[Faith-talk] Chapter 8 of my novel

[Poppa Bear]

Chapter 8 

"What do you mean; we're expecting a new Pastor Ed? We haven't even received
any applications, figured out a salary or found a way to pay this balloon
payment! How are you going to make that kind of announcement to the church?"


"Ed's back stiffened at the tone of Ben's voice. Ben I had to. Right before
the service I heard the vice governor tell a group of folks that if Richard
was going to be continuing to speak here, he wouldn't stay here. Richard
apoased his election by doing all of those campaigns against him a few years
ago. We can't afford to lose someone like the vice Governor. We have members
who come just to see him alone. I had to say something, or we would have
lost him, and with you bungling up the books we can't afford to lose him!" 

Ben in voluntarily put his hands over his face and tried to squeeze some of
the tension out of his mind by slowly moving his fingers over his closed
eyes and forehead, while at the same time letting out a grown. Ben, what did
you want me to do? Your bad record keeping has almost crippled us." 

Just then footsteps were herd and Richard appeared with a not so pleasant
expression on his face. Ed looked a little nervous but quickly composed
himself as he said, "Hey Richard, great message today!" Richard was
obviously in a temper, which could be seen by the accelerated breathing and
slightly flared nostrils. "What's going on ED I thought you said I could
lead the talks here for at least a few months, and now you get up in front
of everyone and make me look like a fool? People from the college come here
just to hear me; I have even given school assignments based on me being here
for the semester." 

A small spark of indignation rose up from the ashes of Ben's once fiery
faith as the thought arose somewhere in his mind, "This isn't an academic
platform, or some political arena, this is supposed to be the house of God."
As quickly as the spark flickered it was put out and smoldered by the years
of ashy residue which had accumulated over time with its routine religion
rather than a relationship which was not routinely attended to in order to
become strengthened with the constant communication with the Lord and His
ways.

Ed forced out his excuses, he hated to have to explain anything that might
be taken as an apology, because that meant that he had done something wrong,
and that was impossible in his mind. "Richard, running a church is a complex
business and things can often change overnight. The fact is we have to make
sure that the congregation is happy, and right now some of the congregation
isn't pleased with the fact that you are giving messages here." "I all ready
know who you are talking about Ed! That vice flop of a governor can't stand
me! What, did he expect me to support his rigid fundamental views during the
election?"

Ed's feet nervously shuffled back and forth as he thought how he might
appease the highly charged professor. But before Ed could construct an
acceptable spin to put on the situation Richard twisted up his face and
said, "so long Ed, you won't see me in this circus tent again to be your
clown!" With that said he turned and stomped off.

This was a blow that Ed was not prepared to receive. Ben could not even look
at Ed. Ed's shoulders drooped but only for a split second and then his face
took on a spiteful glare of its own. Before either could speak, more
footsteps were herd coming down the hall. A pretty figure dressed in an
autumn colored dress with thick stockings looking somewhat old fashion
appeared, but with a face that was as bright as the sun and as young as the
morning dew, it was Alli.

"Hello you two. I heard you say that we will be getting a new pastor. It
sounds exciting. Can you tell me a little about him?" Ed started to speak,
and Ben feeling that Ed was going to continue to spin his thread of
falsehoods promptly cut him off and said, "Alli, we have a problem, we
haven't found a pastor yet." Alli looked a little bewildered a she stared
back and forth between the two. "But I thought Ed said." "Yes Ed did say
that, but he made a mistake, and that mistake has left us without anyone,
Richard has decided to leave."

Ben would not have typically been so blunt, but he was overcome with a wave
of righteous indignation and was seeking to chasten Ed, and he felt that a
bit of shame might serve. It was true, Ed was embarrassed, but whether or
not any genuine fruit could be gathered from his discomfiture was yet to be
seen. Perhaps a consoling hand on the shoulder may have done more, but both
shame and a turn of compassion can do a work that leads to the same end,
that is, a desire to be at the feet of the Father to receive His
forgiveness. So often shame and compassion work hand in hand to draw the man
who has been choked by riches or the woman cot in adultery out of their
dissolution into the reality of their sin and the perfect love of the Son of
Man. When your "Shame has found you out," what other refuge can be safely
reached and actually console and nurture the barren heart?

