About twenty minutes till seven, I jumped in Jake’s truck and moved over next to him.
“You don’t have to sit so close. She’s not coming.” I was disappointed. I liked Collette, no matter what everyone said about her. She has been nothing but kind to me.
When we got to Riverstone, ‘Old man Jackson’ was standing at the very top step. I had never seen him there on Sunday night. He was one of those ‘Sunday morning onlies’. Then Willard walked out from the lobby and stood right next to Jackson. They both had their arms folded in that ‘what are you doing here attitude’. Jake put his hand out to both men to greet him and they both stood there like statues.
“Good evening, gentlemen. Good to see the both of you.”
“You’re ‘wife’ not come with you tonight?” asked Willard.
“That would be next to impossible, sir,” Jake answered and we walked on. Ron met us as soon as we walked away, and they ‘bear-hugged’ again. I heard ‘old man Jackson’ say something about sissies hugging each other.
“Jake. Thank you so much for coming. A guy needs a friend right before he faces a firing squad.”
“That won’t happen till Wednesday, remember,” Jake said. I think he was joking.
“But things seemed to change after the threatening call Randy’s mom got. I won’t be preaching tonight, Jake.”
“You’re not giving up that easy, are you?”
“Oh no. I just thought we would have a time of prayer and praise. Maybe the Holy Spirit will ease things for awhile.”
“That sounds great,” encouraged Jake. I wasn’t sure what Ron was talking about. I guess I would find out soon.
Ron pulled Jake away to his office and I went and took my normal seat. As soon as I did, I heard several comments. They were about me, so I wasn’t rude enough to turn around and see exactly who said what.
“I thought I heard this morning that Mr. Jackson had promised not to bring him again.”
“He didn’t. It was that ‘tattoo guy’. I’m surprised he hasn’t moved on to another town.”
I then felt a tap on my shoulder and heard a grunt. I looked around and it was Jimmie Wascom. I turned all the way around and raised my hand. He ‘high-fived’ me and laughed loud as a small stream of drool came down his chin. He mumbled back at me, since he can’t really talk. He is really happy though. He smiles so big. Winnie was holding him and told me she was glad to see me. She then turned to Jimmie and told him to give something to me. He raised his right hand again and tried to give me another ‘high-five’, but my hand was in my lap.
“No, son. In your other hand. Give it to Randy.” He just smiled again. She then reached for his left hand and pulled something from it. She put her hand on my shoulder and wiggled her fingers. I reached up right when she moved her hand and I grabbed something sitting there. I pulled it to my lap and unfolded a five dollar bill. I turned around and mouthed ‘thank you’ to her.
“And to think he comes week after week. And his poor drunk mama never has darkened the door to this church,” I heard from across the aisle. Whoever it was was being real loud and not trying to be discreet.
“So what are you saying?”
“What do you mean, ‘what am I saying’?”
“Are you saying he shouldn’t be coming here. Or are you saying his mama should and you are going to trot on over there and invite her?”
“You wouldn’t catch me dead in a ‘flea-bag’ place like that.”
All of a sudden, the whole room seemed to go quiet. I looked around and Jake and Ron were walking up the left-center aisle. Instead of sitting on the front row, Jake scooted over and sat by me. Ron went on up front and walked over to Emmy and leaned over for a few seconds talking to her.
“What’s he saying, Jake.”
“I think he’s asking her to play certain songs. We’re going to have a different kind of service tonight.”
Ron sat down and Emmy stood up and got some sheet music out of her bench. She then played three songs before anyone stood, talked, or did anything. It’s not really unusual for Emmy to play several songs before the service starts, but that is always before the preacher or anybody comes and sits down up front. It was kind of strange watching Ron just sit there. “Are we going to get started?” I whispered to Jake.
“We have. It’s called silent worship and prayer. Most people here, I don’t think are used to it.” I looked around and saw Winnie and Margie. They were both praying hard. Most people just sat there, staring up at Ron, waiting for him to do something.
