KIRKLAND, Wash. -- The Rev. Kara Markell, pastor of Lake Washington Christian Church, recalled how "unbreathable" it often became inside her previous church in Texas.
Sunday best, for some people, includes ample amounts of smell-nice. The idea that perfumes may pose health risks may never cross the mind.
But nestled in the woods of a Seattle suburb, Markell's new parish offers a sanctuary from scents. A fragrance-free campaign asks members and visitors to forego perfumes, after-shave and scented lotions on Sundays. Meanwhile, the church is swapping out perfumed products throughout the building, including cleaners, candles, air fresheners and bathroom soaps.
"I love it," said Markell. Cleaner air that gives a reprieve to chemical-sensitive churchgoers ties in with her congregation's "green church" designation as well as its position on "inclusion."
Centuries of men and women have sought out sweet scents for the pleasure of themselves and others. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than a church sanctuary filled with fragrant candles and a cocktail of colognes. As a verse in the Bible's book of Proverbs reads, "Ointment and perfume delight the heart."
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