I have been very fortunate to travel to many places in the world. Wherever I go, I come upon UNESCO World Heritage sites. Whether you are in Jerusalem or Split, Croatia you will discover a plaque or a sign or a designation that says UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kathy and I were walking around the ruins of Byblos in Lebanon and saw that familiar sign.

Kathy told me it brings joy to her heart to see this designation because it means that this place will not be destroyed. When I see World Heritage I think of something people treasure and try to preserve for future generations. This is absolutely the right thing to do because we need to have unique places in history that will always be remembered and never forgotten. In fact, more than that, they need to be visited so we can be enriched by them. 

I am also pleased when I see that Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is being rebuilt from the awful fire that destroyed it. It is more than a World Heritage Site. It is a church where people still worship.

Today, given the conflict we see within the Church, from scandals to infighting and losing people, we seem to be observing its disintegration into remnants of something that once was. Christianity may come to us with a wonderful heritage, but there is nothing more wonderful than live people in person, praying, singing hymns, and hearing the word proclaimed.

Whether we are a child participating in a children's sermon, or an adult kneeling to receive bread and wine, nothing beats something that is alive, vibrant, caring, loving, and thriving. That is my hope for us.