Ron stood up and walked to the podium. He wiped some tears away, but he was smiling. “God is so good, isn’t he? He is worthy of our praise and adoration. Let’s spend tonight in a time of thanksgiving, praise, and prayer.” He stopped talking and stood there for about thirty seconds. People started to fidget in their seats and get uncomfortable.
“Does anyone have something they are so full of thanks for that you have to tell everyone about?”
Lori-ann was only seven years old, but she shot her hand up quickly.
“Yes ma’am, the pretty young lady over there on the left,” Ron said as he pointed her way.
“Last Monday my ‘maw-maw’ had a bad wreck in California and she was un…uncon…she didn’t wake up for two days, but she is now walking and talking and should go home in another two days.” Jake clapped his hands for a second and Ron said, “Well, that is something to praise God for. Anybody else?"
Margie then spoke, without raising her hand like Lori-ann did. “Pastor, I am so glad you and Alisa and the kids are here to shepherd us and teach us. You have shown nothing but love to everyone.” She sat down.
Inez finally spoke up. “Yeah. Dope-heads, trailer-trash, and…” A lady who I didn’t know was sitting behind her and tapped Inez on the shoulder and stopped her. I had never seen anyone brave enough to stand up to Inez like that. I’m kind of glad she did.
“I got a new hamster this week,” said one boy behind me. A few people giggled and a few said, “that was sweet.”
Chad stood up behind me and spoke, “We took Jimmie over to the university hospital this week and he has shown an improvement of ten-percent on his motor functions since a year ago.” Several people said, “Praise the Lord.”
Ron turned to his left and said, “Mrs. Davidson, could you please play ‘It is well with my soul?” She scrambled to find the page number and I could tell she didn’t like doing that in the middle of the service. After the song was over, Ron walked down to our level and asked us to spend some time in prayer. He knelt on the front row right in front of Inez. After a minute, Jake and Margie and Chad joined him. The church was silent for about five minutes and then I could tell people were starting to get restless.
‘Old Man Jackson’ then stood up and spoke with a booming voice. The four were still kneeling up front and many were praying where they sat. “Are you going to just lie there preacher, or are you going to stand up and preach like we pay you to do.” I think he shocked most people with his bold statement. Ron stood up and the others sat down on the front row. Ron looked a little upset, and he slowly walked back up to the podium.
“Mr… Mr. Jackson. I’m sorry if you, or others, might have a drastic difference of opinions with what I have of the duties of a pastor. I have heard many jokes through the years about a pastor being highly overpaid because we ‘work’ only three hours a week. Preaching is such a little portion of a pastor’s duties. I will not go into all of them, but during a worship service, I feel my main capacity is to lead, not just preach. A ‘worship service’ can be many things, preaching, Christmas and Easter Musicals, prayer in a time of disaster, and celebrating in worship during a time of victory. As for tonight, I thought we needed a time of praise and prayer.”
Then Willard James stood up and walked forward. He walked all the way up to the podium and Ron stepped sideways to make room for him. “Well, Mr. Pastor, I guess Mr. Jackson is not the only one who has a difference of opinion about you being hired to preach, but that’s what I had in mind when I mistakenly voted for you coming here a few weeks ago. Now, are you going to preach?”
Ron stood there for a long, long half a minute before he answered. “No. No sir. I’m not…. Yes sir, for the moment, you do pay my salary. But as a Christian and a pastor, I must follow God’s leading in how I lead a church and individual services. And I had a strong nudging from God tonight to have a different kind of service. I might not be your pastor for long, but as long as I am, I will lead services by God’s leading and not by committee.”
“You’re darn right you might not be our pastor long. That will be decided this coming Wednesday night,” added Willard.
I heard some sniffling and saw Margie Scott crying.
Willard went and sat down in the extra seat next to the pastor’s, like he was in charge. I heard something to my left and saw Alisa Anderson stand up and walk out with both of her kids. I don’t blame her. It looked like things were going to get a little hotter, and she didn’t want her children to see it. Ron stood and spoke.
