A few weeks ago we went as a group to visit a handful of churches in the city. We spent a morning with each pastor and priest of the different churches, listening to them share a little about their congregations and their thoughts on what it means to be the church. I find the diversity of the church fascinating, and equally interesting to me is which of the traditions I am drawn to based on those short meetings.
One of the mornings, we visited the pastor of a nearby church that meets in an old theater. I had been to this theater before, and during the week when it is empty the building reminds me a of The Phantom of the Opera- kind of creepy and mysterious. Anyways, after a satisfactory meeting the pastor led us up through the theater to a little door at the very top which opened to the roof, and from there we went up a ladder to the very highest part of the roof.
If you can imagine a perfect (well almost, still slightly chilly) spring day, I was facing south and just ahead and to my right was Mount Royal, the tiny mountain situated in the middle of the city. A little further to my right was St Joseph's Oratory, its giant dome perched on the backside of the mount. Further ahead just before the water I saw downtown Montreal, with its modest skyscrapers... an old law makes it illegal to build buildings higher than the cross that rests on top of Mount Royal.
What was most incredible though were all of the churches that could be seen from the roof of this theater. Hundreds of beautiful churches, all telling a rich yet broken story; a story that left off with abuse, mistrust and rejection. The pastor mentioned that when Mark Twain visited Montreal he called it "the city of a thousand steeples." Yet so many of these churches are empty shells, testifying to the culture's speedy shift towards post-christianity.
The view was breathtaking. Montreal is lovely in the spring.
A few weeks ago I decided officially that I would commit another year to living in this city. After much prayer and thought I realized that it wouldn't make sense for my time here to be finished, I am still compelled by the story of this culture and a desire to see redemption in all spheres of influence.
My dts is quickly moving towards its end and I've been in the process of reflecting on all that I've lived and learned since I've been here. In about one month I'll be heading back to Charlotte for the summer to work and raise support so that I can return. Next spring I'll be on staff with YWAM doing a number of things: continuing my photography work, continuing my involvement with St James drop in center, assisting with an urban cultures night class, and taking over some administrative tasks.
I love that I can further invest here, and I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to return.
I wish I could show you a picture of the view of Montreal from the roof of that theater, but I didn't have my camera with me that day. Lesson learned.
