Monday night was better - not great, Josh thought, but definitely better - and Tuesday morning found him and Ev breakfasting quietly in a strangely quiet house.
"I've got it!" exclaimed Josh.
"I'm glad, dear. What is it you have?"
"A wife, but no kids. And I even know why: school started yesterday.”
"Clever of you to notice, even if it is a day late."
"Well, my love, I have been a little preoccupied..." She raised her eyebrows at that. "Well, maybe that's not quite the right word. How about, too wrapped up in my own troubles to notice?"
"That'll do. But I'm glad you're not going to keep on missing the great cycle of the seasons. You know, first the trip to Granny's house, then school, then soon frost on the pumpkin.”
"Yes, indeed, the great cycle of the seasons. But with some definite variations this year, I think."
"Well, every year is different, they say. There isn't really an ‘average’ anything."
“That may be, but I have a feeling we'll remember this one as one of ‘the big ones' - like the year of the Columbus Day Storm, or the San Francisco Quake."
Evalyn played with her toast for a bit before continuing the conversation. "I'm glad you can treat it so lightly this morning. Are you okay, now? And, more to the point, do you know what we're going to do next?"
Josh pointed his fork at her plate. "Are you going to eat that toast?"
"Josh! Yes, I'm going to eat that toast. You know, for a suave and eloquent minister of the gospel, you can be a master of non-communication and obtuseness."
"Flattery doesn't work with me, my dear. Actually, I think the answer to 'what do we do next' is we just keep going. You - well, you and that ‘still small voice’ that occasionally works its way through all the lightning and thunder in my mind - have convinced me that we are doing the right thing. I don't know what I'm saying when I say that - ah, eloquence strikes again! - but I think you get the idea. I think we're committed to move ahead."
"So, what does that mean?"
"Well, it means that I better start researching for a Sunday night presentation on what Jesus did do, so we can all learn what He would do."
She nodded her head, and finally ate the toast. "What about reinforcements?"
"Reinforcements? Are you expecting the congregation to throw us out bodily Sunday night?"
"No, and don't joke about it! I mean we need people to be praying with us, to add to our own prayers and understanding."
He pondered that a bit. "Good idea, but I wonder who we have. The Allens are certainly supportive, and they know how to pray specific prayers, but who else is there?"
She shook her head. "There must be others; but you're right, we don't know any of them yet. Well, let me contact the Allens, anyway."
"Okay. You know, thinking about school starting reminds me that we're supposed to be getting back into the regular fall church schedule, again. Like prayer meeting tomorrow night. I don't feel comfortable with ‘business as usual,’ right now."
"Well, we didn't announce it Sunday, did we? Oh yes, we did; it was in the bulletin. I guess we'll have to have it, but maybe somebody else can take it."
"Good idea. I'll see who! can round up. That also reminds me that the young people's group starts up again next week after Pete and Donna get back. You know, they've missed the whole thing, so far. They'll have an interesting homecoming!"
Evalyn was moving toward the phone. "It is hard to think of business as usual, isn't it? I mean, real life things like prayer meetings and youth groups don't seem very real, right now."
"No, they don't. Well, I better get to my studies." He started for the door. "There is one other thing. You know when you talked about frost on the pumpkin, and later about - what was it? - me the master of non-communication? That was really quite good. Sometimes you sound just like me."
She tossed a spoon at him. "Don't ever say that! The one thing Mother always warned me about was that close association with you over a period of years might deteriorate my brain cells. I better make my phone call while I still have some of my facilities operational."
He still didn't leave the room. "You do know how I can be silly - why I get silly - at times like these?"
She smiled. "Of course. I'm your wife, aren't I? I sometimes think that, in tense times, your 'silly safety valve’ is what keeps you from shattering into a million pieces, and disappearing." She paused. "And I wouldn't like that."
He smiled back. "Neither would I.”
***
"Beverly, this is Evalyn Felton. We've decided to go ahead with our plans for Sunday night, and we could really use your prayers."
"We're already ahead of you on that. But, Mrs. Felton, I don't understand about ‘deciding to go ahead.’ Didn't Pastor announce that last weekend?"
"Well, yes, he did. But the reactions haven't all been good, and we've been going through a lot of ups and downs."
There was total silence from the other end of the phone line.
"Did I lose you?" asked Evalyn after a few moments.
"Oh, I'm sorry. No, I'm here. I was just thinking that we should have expected some trouble."
"Why do you say that?"
"You know. This is a super step to be taking for the church and the people, so naturally Satan is going to try to confuse things."
"How do you mean?"
"You didn't say what had been happening, but I would expect that he's doing just what he tried to do with Jesus. You know: misquoting scripture, getting people to worry about themselves rather than about the good of the Body - just about anything to keep God from getting the glory."