“Mr. James, Mr. Jackson. I am obviously aware of some discontent among some of our congregation, most of it I assume, directed toward myself. I do not want to at this time, nor will I allow a lengthy discussion or heated argument about the issues tonight. We will leave that for Wednesday night. But please indulge me. May you take two or three minutes to at least inform me what your main complaints are? I have just heard a few scattered pieces of gossip, and if I am going to be your pastor for less than two weeks, I would not like to be voted out based on gossip or hearsay. So indulge me. Please give me, in short, what your complaints are.”
“I will gladly do that,” Willard said as he stood up and took over the podium again. “Well, Mr. Anderson. My and most everyone’s complaints stem from one major issue.”
“Excuse me,” an old lady who usually sits on the back row said. “Speak for yourself, Willard James. But I don’t think MOST of us have any complaints. I for one think that Brother Ron and …”
“Thank you Florence, but your vote will be taken Wednesday night,” said Willard. “Now where was I? We hired you to be ‘our’ pastor, not to a town full of deadbeats. Since you walked into our town, you have seemed to be more focused on being chummy with unwanted street people than with your own church members. You have been involved in all kinds of questionable friendships and activities.” He stopped and stood there.
Ron looked his way and spoke softly. “Sir, May I please ask you something? What do you mean by unwanted people? If you are talking about serial axe murderers who say they want to kill again, I could maybe accept that. But I really don’t think we have too many here in town, and I would really be surprised if we had any in this room right now.” The whole place laughed and it made Willard very upset.
“You know darn well what I am talking about.” He looked down and pointed right at Jake. “We object to a known biker-hippie, dope dealer and that hussy he is living with coming to our fine church. And we object to you being better friends with them than with some of us. And,…what about all the shenanigans going on down here at the front of the auditorium. People, including him,” he again pointed toward Jake, “laying all over the floor, bawling like babies and carrying on. And scaring poor old ladies. It’s just not right, Mr. Anderson. I won’t dignify the term ‘pastor’ with you any longer. You are Mr. Anderson to me. And…these ‘bus kids’ we have been picking up for years. It must cost a fortune every week to pick them up, and they don’t contribute to the church at all. How many of them are there, ten or twelve?”
Chad bolted straight up out of his seat. “Now you are out of order, Mr. Jackson. Or just plain ignorant of the facts. Ever since our van broke down years ago, we haven’t spent a dime on church budget to pick up Randy, here, and maybe one or two more. Mr. Jackson has been doing that at his own expense for awhile. For that, we are grateful.”
“I resigned from that ministry this very morning,” yelled ‘Old Man Jackson’.
“Then I take up the task as of next Sunday morning, sir,” Chad answered.
“Not unless we vote on it,” Jackson insisted.
Chad was getting angry. “I can pick up whoever I wish. I don’t have to have a committee to tell me to do God’s work.”
“Now that we have that settled,” Willard continued, “Shall we continue? Broth….Mr. Anderson, I think that should give you a little to think about until Wednesday night. Should we add any more?”
“No. …uh…I think that is probably enough for now, Mr. James. You have given me quite a bit to think about and pray about. Have ‘you’ prayed about this, Mr. James?”
Willard was halfway down the two steps and turned around and shot Pastor Ron a nasty look.
“This service is adjourned,” announced Willard when he got about halfway down the aisle. He never slowed down. He went through the double swinging doors and right out to the concrete steps in front. I think he forgot his wife. Mrs. James had to stand up and gather her stuff and run after him.
Ron slowly stood and said, “Please. Please every one. God can not be pleased at all that has gone on tonight. I will leave this service open all night if there is anyone who wishes to stay and pray. Please, let’s honor God with our time.” He stood there for about two minutes and watched about thirty of about one hundred people get up and leave. When the thirty had walked out, Ron slowly looked around the auditorium and it seemed like a few people looked down as Ron looked their way, but nobody else moved. Ron then spoke.
“Mrs. Davidson, could you please play…” Ron stopped as he looked over and noticed that Emmy wasn’t sitting there. “Did she leave too?” Several heads nodded.
