The Christians of Poltava have no cause to complain about a lack of worthwhile cultural activities, they just need to take advantage of the opportunities for creative and spiritual development that the Lord provides us with.

Hallelujah is the only word that suffices to express the delight and incredible impression made by the performance of the Evangelion choir from Minnesota that visited this past Monday. All of the people in attendance had a wonderful experience as the indescribable beauty of the professionally sung songs filled the sanctuary of Born Again Church. The listeners were greatly impressed and, regardless of church denomination, expressed their feelings in hearty applause in spite of the heat and stuffiness of the sanctuary.

For their part the choir members also demonstrated incredible stamina, dedication and patience. As the regional elder Oleg Ivanovich Ovsiy commented, "We were sorrier for you than we were for ourselves". Those words were very much on the mark, as the preparation of the choir and the self-sacrifice of the singers was evident to everyone in the audience. "Why" you may ask? The answer is simple. To travel at your own expense to a distant European country, thoroughly learn a difficult and weighty repertoire ... Furthermore, the performers were not dressed for summer comfort in Ukraine: the men were dressed up in black tuxedos, white shirts, vests and bow-ties, while the women wore formal black dresses. Also, during the performance the fans and ventilation systems were shut off to reduce extraneous noise. Can you imagine getting through 17 hymns dressed like that and without air conditioning or fans? Would we have been able to do it?

I certainly understand that it wasn't easy for the listeners, given the oppressive heat and the difficult classical music, but still I need to comment on the "pecularities of Ukrainian hospitality". First, dear Christian friends, internationally recognized musicians of that quality don't travel to visit us that often. They did not charge admission for the performance. They deliver a professional performance of classical music. If that is not something you are interested in, then you can still suggest that your friends listen to the wonderful praise songs. The sanctuary was full, but still there weren't many representatives of the many churches. There could have been more in attendance. Try to tear yourselves away from your everyday routine to support this type of concert. You need to raise your level of culture, not lower it. Secondly, about half of the audience arrived 20 minutes late. The choir had to wait in terrible heat in formal attire as some audience members took their time finding their way into the church. Once the performance had started a surprising "Christian simplicity" showed itself in full measure. Instead of quietly and unobtrusively finding a seat to the side, some of the late-comers strutted down to the first row, distracting both the audience and the singers. Others vigorously waved to the late-arriving friends and relatives, indicating seats they had saved. The Poltava Christians did distinguish themselves in a positive way, though. At the end of the program each of the women in the choir received an elegant white rose.

Our Christian culture leaves something to be desired. Happily, everyone was satisfied. We hope that the Holy Spirit was working in the hearts of unbelieving listeners, as well as in the hearts of those who know and serve the Lord.

Don't pass up opportunities to make your cultural development broader and richer.

Tanya Varyanitsa