Friday, May 23, 2008

Sanctuary


This weekend Toronto mosques, synagogues and churches will host visitors as part of the Open Doors program. Other years it has been secular buildings which have welcomed people in to enjoy the architecture. This is a first to employ sacred spaces as a part of this program.

What a great idea. When we were in Halifax a couple in the congregation were recent immigrants from Germany. They were surprised that in a community where people were so open and friendly most churches were locked up tight most of the time. The days of letting folk wander in off the street for prayer and contemplation have given way to concerns about security.

In Sudbury our downtown church was a high-rise building. While the sanctuary was locked during the week we had a beautiful chapel that was open to the public. There were often people who were unknown to me who were sitting in this tranquil space. Of course everything was secured to avoid theft. The communion table was made of polished nickel ore and weighed a thousand kilograms, so it wasn't going anywhere!

There is a biblical tradition of sanctuary that has all but disappeared. I'm not sure that there is an easy answer to reviving this concept, but the Open Doors weekend is a good start. I wonder if Bowmanville could come up with its own version.

1 comment:

Deborah Laforet said...

I often struggle with locking up a church, and I living in a small community, many don't even lock up their homes. I also struggle with not locking it though. I don't have a key to my office, and the church also has sound equipment and a projector and laptop. Isn't it kind of insane not to lock up the church?

A chapel would be a great idea, but we live in such a beautiful part of the country, that I like to consider the creation around me as my chapel.