One of the Jr. High teachers stood up and said, “Pastor, I have a CD player and some praise and worship songs in my classroom.” In under a minute, she was back and shortly we were listening to some really cool music. Stuff we didn’t normally sing here.
the next forty-five minutes, different people stood and asked for prayer. Others would pray for them and then we would sing another song. Most people just listened. I don’t think too many people knew any of the songs. By about eight-thirty, there were only about fifteen people left. Jake leaned over and said. “I need to get you home. I promised to take care of you tonight. That includes getting you home at a decent time.” We stood up quietly and left and got in his truck and got all the way to the Sunset before either of us said anything.
“Jake, do you think that many people are upset at Ron to ask him to leave?”
“I…I really don’t know little buddy. I hope not. This is such a tragedy. Ron and Alisa have shown this town nothing but pure Christian love. They reached out to me, Collette, you, and quite a few others that I don’t have the liberty to tell you about. Some people have a strange idea about what a church is supposed to do. They think they built it. They think they pay the bills. They think they own it.”
“But don’t some of these men pay their money to run the church? I’m not defending them being mean and all that, but don’t they have some say in it.”
“Every one has an opinion and a vote, that is, if they belong to a church. I would not have the right to vote Wednesday night, because I’m not a member of this church. But no single person owns a church. It belongs to all. I am passing through, and though I feel God drew me here, I do not have a vote. An opinion, yes! And if allowed, I will state it loudly. Most of these people have no idea who I am and what I have done in life. I told you about my horrible drug life. Hopefully Wednesday, I will be able to share about the wonderful miracles God has done in my life. Hey, you need to get inside and spend time with your sweet mom.”
“Do you think she is sweet? You know, she…”
“Yes, she drinks. Too much. But she is your mom. Love her. See ya’ squirt.”
I jumped out and went into our room. Mom was still dressed up real pretty and sitting up reading. I don’t see her reading much. It was kind of nice.”
I heard Jake’s truck start back up and I went to the window. He was going out of the parking lot headed back toward Riverstone. I found out the next day that he went back and about eight people stayed to pray until after midnight.
“You don’t have to sit so close. She’s not coming.” I was disappointed. I liked Collette, no matter what everyone said about her. She has been nothing but kind to me.
When we got to Riverstone, ‘Old man Jackson’ was standing at the very top step. I had never seen him there on Sunday night. He was one of those ‘Sunday morning onlies’. Then Willard walked out from the lobby and stood right next to Jackson. They both had their arms folded in that ‘what are you doing here attitude’. Jake put his hand out to both men to greet him and they both stood there like statues.
“Good evening, gentlemen. Good to see the both of you.”
“You’re ‘wife’ not come with you tonight?” asked Willard.
“That would be next to impossible, sir,” Jake answered and we walked on. Ron met us as soon as we walked away, and they ‘bear-hugged’ again. I heard ‘old man Jackson’ say something about sissies hugging each other.
“Jake. Thank you so much for coming. A guy needs a friend right before he faces a firing squad.”
“That won’t happen till Wednesday, remember,” Jake said. I think he was joking.
“But things seemed to change after the threatening call Randy’s mom got. I won’t be preaching tonight, Jake.”
“You’re not giving up that easy, are you?”
“Oh no. I just thought we would have a time of prayer and praise. Maybe the Holy Spirit will ease things for awhile.”
“That sounds great,” encouraged Jake. I wasn’t sure what Ron was talking about. I guess I would find out soon.
Ron pulled Jake away to his office and I went and took my normal seat. As soon as I did, I heard several comments. They were about me, so I wasn’t rude enough to turn around and see exactly who said what.
“I thought I heard this morning that Mr. Jackson had promised not to bring him again.”
“He didn’t. It was that ‘tattoo guy’. I’m surprised he hasn’t moved on to another town.”
I then felt a tap on my shoulder and heard a grunt. I looked around and it was Jimmie Wascom. I turned all the way around and raised my hand. He ‘high-fived’ me and laughed loud as a small stream of drool came down his chin. He mumbled back at me, since he can’t really talk. He is really happy though. He smiles so big. Winnie was holding him and told me she was glad to see me. She then turned to Jimmie and told him to give something to me. He raised his right hand again and tried to give me another ‘high-five’, but my hand was in my lap.
