The moral question

The Lord’s work is being done on a luxury yacht in North Vancouver, of all places.

But before leaping to conclusions, Cove Church pastor Sean Graham wants everyone to know the church is not wealthy.

He doesn’t even have an office. Space for Sunday services is rented from another church.

But he says the 20-metre luxury vessel, which is on loan from a friend who knows its value to God’s work, is essential to moving his ministry forward.

Graham finds time to write, study and reflect on issues of the day. His “thinking bench” is on the captain’s bridge or, on sunny afternoons, an upper deck at the Mosquito Creek Marina mooring.

“Having a quiet space is invaluable. This is where I can imagine what the church can be,” says Graham, 39, a father of two who wanted to be a minister at the age of 18.

On peaceful days when waves lap against the hull, Graham has insight into people on the well-to-do North Shore (it likely applies to the rest of the West Coast as well).

The concept concerns the idea of “owning beauty” and it is so subtle it almost slips away.

He thinks the area’s abundant natural beauty has led to a tendency to focus on the beauty and efforts to make it even more beautiful.

The result is ever-bigger views, larger sundecks and trees everywhere.

But Graham says something can be lost in the midst of all this beauty.

He explains: “Vancouver is built around views. The beauty is awesome. Image is really important to us. We put a lot of emphasis on how we appear. But we can become very narcissistic.

“Places such as Deep Cove are seen as destination communities. When you can live here, you’ve made it. When we experience something wonderful, we want more of it. The question of what is enough is kind of mute.

“External beauty is a reality. But when we try to own it, I’ve seen it dominate too many peoples’ lives,” he says.

Graham sees his community, in its natural treed splendour, as an endless distraction from the deep struggles actually facing us. “It allows us to live the unexamined life,” he says.

“The problem is, most people I’ve met haven’t made it on their interior journey. They’re still as confused and conflicted as when they began.” So, what does he suggest? “Decide to give. Local faith communities, churches, synagogues and temples, are a good way of creating and maintaining effective charity channels. People should give something, time or money. Giving is a spiritual signal that gratitude is part of our lives.”