to the difference between simply being out of spiritual bondage everyone is welcome to stay and celebrate with them. During the announcement, I see a middle-

and being fully into the promised land. He is clearly wrapping up, and the pianist and organist aged woman come over to the wife of the African American family and give her a hug,

return to the front and begin playing softly. He tells the congregation the song that is coming up welcoming her to the service. People mill around the front, greeting and talking to one another,

– something about marching into Canaan. Then he wraps up, saying, “It’s one thing for him to be as others gather their things and make their way to the rear exit. Louise leans over me to shake

your Savior and another for him to be our Lord.” He pauses dramatically, and repeats this Jim’s hand. She tells him that now she remembers him from when he used to come to the church

statement. Then he turns to the pianist and asks her if we can sing “He is Lord” instead of the on Main Street; she thought he looked familiar. He says that he remembers her, too. I put away

song that was planned. He has just been inspired to change the song, he says, and he begins my notebook and gather my shawl and guest folder, and the three of us head out. Before we

singing “He is Lord.” The pianist slowly picks up the key and starts playing, and the organist reach the back door, we meet up with Jim and Elaine Haywood. Jim and Bro. Haywood have a

joins in. The congregation begins singing with him, faintly at first. After one chorus, he very friendly conversation. Jim asks Bro. Haywood if he has really been doing this for 32 years,

encourages everyone to sing and starts cueing the lines ahead so that everyone can join in. as he mentioned during the service; he answers that it will be 32 years next week. Jim says that’s

After the song, as the piano and organ continue playing softly, Bro. Haywood leads a remarkable, since he has been doing what he does for 32 years, too. Jim suggests that it would be

prayer. After the prayer he asks everyone to stand up and sing another song. I put my notebook wonderful to sit down with him and reminisce about the last 32 years; Bro. Haywood thinks

down as I stand up and sing along. He then asks everyone to come up to the front to pray. He that’s a great idea and offers to buy Jim lunch sometime soon so they can do that. He asks if I am

reassures everyone, “We’re not going to embarrass you or do anything weird.” Jim doesn’t make the person Jim called about earlier in the week, and Mary and I introduce ourselves. I haven’t

a move, so we stand in place. I feel a little conspicuous, since only two or three other people even thought about what I want to say to him, so I feel very awkward and say something about

don’t go up to the front. Bro. Haywood leads another prayer, and then asks if anyone needs how I’m looking for a church to start going to and I’m doing some research on religion. As I
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mentioned before, Elaine Haywood talks to us for a minute about the service tonight and about As we approach the car, we see a family crossing the parking lot and heading toward the

their daughter who sang today. For some reason, I feel more comfortable with her, maybe white BMW that we’re parked next to. One young woman is wearing a black leather jacket and

because her husband has quite a presence – even though, as I mentioned, he is very laid-back and another a black leather skirt, and an older woman is wearing a knee-length fur coat. Jim looks at

friendly. us and smiles, as if to say, “Things have certainly changed!” We wait for them to get in, and then

The Haywoods go back to prepare for the wedding, and we make our way to the foyer, go to the car and leave. On the way back (we only get lost once) Jim talks some more about the

where we speak briefly to Kirsten. Jim recalls when she was just a baby, when he was first church and how much it has changed, particularly in terms of social class. I mention that Bro.

coming to this church, and says he’s sure she doesn’t remember him. She responds that of course Haywood seemed to be continually encouraging people to participate by reassuring them that

she does. We compliment her on her song and she thanks us. Then Mary speaks with a fortyish they wouldn’t be singled out or asked to do anything weird, and wonder aloud if that would have

man while the older African American man who was seated on the other side of the sanctuary been the case 25 years ago. Jim says that’s a good point, but that Bro. Haywood has always had a

comes up to Jim and talks to him, saying that he took an anthropology course at Howard very easygoing style, never pushy like another local Pentecostal minister whose church he also

University when he was there. He and Jim discuss some names of professors at Howard to see if studied in the same period. He says that Elaine Haywood’s role seems to have changed, too,

they have any common acquaintances. (I stand next to Jim and listen, since I don’t have anything since she never led services when he initially did research with the church. But women ministers

to contribute.) The man that was speaking to Mary introduces himself to Jim and asks if he is a are common in Pentecostal churches, he reminds us, which is quite different from the Baptist

professor of music. He remembers Jim from before but associates him with music for some church where women can’t be ministers. We all remark that the church was half empty; Jim says

reason. Jim replies that his field is anthropology, but his wife is a musician, so maybe that’s the that when he visited two or three years ago, the sanctuary was full, and we muse on what might

reason. The usher who initially welcomed us greets us again. He says that they had a good crowd have changed in that time. Jim is excited about our visit. He says he might start coming back

today. I say they have a lovely church building, which seems to make him slightly more often because he is intrigued by all the changes that have taken place. The time is right for

uncomfortable; he smiles and says that they try to keep it polished up. I reply that it’s good to someone to do a new study of this church, he believes. He drops me off at my place and I thank

have such a nice place to worship in, and ask how long ago they moved to this building from him for taking us. I go in and change clothes, and then sit down at the computer to try and get all

Main Street. He says he doesn’t know, since he has only been with the church for three years. this down.

After talking in the foyer for five minutes or so, we head for the door. I leave the pen that was

with my folder on the table by the door where the guest folders are located. It seems wasteful to

take it.