“No, son. In your other hand. Give it to Randy.” He just smiled again. She then reached for his left hand and pulled something from it. She put her hand on my shoulder and wiggled her fingers. I reached up right when she moved her hand and I grabbed something sitting there. I pulled it to my lap and unfolded a five dollar bill. I turned around and mouthed ‘thank you’ to her.
“And to think he comes week after week. And his poor drunk mama never has darkened the door to this church,” I heard from across the aisle. Whoever it was was being real loud and not trying to be discreet.
“So what are you saying?”
“What do you mean, ‘what am I saying’?”
“Are you saying he shouldn’t be coming here. Or are you saying his mama should and you are going to trot on over there and invite her?”
“You wouldn’t catch me dead in a ‘flea-bag’ place like that.”
All of a sudden, the whole room seemed to go quiet. I looked around and Jake and Ron were walking up the left-center aisle. Instead of sitting on the front row, Jake scooted over and sat by me. Ron went on up front and walked over to Emmy and leaned over for a few seconds talking to her.
“What’s he saying, Jake.”
“I think he’s asking her to play certain songs. We’re going to have a different kind of service tonight.”
Ron sat down and Emmy stood up and got some sheet music out of her bench. She then played three songs before anyone stood, talked, or did anything. It’s not really unusual for Emmy to play several songs before the service starts, but that is always before the preacher or anybody comes and sits down up front. It was kind of strange watching Ron just sit there. “Are we going to get started?” I whispered to Jake.
“We have. It’s called silent worship and prayer. Most people here, I don’t think are used to it.” I looked around and saw Winnie and Margie. They were both praying hard. Most people just sat there, staring up at Ron, waiting for him to do something.
Ron stood up and walked to the podium. He wiped some tears away, but he was smiling. “God is so good, isn’t he? He is worthy of our praise and adoration. Let’s spend tonight in a time of thanksgiving, praise, and prayer.” He stopped talking and stood there for about thirty seconds. People started to fidget in their seats and get uncomfortable.
“Does anyone have something they are so full of thanks for that you have to tell everyone about?”
Lori-ann was only seven years old, but she shot her hand up quickly.
“Yes ma’am, the pretty young lady over there on the left,” Ron said as he pointed her way.
“Last Monday my ‘maw-maw’ had a bad wreck in California and she was un…uncon…she didn’t wake up for two days, but she is now walking and talking and should go home in another two days.” Jake clapped his hands for a second and Ron said, “Well, that is something to praise God for. Anybody else?"
Margie then spoke, without raising her hand like Lori-ann did. “Pastor, I am so glad you and Alisa and the kids are here to shepherd us and teach us. You have shown nothing but love to everyone.” She sat down.
Inez finally spoke up. “Yeah. Dope-heads, trailer-trash, and…” A lady who I didn’t know was sitting behind her and tapped Inez on the shoulder and stopped her. I had never seen anyone brave enough to stand up to Inez like that. I’m kind of glad she did.
“I got a new hamster this week,” said one boy behind me. A few people giggled and a few said, “that was sweet.”
Chad stood up behind me and spoke, “We took Jimmie over to the university hospital this week and he has shown an improvement of ten-percent on his motor functions since a year ago.” Several people said, “Praise the Lord.”
Ron turned to his left and said, “Mrs. Davidson, could you please play ‘It is well with my soul?” She scrambled to find the page number and I could tell she didn’t like doing that in the middle of the service. After the song was over, Ron walked down to our level and asked us to spend some time in prayer. He knelt on the front row right in front of Inez. After a minute, Jake and Margie and Chad joined him. The church was silent for about five minutes and then I could tell people were starting to get restless.
‘Old Man Jackson’ then stood up and spoke with a booming voice. The four were still kneeling up front and many were praying where they sat. “Are you going to just lie there preacher, or are you going to stand up and preach like we pay you to do.” I think he shocked most people with his bold statement. Ron stood up and the others sat down on the front row. Ron looked a little upset, and he slowly walked back up to the podium.