Evalyn was nodding her head at the voice in her ear. "That's exactly what's been happening. That makes our prayers even more important, doesn't it? Do you know any reinforcements?"
Beverly laughed. "We'll get 'em going!"
***
Pete and Donna Newsom arrived back in town that afternoon, tired and more than a little grimy, but happy with the world and each other. The vacation had been all they could have asked for. Never before had they taken off three weeks, and never had they been so out of touch with their usual lives for so long. Backpacking in the North Cascades had seemed as remote as the moon, with Portland, home, church, and youth group responsibilities seemingly light years away. Only on the long drive home had they started to talk about the church, and to wonder about their young charges. But perspective changes quickly, and by the time they were crossing the I-205 bridge back into Portland, they were deep in discussion about youth activities, and the door to their apartment was barely shut before Donna was on the phone to the pastor's house. Her "Hi, Ev, we're home" was answered with a surprising "Praise the Lord, and none too soon!"
"What's up? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, honey. No, it's definitely not wrong. It's just... well, an awful lot has happened. Things are pretty crazy right now."
"What do you mean? What's happened? You don't sound like yourself. Is everybody okay?"
"Oh, sure. I mean, well, maybe not really okay... Oh, Donna, I can't tell you over the phone. You have to come over!"
"Now?"
"Sure, right now. Oh wait, you probably haven't even washed your faces yet. Tell you what, come to dinner. At five. I know Josh will want to tell you the whole thing, face to face."
"Evalyn Felton, what 'whole thing'? You sound crazy - or drunk!"
"Drunk?" Evalyn paused. "No, I am not drunk, as you suppose... That's it: Acts! Read ‘Acts,’ and hurry over here. I love you, sweetie!"
"Acts'? What in the world...? But Evalyn had hung up.
Pete had been watching Donna and listening with growing concern and consternation to the half of the conversation he could hear. The dazed look on Donna's face as she hung up the receiver didn't relieve him.
"What's up?"
She raised her eyebrows, and shrugged. "Beats me. She told me to read ‘Acts’."
"'Acts'?"
"Yes, she said she wasn't drunk, as I supposed, and told me to read ‘Acts.’ Oh, and she said to come to dinner."
"Read ‘Acts,’ and come to dinner. What does that mean?"
"I don't know. Something big has obviously happened, but she wouldn't tell me over the phone. I said she sounded drunk, and she said... "
"Yes, I heard you. I don't get it." But then he slapped his forehead, expressively. "Wait, maybe I do get it." He walked to the bookcase, pulled out one of their Bibles, and flipped the pages. "Here it is: Acts, chapter 2. You know what this is about, don't you?"
"Sure, Pentecost, but.., "
"Acts 2:13," he read. "Others said contemptuously that they were drunk, but Peter stood up in the crowd, and said ‘these are not drunken, as you suppose, but...'" He tossed the Bible onto the table. "Hurry up, girl. We've got to get to Felton's ASAP!"
* * *
They didn't wait for 5 o'clock, but headed out the door after only quick showers and changes of clothes. Evalyn was all smiles as she opened the door and gave each a welcoming hug, but she seemed neither drunk nor crazy, now. Josh came out of the study, and joined in the hugging. He looked normal, too, as far as Pete could tell.
"What's going on here?"
"Don't you want to eat, first?" asked Evalyn.
"No!" they chorused in response.
"Obviously something tremendous has happened," prodded Donna. "Tell us what it is, or we'll kill you!"
Almost a half-hour later - a half-hour of Josh talking, Evalyn smiling, and Donna and Pete alternately closed-mouthed or open mouthed, but not saying anything - they sat looking at one another in silence. Pete finally put his frown into words.
"So, what does it mean? What happens now?"
"Pete, I don't know, precisely," said Josh. “The only thing that's come to me so far is that I don't want to disrupt the church... "
Pete laughed, ironically.
"Yes, I guess I am a little late there, aren't I? What I mean is I don't want this to be a church project, where people feel they have to do something that they're not comfortable with. This is an individual, personal thing that I have to do, and although I think it would be good for everybody, I don't want to force any kind of commitment. It has to be personal."
"So, what does that do to the church services?" asked Donna.
"The only thing I'm planning to do is to devote Sunday night to a special study of Jesus. I thought we'd keep all the other services and activities just like they have been. One thing that Paul said hit home with me, and that's that people come to church to be secure. I don't want to ruin that for anyone, or push anybody too fast."
Pete nodded in agreement. "I think that's a good way to handle things. Donna and I have missed all the fun so far, but I imagine it has been upsetting for a lot of people."
"But, Josh, do you really think we can just go on like we have been?" protested Evalyn. "This is not something that will stay underground. People are already excited, both positively and negatively, and it seems like those feelings will have to grow. People are going to be talking. They're going to want to share. They're going to want to find out what's happening to other people. I just don't think it can be contained!"
