Beginning in the fall of 1990, I began a community profile of all three suburbs. I subscribed to two local newspapers and read them weekly. I read histories of the communities in the public library and local historical society offices. I talked to community leaders in politics, business, and the local press, and I gathered census data. By the time I had completed field-work in the winter of 1993, I was able to put together a fairly detailed and rich picture of the tri-village area, as residents call it.

Access – Interviewing and Participant Observation

In each congregation I interviewed the pastor, the head of the lay administrative council, the liturgical/worship director (or equivalent), and the director of religious education (or equivalent). I then interviewed lay members who were reported to be involved in specific conflicts, making sure that I covered all “sides.”

Issues of access are always important in any fieldwork-based study. Access is in part physical, and Oak Park was within commuting distance of my own home. Access is also in part social, and my education, race, and socioeconomic status are similar to those of the majority of the people I interviewed, particularly of the pastors and lay leaders who served as important gatekeepers in providing background information on the congregations, directing me to other members and encouraging members to cooperate with me.