“Mr… Mr. Jackson. I’m sorry if you, or others, might have a drastic difference of opinions with what I have of the duties of a pastor. I have heard many jokes through the years about a pastor being highly overpaid because we ‘work’ only three hours a week. Preaching is such a little portion of a pastor’s duties. I will not go into all of them, but during a worship service, I feel my main capacity is to lead, not just preach. A ‘worship service’ can be many things, preaching, Christmas and Easter Musicals, prayer in a time of disaster, and celebrating in worship during a time of victory. As for tonight, I thought we needed a time of praise and prayer.”
Then Willard James stood up and walked forward. He walked all the way up to the podium and Ron stepped sideways to make room for him. “Well, Mr. Pastor, I guess Mr. Jackson is not the only one who has a difference of opinion about you being hired to preach, but that’s what I had in mind when I mistakenly voted for you coming here a few weeks ago. Now, are you going to preach?”
Ron stood there for a long, long half a minute before he answered. “No. No sir. I’m not…. Yes sir, for the moment, you do pay my salary. But as a Christian and a pastor, I must follow God’s leading in how I lead a church and individual services. And I had a strong nudging from God tonight to have a different kind of service. I might not be your pastor for long, but as long as I am, I will lead services by God’s leading and not by committee.”
“You’re darn right you might not be our pastor long. That will be decided this coming Wednesday night,” added Willard.
I heard some sniffling and saw Margie Scott crying.
Willard went and sat down in the extra seat next to the pastor’s, like he was in charge. I heard something to my left and saw Alisa Anderson stand up and walk out with both of her kids. I don’t blame her. It looked like things were going to get a little hotter, and she didn’t want her children to see it. Ron stood and spoke.
“Mr. James, Mr. Jackson. I am obviously aware of some discontent among some of our congregation, most of it I assume, directed toward myself. I do not want to at this time, nor will I allow a lengthy discussion or heated argument about the issues tonight. We will leave that for Wednesday night. But please indulge me. May you take two or three minutes to at least inform me what your main complaints are? I have just heard a few scattered pieces of gossip, and if I am going to be your pastor for less than two weeks, I would not like to be voted out based on gossip or hearsay. So indulge me. Please give me, in short, what your complaints are.”
“I will gladly do that,” Willard said as he stood up and took over the podium again. “Well, Mr. Anderson. My and most everyone’s complaints stem from one major issue.”
“Excuse me,” an old lady who usually sits on the back row said. “Speak for yourself, Willard James. But I don’t think MOST of us have any complaints. I for one think that Brother Ron and …”
“Thank you Florence, but your vote will be taken Wednesday night,” said Willard. “Now where was I? We hired you to be ‘our’ pastor, not to a town full of deadbeats. Since you walked into our town, you have seemed to be more focused on being chummy with unwanted street people than with your own church members. You have been involved in all kinds of questionable friendships and activities.” He stopped and stood there.
Ron looked his way and spoke softly. “Sir, May I please ask you something? What do you mean by unwanted people? If you are talking about serial axe murderers who say they want to kill again, I could maybe accept that. But I really don’t think we have too many here in town, and I would really be surprised if we had any in this room right now.” The whole place laughed and it made Willard very upset.
“You know darn well what I am talking about.” He looked down and pointed right at Jake. “We object to a known biker-hippie, dope dealer and that hussy he is living with coming to our fine church. And we object to you being better friends with them than with some of us. And,…what about all the shenanigans going on down here at the front of the auditorium. People, including him,” he again pointed toward Jake, “laying all over the floor, bawling like babies and carrying on. And scaring poor old ladies. It’s just not right, Mr. Anderson. I won’t dignify the term ‘pastor’ with you any longer. You are Mr. Anderson to me. And…these ‘bus kids’ we have been picking up for years. It must cost a fortune every week to pick them up, and they don’t contribute to the church at all. How many of them are there, ten or twelve?”