Josh shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe that's true. If anybody feels like I've been feeling, it's going to be hard not to show it. But I still feel we have to make every effort to keep things normal in church.
Pete nodded again. Donna frowned.
"What have other people said so far?"
"Actually, very little since Sunday night," Josh responded. "I told you what Paul said, and about Betty. Nobody else had said anything - oh, except the Allens, and they just seem to think it's all just as natural as can be. I don't think the phone has rung for two days, until you called." He thought about that. "That is odd, isn't it?"
Pete nodded again. "It sure is. People must be talking about it, somewhere."
Evalyn shivered. "That's scary!"
***
About the time the Newsoms were arriving at the Felton's, Paul Grayson was arriving home at the end of what he described to himself as "a truly rotten day." He felt bad about his meeting with Josh, but also felt he had been right to say what he'd said. Being right didn't help.
Over their evening ritual glass of red wine, he discussed with Jenny what he was thinking and feeling.
"Oh, Paul, do you really think it's so serious?"
"Yes, I think it is. As a matter of fact, we're about to hear just how serious, I think. The Whites and the Currys are coming over after dinner to talk about it."
"Oh, dear. Are they upset?"
"Don didn't say a lot on the phone, but yes, I would say they were upset."
***
Don White certainly was upset. So were Margaret White and Herb Curry. Carolyn Curry was clearly agitated, but it came across to Paul more like fear than anger. Don asked the opening question before the front door was closed behind them.
"What's it all mean, Paul? Has our pastor blown his stack?"
"Now, let's not be too hasty. Josh clearly has some things on his mind... "
"There's an understatement, if I ever heard one!" exclaimed Herb. "This is two weeks in a row of some kind of craziness. People are getting upset."
"That's right," chimed in Margaret. "Several people have told me they don't like what's going on.”
"What do you think is going on, Paul?" Carolyn asked, expressing a lot of worry in those few words.
Paul shook his head. "I wish I could tell you. I talked to Josh, and warned him that there was a lot of confusion. He may reconsider some of this, after what I said. I tried to really lay it on the line with him."
"Well, you should have," asserted Margaret. "The church is fine, it doesn't need any changing. What is it you say, Don? If it doesn't need fixing... "
"If it's not broke, don't fix it. That's right. We've got a good thing going. Why does he want to change it? If we wanted old-time religion, or fire and brimstone, or anything different, we'd watch old what's-his-name on television!"
"We voted him in," said Herb. "We can vote him out."
Paul hurriedly stood up. "Wait, now. Let's not us go off half-cocked. Let's give it a little time to calm down. I said that I'd talked to him. Maybe it's over, already."
Don seemed mollified. "I guess you're right, for now. But we can't let this get any farther out of hand. There's too much at stake."
After they had gone, Paul and Jenny sat in the living room, thinking their own thoughts.
"Do you really think it's over?" Jenny asked, after a while.
He shook his head. "Definitely not. I have a strong feeling that it's just begun. There's trouble ahead, for sure,"
Later that night, Pete and Donna lay in bed, discussing their abrupt transition from wilderness simplicity to what gave every indication of being a major social upheaval.
"What do you really think about it, Peter?"
"Don't ask me, I'm still playing catch-up. I do know that Josh and Ev are both really different than they were."
"I noticed that, too. Not just because they're excited, which they definitely are, but - oh, I don't know, the way they look, and the way they look at each other, and the way they smile. I can't help but be excited, too."
They lay in silence.
"What do you want to do about it, Peter?"
"About what?"
"About the challenge to live for a year as Jesus would."
He didn't respond immediately, and Donna wondered if he'd fallen asleep. He had been known to do that at critical moments in late night discussions,
"Pete?"
"I was thinking. My answer is a definite 'I don't know.'! In many ways, this could be the realization of what we've been talking to the youth group about for so long - developing a personal relationship with Jesus. The one thing I worry about is going too far, too fast."
"Meaning?"
"Well, we've both read 'In His Steps,' and I've read a couple of the newer novels of that type, too. The one thing they all have in common is that the people in those books suddenly throw everything out the window and start over again, without much thought about what they're doing."
"Like how?"
"Like the immediate thing the pastor does is go on a major crusade against world corruption. The newspaperman decides he has to get all the beer and porno movie ads out of his paper the very next day, no matter what it costs him or anybody else. The church soloist starts a soup kitchen on Skid Row. If anybody misunderstands or gets hurt along the way, it's their tough luck!"
"But isn't that what Josh is trying to guard against, by keeping this on an individual basis and not dragging church members where they don't want to go?"
"Yes, I think so. But I guess I agree with Evalyn. If this is real, it's not going to be contained. I don't think the church will ever be the same again."
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