An adventure

So, here it is the end of May, and while the weather has warmed up somewhat, it has not yet succeeded in drying out. Hope springs eternal. More emphasis on "springs." As in "fountains." Not to mention squalls, downpours, cloudbursts...this must be the west coast. I haven't been here for a while. I spent the first 3 weeks of May rolling across this great land and singing: activities pleasant enough on their own, but, in combination, unmitigated ecstasy. The tour was that of the UVic Chamber Singers, and the timing exquisite. Canada in springtime is worth seeing. The weather was gentle and warm, the hosts were wonderful, the concerts hugely successful, and I managed to cram an amazing amount of sightseeing into a few days between Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. We performed in Parksville, Comox, Langley, Penticton, Castlegar, Medicine Hat, Regina, Winnipeg, and Toronto. Here are some things that stuck in my mind: Langley: Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church has marvellous acoustics - the sound had a brillliance and clarity that was unmatched by any of the more venerable churches we performed in. Penticton: expecting to be billeted that night, instead we got put up in a hotel that had a pool and hot tub. Nice. Castlegar: borsch, baby, borsch, served up by local Doukhobors, a cultural enclave that has reinvented itself as a vibrant and welcoming segment of society. Regina: Holy Rosary Cathedral has about a 3-second decay, which doesn't sound like much until you're singing in it. Very cool. Winnipeg: six of us were billeted at an upscale B&B on the river, a splendid old house of similar vintage to my grandmother's, only this one was spit-polished and furnished with antiques. Gorgeous. Had two days in Toronto and squeezed in the Royal Ontario Museum, some ethnic eating, and a trip to Niagara Falls. Had a day and a bit in Montreal and went on a kamikaze walking tour of churches and other architectural landmarks, shopped in Chinatown, ate smoked meat at Kraussman's, did one floor of the Museum of Fine Arts, and loved the city and everyone in it. Had half a day in Ottawa and did similar things, including "Canada's biggest 2nd-hand book store" (four floors). I managed to get through the fantasy and murder-mystery sections, and that was it. Went up the Peace Tower, walked along Sparks St Mall to see where the CBC early-afternoon show comes from, poked through the Byward Market, and popped in to Notre Dame Basilica which is similar to the one of the same name in Montreal. Gothic design, Baroque decor. You walk in and your visual cortex threatens to shut down from sheer overload. You have to remind yourself to breathe. We don't put up buildings and decorate them to the glory of God these days, because we know that the church is not made with hands. But what are we doing instead? What do we produce, in our Christian communities, that so obviously points to the beauty and majesty of our God? Is there anything? I wonder. And sometimes we sneer that all that gold could feed a lot of hungry kids, but is that where we put our gold? What did Jesus say to the Pharisees? "You ought to practise the one, without neglecting the other." I think we could learn a lot from those who poured their resources into building for God's glory - whether or not we copy their actions, we would do well to emulate their hearts.