On the bus ride today I was really enjoying the views of my Shadyside neighbourhood. So many huge gothic mansions, wide Victorian houses covered in ivy and those cute wooden bungalows with the traditional American swing chairs on their porches. These were interspersed between abandoned buildings and garbage ridden parking lots, where Im hoping someone will redevelop some time. Some of the oldest and most beautiful buildings I saw on the journey were huge majestic Anglican churches. They were all so well cared for, most had a small, pretty garden, or hanging flower baskets and well trimmed hedges. The one on our corner has the most luxurious velvety green lawn. I always wonder how they manage to make it look so ‘Photoshopped’. It never has a bad hair day.

So anyway, the other day a friend of mine commented on how she would like to join a church in the area but she doesnt agree with how they spend so much money, so visibly, on their buildings. At the time I agreed wholeheartedly with her, remembering a wonderful Anglican church down the road from where I lived in Brighton which took in refugees and homeless people, housed and fed them, and tried to help reintegrate them into society. The way they did it seemed so laid back, unpreachy and very low key. I was so inspired and impressed. And the church was really beautiful, but quite delapidated, because they spent so much of their money on the less fortunate.

But then I realised today that these old historical buildings are a wonderful gift from the past, and they cost a lot of money to preserve. They are a part of our heritage. While for the time being churches in America are special to the communities they are in, all across England the most beautiful old churches are being left abandoned to rot, because hardly anybody goes to church anymore. So nobody is willing to pay to keep these grand old buildings maintained. Many old churches have been sold to developers and have been converted into posh apartments, while the not so lucky ones partially shelter junkies from the rain while they shoot up near the bus stop.

I am glad that there are people in my community who are willing to donate a portion of their paycheque to keep this neighbourhood looking beautiful. Walking through the streets here uplifts my soul. While there is no doubt that those churches look expensive to maintain, they aren’t ridiculously ostentatious either. And even if they were, shouldnt they be an even more valuable gift from the past and worth looking after? I’ve been thinking about this a lot today. What do you think?

A pic of the church on our corner of Walnut Street:

Soul Harvest by Nathan Swartz