Alli, a bit startled to find the two            elders of the church in such
apparent conflict with each other, but not inclined to pry, impulsively
said, "I might know where to find a pastor." Both men involuntarily opened
their eyes a little wider, looking at Alli as if she was an Alien. Ed, the
first to recover said, "Oh really?" His words dripped with sarcasm. Ben felt
like hurling his roe ton form into Ed, he hadn't been angry for a long time,
but Ed didn't have any ground to stand on and Ben didn't want Ed's haughty
conceit to snap this last thread of hope. 

Ben mustered up his courage and said, "Well that is a surprise Alli. What
can you tell us about him?" At this point Alli was a bit perplexed because
as she attempted to put the relationship into words, she came to the
realization that she had just briefly met Luke, and only checked in on him a
few times. Even though this was the case, she instinctively was drawn  to
his calm and yet confident manor, so she plunged ahead and told them as much
as she could about Luke and what she knew of his work in the village, along
with an account of how he came to be at the hospital.

Ben's eye brows raised a little throughout the story, a little impressed
here and there, and a little surprised as well. Ed felt that by the whole
account that Luke sounded like a small time laymen who had taken a liken to
the quiet village life, and was content to labor amongst a few uneducated
natives, for that was how Ed characterized most Alaska natives. Ben on the
other hand was now as desperate as he had ever been, and said, "Can you set
up a meeting with him?" Ed had strong objections, and could argue over
anything that he didn't suggest, but at this point of the game what could he
do. They were near financial ruin, in the process of cutting costs and had
just lost their temporary speaker. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to try this
village bumpkin out for a few weeks, and who knew, perhaps they could get
him to work for half price.

Later on that afternoon Alli made her way back to the hospital to see Luke.
Walking into the hospital she received a questioning look from the
supervising nurse because it wasn't her shift and she never made social
calls to any of her fellow workers and all of the staff new as much and they
also knew that Sundays were a non work day for Alli. Alli feeling a little
abashed stammered out her desire to talk to Luke, and the supervising nurse
gave a small nod of consent. 

As she made her way to the room she heard voices talking in low tones. She
lightly tapped on the door, which was answered by Marvin who was looking
better since the last time she had seen him. He greeted her with a small up
turn of the corners of his mouth, which were the only indication of a smile,
but besides that point of politeness he seemed rather reserved and stand
offish to her. The Alaska native generally may not be used to showing the
same type of excited and warm outward emotions as other cultures, but other
gestures of affection accompany their culture that often prove to be a
stronger bond than your typical quick surges of outward emotion. 

Upon entering the room she found Luke sitting up with a bible in his lap and
a pleasant look on his face. When he looked at her he immediately noticed
that she was not in her nurse's uniform, and the quaint and simple style of
her attire was a refreshing sight to his keen eye. He was accustomed to see
the trendy form of tight fitting pants and low cut shirts on any woman who
had any semblance of attractiveness whenever he was in a city, so his
appreciation for the wholesome outfit was stimulated as he glanced up at
Alli from the words of his bible which lent more value to his observation of
her clothing as the current passage that he was reading rendered him able to
admire her modesty in the right way without any polluted overtures.

In contrast to Marvin's seemingly stiff reception a large inviting warm
smile flashed across Luke's face as he welcomed her, which was instantly
returned by Alli. Without a word Marvin quietly slid a chair up behind her
and Luke pointed to it and asked her to take a seat so she could be more
comfortable. 

Alli not knowing how to broach the topic simply said, "So how are you doing
today?"  "Marvin and I were just fellow shipping and reading the Word."
Sounds interesting," was Allies reply. Not sure what to say next she
continued in the same vein, "What were you guys reading about?" At this it
seemed to Alli that there was a small twinkle in Luke's eyes as he glanced
down to the text in the open bible on his lap.

"We were looking over an encouraging passage found in Paul's letter to the
Philippians. It is found in the 4th chapter and begins in the 8th verse,"
and with this short introduction he started to read in a strikingly personal
tone, "8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is
right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if
anything is

Excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." After he read the
passage he slowly raised  his eyes to hers as if he was reveling in some
delight that Alli wasn't familiar with, and it made her feel somewhat out of
place, but in spite of the cross feeling she kept her composure and said the
first thing that came to her mind. "That is a very pretty verse." Beyond the
quick remark, she gave no more thought to the verse than if she were
glancing at a billboard on the highway, while for the last hour the two men
had pored over the verse, lifting their souls up to meet the giver of such
words and thank their hearts as they meditated on the privileges and
opportunities that the words offered them. 

