"I think this is it, Bev."
Harry danced her in a circle before collapsing with her on the couch.”
"Hold up there, big feller. What are we talking about?"
"That was the Pastor on the phone. He wants to put 'the challenge’ into action by starting small group meetings for those who have shown the most interest."
"Oh, Harry!" She hugged him, impulsively. "That's terrific!" Then, just as suddenly, she let go of him and sat back against the far arm of the couch.
"Bev, what's the matter?"
She shook her head. "Oh, probably nothing. I just suddenly remembered how excited we got before, when it turned out that things were really going pretty badly. Are you sure he's okay, now?"
Harry sobered up quickly. "You're right, we weren't very discerning, before." He leaned back in the other corner of the sofa, and closed his eyes. "I think it's okay,” he said, finally. “He really sounded good - no trace of stress, just a good solid feeling." He opened his eyes. "Yes, I think it's okay."
She relaxed. "Okay, then. But we better be on guard. I can think of lots of ways for this to go wrong."
"Worry wart!" he said, but they both knew what she meant.
* * *
"Ed, will you do something for me?"
Ed Watters looked up from the book he was reading. "What do you need?"
Betty took a deep breath, and said a silent prayer. “Ed, I'd like us to go to a meeting at Reverend Felton's home."
He put the book down. “Look, Bets," he said, aggressively, "We've talked about church before."
"But this isn't church," she protested. "It's just a meeting with some people who want to study about Christianity... "
"Church," he interrupted.
"No, wait, Ed. Haven't you said that you don't like to go to church because you don't get anything out of it, that you're bored all the time?"
He nodded.
"But you are a Christian?"
"I believe in God."
"And Jesus?"
He nodded again.
She felt bold. "And haven't you said you might like to know more about being a Christian, if you didn't have to... " She decided to jump right it. "...quote, 'put up with all the religious bullshit'?"
He smiled a little, at that. "Right."
"Okay. Well, what Reverend Felton is trying to do is get a small group together outside the church to learn how to live Christian lives."
He didn't say anything.
"He thinks that God wants to give us more than we get in church... "
"The Reverend may be a smart man."
"Ed... "
"No, Bets," he said, indulgently. "I mean it. He may be. He's always seemed okay to me, and he doesn't give the old 'hard sell' about not being in church. If he's got some ideas that might help somebody, I'm willing to try it out."
"Thank you," she said quietly, as she laid her head on his knees. "Thank you very much."
***
"Sure, I'm interested, Debbie," Bill said, after some thought. "But what I don't understand is, is this a substitution for the Sunday night Bible teaching he talked about?"
Debbie sipped her coffee. "No, I don't think so, What Evalyn said is that Pastor Josh wants to go a little slow with the main congregation, but he doesn't want to slow down any of us who are ready to move faster. I think he'll teach about Jesus for everyone Sunday night, but then will meet with us in the small group to talk more about what he teaches."
He asked who else was going to be in the group, but didn't know most of them by name. "Okay," he said, finally. "I'd really like to. I'm only hesitant because I do have duties at my own church, but I guess that really isn't a problem."
She smiled at him, and his last reservations vanished. Tuesday evenings with God and Debbie: could anyone beat that for incentive!
***
"I don't know, you guys. That's a long way to drive, just for a meeting. And what about homework?"
"Come on, Greg," replied Bob Deveaux. "You know it's not that big a deal. We go home all the time, and you don't worry about homework, then."
Greg was silent.
"What's the matter?" asked Charley. "You're bummed about something."
"Oh, I don't know." He got up and paced around the room. "Don't you guys get enough church on Sunday? I don't see you rushing over there for Wednesday night prayer meetings, or suggesting we have mid-week youth meetings while we're in school."
"But, Greg," insisted Charley, "This is different! Aren't you excited about all that's going on?"
Greg flopped down on his bed. "Frankly, I think this is all pretty weird. I thought it was just Pastor Josh who had wigged out... "
"Greg!"
" ...But now Pete and Donna seem to be smoking the same pipe. I don't get it!"
There didn't seem to be anything more to say. "Well, I'm going to go," declared Bob.
"And me, too," said Charley.
"Good show. Then you won't need me, and you can tell me all about it on Wednesdays. You know you will, whatever I want!"
***
Carolyn was crying. "It sounds so good, Evalyn, but how can I go? Herb wouldn't let me, I know."
Evalyn held her, while she sobbed quietly. "I guess I knew that when I asked you, Carolyn, but we all felt it was your group as much as anyone's. We really wanted to tell you about it. I hope I did the right thing."
Carolyn gently pushed away, and accepted the offered tissue. "Oh, you did." She blew her nose, and smiled sadly. "I'm so glad you're doing it, and so glad you thought of me. It's just that... "
"I know. I know." Evalyn paused a moment, picking words to express the thought she was formulating. "But what about our own group? What if you and I have coffee together on Wednesday or Thursday morning, to talk about what the group talked about? That way you could share everything with us, even if you can't be with us."
Carolyn looked at her, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You'd do that for me?"
"Well, sure. Why not? It'll make it that much better, sharing it twice, and maybe it won't lose too much in the re-telling."
Carolyn only smiled at that, but after Evalyn had gone, she gritted her teeth and pounded the table very hard. "Damn you, Herb!" she said to the empty house. "Why do you have to be like this? But, you listen to me: you are not going to keep me from getting better. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I swear I've had it with you and with your denying me and our daughter. I'm here, and she's there, and you can't ignore us, anymore!"
She grabbed her coat, and went shopping.
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