My Life as the Canary in the Pew

I don’t go to church anymore. It’s not because I had a falling out with God or with the pastor. It’s not because I’m too busy, have difficulties getting there, or think it’s boring. It's not because I believe church is full of hypocrites. I don’t go to church anymore because I suffer from symptoms of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS).

An active church life filled with teaching women’s classes and children’s programs, partaking in prayer groups, and fellowshipping with other believers is a thing of my past. Fragrant body lotions, candles, incense, and scented plug-in devices make me sick, literally. The church world, and the world in general, is full of toxic chemicals that affect my health. Especially toxic to me are fragrances—perfumes, colognes, lotions, laundry products, deodorizing devices, and hair products.

Canary in the Pew

I am like a canary that coal miners used years ago to give warning of impending danger from the toxic gases in the mines. Early coal miners didn’t have ventilation systems or special equipment that miners have today to measure gas in the air. They carried bright yellow canaries below ground in cages because their highly sensitive metabolism detected small quantities of methane and carbon monoxide gas that signaled potential explosions or poisoned air. When the canary stopped chirping or singing, the miners would know that the gas levels were too high and evacuate immediately.

Many churches burn fragrant candles or incense, or use ambient scenting or fragrant plug-in devices. There are also construction toxins—fresh paint, newly installed carpeting, and cleaning products. For people like me, entering a church building with a variety of noxious chemicals is comparable to being dropped into a pot of toxic soup, stirred all around, thrown out after an hour, then left gasping for fresh air. What most people don’t understand is that the effect it has on sufferers of MCS doesn’t just disappear after we’re out of the pot! It can take days to recover.

As a “canary” in our world, my warning is for churchgoers. I hope that my condition will signal others, making them aware of the threatening dangers of our lifestyles with the various chemicals found in our cleaning products, beauty supplies, and scented commodities. I learned, however, to manage, adjust, and persevere amidst constant chemical assault—and I believe others can too.

Debatable Symptoms

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities is a controversial medical condition unrecognized by some doctors. It is also called “environmental illness” or “sick building syndrome,” referring to a variety of non-specific symptoms caused by exposure to all kinds of low-level chemicals. An estimated 80,000 chemicals, with the number growing daily, are in use in our environment today. According to some studies, one in five people experience health problems when exposed to these fragrances.

Reports from around the world indicate that chemical sensitivity is a global problem occurring in people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds. It occurs twice as often in women as in men, and the numbers seem to be growing. MCS sufferers frequently have imbalances in their nervous, immune, and hormonal systems. They have impaired detoxification abilities. MCS is not a smell preference, but a recognized disability. It’s not that I don’t like the smell of fragrances, it just makes me sick.

A Matter of Faith

After various symptoms and ailments over a period of time, I underwent all kinds of medical tests with no conclusions. I tried many different traditional and nontraditional health treatments. And I questioned why God didn’t heal me. I read and memorized healing scriptures. I wrote them on cards and placed throughout my house. I carried them in my purse or taped them on my desk at work. I studied Jesus’ healings in the gospels. I read numerous books on healing, some old and some new. I’ve been prayed for and prayed over by church leaders and even at healing meetings.

Of course I questioned my faith—did I not have enough faith to be healed? Did I not pray enough? Recite enough healing verses? I don’t know why God heals some people and not others. I learned that I need to trust Him as He walks with me through my valley of ill health.

It’s all About Me

As I traveled on my journey of finding my way back to health, I slowly had to withdraw from my church activities, groups, and fellowships. As I withdrew, I found myself in company with bitterness, resentment, anger, jealousy, offense, and sometimes just downright self-pity! Thoughts sometimes evolved into words like, “Why don’t people love me enough to cease wearing their fragrances?” or “Why am I sitting on the sidelines when I so desire to be in the game?”

God has made it perfectly clear that it’s all about me—not in the worldly, selfish sense—but in the sense that only I am responsible for how I respond or react to my circumstances. People’s fragrances are not what make me bitter, resentful, or angry. I choose to be that way. The sun which our lives depend on can melt a candle and make a mess, or it can harden clay to make bricks to build homes. Is the sun to blame or to be applauded?

If someone chooses to wear a fragrance that makes me sick, then I need to adjust with God’s grace even if it means avoiding that person or situation. I cannot take personal offense, either. I constantly struggle with judgmental and offensive thoughts that go through my mind. I repent and seek God’s forgiveness often. Praying blessings over my offenders and circumstances is the best way to overcome these invasive thoughts that come straight from the Enemy.

Losing your connection with church does not mean you lose your connection with the Lord. Sure, I miss church greatly, especially fellowshipping with other believers. When everything you’ve ever loved doing for the Lord is removed, all you have left is the Lord. I’ve found that’s all you need.

Throughout my journey, I determined to find new ways to grow spiritually through online and televised sermons and teachings, books, Scripture, and prayer. I grew exponentially in my spiritual walk with the Lord. That was the one good thing that transpired through all of this. God will draw near to us when we draw near to Him. I learned that prayer times and Bible studies can be just as effective over the phone. I now concentrate on other things like writing, prayer, and design projects that encourage others. I also take advantage of outdoor Christian activities with fresh air. And the few faithful fragrance-free friends that I have, I cherish.

What Can a Church Do?

Since scented products are volatile, they quickly permeate and linger in the air which we all breathe. Many businesses and medical facilities around the world have implemented fragrance-free policies for the sake of creating healthier environments. Why wouldn’t the church want to do the same? Below are several things that a church can do to improve indoor air quality and make church more accessible for an MCS sufferer.

• Do not wear fragrances when attending church or church activities. The sacrifice of not wearing fragrance for a few hours during church means so much to an MCS sufferer.
• Develop a no-perfume policy. Make regular announcements and post notices on the church website, in bulletins, and on signs.
• Create a fragrance-free section in the sanctuary.
• Educate the church on the harmful chemicals in our fragrances, laundry, and cleaning products and their adverse effect on our health. There is plenty of information available.
• Do not use candles, plug-in air freshener devices, air freshener sprays, ambient scents, or toxic cleaning products in your buildings. There are organic, natural products available.
• Create a separate fragrance-free room with a sound/video system for those with severe chemical disorders and other disabilities.

The One and Only Fragrance to Wear

Canaries in the coal mines lived lonely lives, and their sole purpose was to warn miners. We live in a contaminated world that is continuing to be detrimental to our health in many different ways. My prayer is that, as more and more people develop environmental health problems, the warning will be heeded. I have made great progress in the improvement of my health, and others can too. The coal miner’s canary continuously sang his song and so do I—the song of hope. I’ll never stop singing it.

Scripture tells us that we are the fragrance of Christ. That is the only fragrance we ever need to wear. Our love, worship, kindness, forgiveness, and acts of service are a few of the many ways the fragrance of Christ is released to those around us. Christ’s scent will linger through us for all eternity. May His fragrance fill your nostrils now and forever with the pure sweet aroma of His grace, glory, and goodness.