Unfortunately some, or rather many Christians hold a common place attitude
similar to a group of spectators who gather to watch a great event commence,
but do not actually take part in the struggles, preparation, meditations,
planning, sacrifices and passion of the unfolding scenes. Many hear the
master's words but are still not acquainted with the depts. and riches of
the tender love letters of the sacred book, they are those who sit on the
out skirts with in an arms length of the riches of the bible, but can only
look at the Holy words with a mild and fleeting understanding. They are like
a child looking at a post card of a beautiful far off land that though as
glorious as it looks, is still out of the grasps of the little fingers that
complacently hold the card, who only too quickly give it a passing glance
and then sit it down and move on to the next distraction. Thankfully, though
this may be the current state of many, the work is far from finished, and
the Master continues to draw His shy and silly lambs to His bosom with
tender and firm hands.

All though Luke would have liked to have found a more informative response
from Alli, he only closed his bible in an easy manor, handed it to Marvin
and then spoke to Alli. "What brings you to our neck of the woods?" "Well--
I mean-- a, I believe that I heard you say you were a pastor?" Luke had seen
much in his short life, and expected just about anything to come up, so was
not thrown off by Alli's nervousness and replied, "Yes, I am considered a
pastor, is there something that I can help you with Alli?" 

Alli had not expected to be so nervous, but she felt like Luke's eyes,
words, just his whole presents seemed to unsettle her in some way. A strange
feeling came over her, her tongue felt like it grew one size bigger, and
wanted to stick to the top of her mouth. How humiliating she felt. She
seemed to sit there as if mute for at least five seconds while the eyes of
Luke and Marvin rested on her with patient and sympathetic expectations.
Little did she know, Luke was silently praying for her to pass whatever
struggle she seemed to be undergoing. Perhaps an invisible skirmish  was
taking place behind the hidden vales of the universal battle of good and
evil, arch fiend and ark angel, but whatever the phenomenon, the struggle
passed and she was able to speak. 

Quickly recomposing herself, she said, "My church is looking for a preacher,
and I mentioned to two of the elders that I had a patient at the hospital
that was a pastor." Alli reflecting on the conversation between Ben and Ed,
remembering that they had said that they were without pastor, all of the
sudden started to feel an overwhelming  obligation to help fix what she saw
as a possible crisis for their church, and added, "We have no one to fill
the vacancy and if--- if!" All of the sudden her eyes filled with tears and
she started sobbing. Before she knew it Marvin was by her side with some
cleanex.

Now she felt like she had made a complete fool of herself, and blowing her
nose, she started to rise. "I apologize, I don't know what's a matter with
me, and I am usually not like this." 

Luke's gentle eyes rested on her with a consoling power that seemed to help
restore Alli to a more composed state. She was able to sit back down and
stop the temporary rush of tears. They all 3 sat silent for a few minutes
and then Luke quietly said, "I would like to meet the board of elders at
your church and discuss it a little more. I would like to help in any way I
can, but I am not sure that my views would be accepted by your church."

Luke was from a background of faith that was based on the ultimate obedience
to Christ's teachings and he lived his life as such as far as his spirit
could discern, and throughout his life he had found out that many religious
people were completely opposed to his thoughts and views. His perspective of
the world was much different than that of many contemporary Christians and
without vanity, though he did not always think his way the best, he was
confident enough to stick to his coarse and keep his eyes on the Savior and
live his life in accordant with that Man who walked by the sea of Galilee.
For these reasons he did not want to accept a position with such little
forethought, not giving the church a chance to know who they would be
excepting as their spiritual guide and he did not want to assume that he
could even help this church without consulting the Father.

  Alli had mixed feelings at this point. She understood that it would be
rash to give an answer on the spot, and at the same time she was so drawn to
this man that she just wanted to 

Sit there and look into his heavenly eyes and be in his peaceful presents.
With the realization of her feelings she inwardly laughed at herself and her
weakness. What was coming over her? She hardly knew this man and she was
feeling like he was her father, brother, grandfather and best friend all
rolled up into one. She shook off the ridiculousness of her feelings and
assented to the request and left the two men to continue their journey that
she had so little understanding of.