Chad bolted straight up out of his seat. “Now you are out of order, Mr. Jackson. Or just plain ignorant of the facts. Ever since our van broke down years ago, we haven’t spent a dime on church budget to pick up Randy, here, and maybe one or two more. Mr. Jackson has been doing that at his own expense for awhile. For that, we are grateful.”
“I resigned from that ministry this very morning,” yelled ‘Old Man Jackson’.
“Then I take up the task as of next Sunday morning, sir,” Chad answered.
“Not unless we vote on it,” Jackson insisted.
Chad was getting angry. “I can pick up whoever I wish. I don’t have to have a committee to tell me to do God’s work.”
“Now that we have that settled,” Willard continued, “Shall we continue? Broth….Mr. Anderson, I think that should give you a little to think about until Wednesday night. Should we add any more?”
“No. …uh…I think that is probably enough for now, Mr. James. You have given me quite a bit to think about and pray about. Have ‘you’ prayed about this, Mr. James?”
Willard was halfway down the two steps and turned around and shot Pastor Ron a nasty look.
“This service is adjourned,” announced Willard when he got about halfway down the aisle. He never slowed down. He went through the double swinging doors and right out to the concrete steps in front. I think he forgot his wife. Mrs. James had to stand up and gather her stuff and run after him.
Ron slowly stood and said, “Please. Please every one. God can not be pleased at all that has gone on tonight. I will leave this service open all night if there is anyone who wishes to stay and pray. Please, let’s honor God with our time.” He stood there for about two minutes and watched about thirty of about one hundred people get up and leave. When the thirty had walked out, Ron slowly looked around the auditorium and it seemed like a few people looked down as Ron looked their way, but nobody else moved. Ron then spoke.
“Mrs. Davidson, could you please play…” Ron stopped as he looked over and noticed that Emmy wasn’t sitting there. “Did she leave too?” Several heads nodded.
One of the Jr. High teachers stood up and said, “Pastor, I have a CD player and some praise and worship songs in my classroom.” In under a minute, she was back and shortly we were listening to some really cool music. Stuff we didn’t normally sing here.
the next forty-five minutes, different people stood and asked for prayer. Others would pray for them and then we would sing another song. Most people just listened. I don’t think too many people knew any of the songs. By about eight-thirty, there were only about fifteen people left. Jake leaned over and said. “I need to get you home. I promised to take care of you tonight. That includes getting you home at a decent time.” We stood up quietly and left and got in his truck and got all the way to the Sunset before either of us said anything.
“Jake, do you think that many people are upset at Ron to ask him to leave?”
“I…I really don’t know little buddy. I hope not. This is such a tragedy. Ron and Alisa have shown this town nothing but pure Christian love. They reached out to me, Collette, you, and quite a few others that I don’t have the liberty to tell you about. Some people have a strange idea about what a church is supposed to do. They think they built it. They think they pay the bills. They think they own it.”
“But don’t some of these men pay their money to run the church? I’m not defending them being mean and all that, but don’t they have some say in it.”
“Every one has an opinion and a vote, that is, if they belong to a church. I would not have the right to vote Wednesday night, because I’m not a member of this church. But no single person owns a church. It belongs to all. I am passing through, and though I feel God drew me here, I do not have a vote. An opinion, yes! And if allowed, I will state it loudly. Most of these people have no idea who I am and what I have done in life. I told you about my horrible drug life. Hopefully Wednesday, I will be able to share about the wonderful miracles God has done in my life. Hey, you need to get inside and spend time with your sweet mom.”
“Do you think she is sweet? You know, she…”
“Yes, she drinks. Too much. But she is your mom. Love her. See ya’ squirt.”
I jumped out and went into our room. Mom was still dressed up real pretty and sitting up reading. I don’t see her reading much. It was kind of nice.”
I heard Jake’s truck start back up and I went to the window. He was going out of the parking lot headed back toward Riverstone. I found out the next day that he went back and about eight people stayed to pray until after midnight.
No comments:
Post a Comment