Our next stop in the Cathedral of Learning was the Ukraine room.

This was one of the neater rooms as far as I was concerned.  I felt I stepped into someone’s home in Ukraine.

It felt like a cozy kitchen, welcoming us, just a little before dinner.  I could almost imagine an old grandmotherly-type figure reaching for the plates and urging us to sit down so we could eat the wonderful food that was lovingly made.

I loved the detail in the in cover over the chalkboard.

And the tribute to the importance of faith in the culture.  The icons are gorgeous.

Lessons for the church – there are many here, but I’ll limit myself to the most important that I took away.  That would be the importance of authentic hospitality.  Even without a person in this room, the environment it is in urges us to feel welcomed.  Church can be a welcoming place as well. There are certainly enough people who feel left out, outcast, and on the outside. If the church isn’t a place to welcome these people, then where are they going to go?  It’s our call to welcome those that society finds unwelcome.