[MUSIC]
- EVAN BENNETT?
- YES.
- WELCOME TO
CONNERSVILLE.
GLAD TO SEE YOU COULD
MAKE IT, PASTOR.
I'M VINCENT HAMAN,
CHURCH DEACON.
HOW WAS YOUR TRIP?
- GREAT, CALL ME EVAN.
- YOU REMEMBER BRAX
MC COY, OUR TREASURER?
HE WAS ON THE SEARCH
COMMITTEE THAT VISITED YOU
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
- GOOD TO SEE YOU, BRAX.
WHAT'S WITH THE CAMERAS?
- MILES AND ASHLEY ARE
STUDENT FILM MAKERS FROM
UP AT THE COLLEGE.
DOCUMENTARY PROJEC ABOUT OUR LITTLE CHURCH.
SUPPOSED TO IGNORE
THEM MOST OF THE TIME.
- OKAY, HI.
- IT'S A SHAME YOUR WIFE
AND CHILDREN COULDN'T COME
THIS VISIT.
- YEAH, THE KIDS ARE
FINISHING UP SCHOOL, SO...
- EVERYTHING'S
SET FOR SUNDAY.
WE'LL HAVE A BUSINESS
MEETING AND VOTE RIGH AFTER SERVICE.
IT'S JUS FORMALITY, MIND YOU.
- I'M SURE OUR PEOPLE
WILL FIND GREAT POTENTIAL
IN YOU AS OUR PASTOR.
- MAYBE HELP US GE US OUT OF OUR FIX.
- YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO SCHEDULE A
WELCOME PARTY FOR
WHEN YOU GET MOVED IN.
- THE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
SHOULD REALLY ENJOY THAT.
- COOL, BUT HEY, YOU
OUGHT TO INVITE SOME FOLKS
FROM THE AREA, LIKE TOWN
OFFICIALS TO THE PARTY.
MIGHT HELP GET THINGS
STARTED BETWEEN THE CHURCH
AND THE COMMUNITY AGAIN.
- I DON'T KNOW.
- WHY NOT?
- RECEPTION ISN' USUALLY FOR OUTSIDERS.
- SO?
- IT'S JUST...
WE'VE NEVER DONE
IT THAT WAY BEFORE.
[MUSIC]
- RADIO ANNOUNCER: HERE'S THE
OFFICIAL W. I. F. E.
FORECAST FOR CONNERSVILLE.
W. I. F. E.
OFFICIAL NEWS TIME, 4:35.
YOU KNOW THE OLD SAYING,
PERFECT WEALTH IS 6
MONTHS FROM
WHERE YOU'RE AT.
WELL, TODAY'S GONNA BE THE
DAY YOU WISHED
FOR LAST JANUARY.
THAT'S RIGHT, TOPPING UP
TO 82 DEGREES BEATING THE
AVERAGE A FULL 7 DEGREES.
WE'LL HAVE OUR
OUR SNACK...
- YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A
FEW PROBLEMS THAT KIND OF
NEED SOME TENDER LOVING
CARE, BUT WE'VE DEALT WITH
IT THE BEST WAY WE CAN.
- YOU EVER BEEN
TO HAWAII, BRAX?
- (LAUGHS) NO, MY WIFE
JUST LIKES TO SEE
ME WEAR FLOWERS.
SHE SAYS IT MAKES
ME LOOK PRETTY.
- IT BRINGS
OUT YOUR EYES.
- SO IT'S WORKING?
- AND THIS IS PRETTY MUCH...
- WHAT IN THE WORLD?
I DON'T REMEMBER THIS
FROM MY INITIAL VISIT.
- OH, WELL, IT HADN' RAINED MUCH BACK THEN.
IT'S SOMETHING OUR
FACILITY HAS EXPERIENCED
THAT I LIKE TO POLITELY
CALL DEFERRED MAINTENANCE.
- EVAN?
- YES?
- THEY NEED US IN
THE FELLOWSHIP HALL.
- OKAY, THANK YOU, DEAR.
I'LL BE THERE IN A MINUTE.
- WELL, THAT'S PRETTY
MUCH THE GRAND TOUR.
- CAN'T KEEP THE
MRS. WAITING.
- TELL ME ALL ABOUT THAT.
[GOSPEL MUSIC PLAYS
IN THE BACKGROUND]
- MAY I HAVE
YOUR ATTENTION?
NOW, YOU KNOW I'M NO ONE FOR LONG SPEECHES.
[LAUGHTER]
FELLOW CHURCH MEMBERS
AND FRIENDS FROM THE
COMMUNITY, IT IS GREAT TO
SEE SO MANY OF YOU OU TODAY AS WE WELCOME OUR
NEW PASTOR, EVAN BENNET AND HIS FAMILY.
[APPLAUSE]
- THE KIDS
ARE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE,
OH, THERE THEY ARE.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE A YOUNG
FAMILY IN MINISTRY.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY
DAUGHTER IS IN MINISTRY
NOW, TOO.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO THANK
OFFICER KOOGAN
FOR STOPPING BY.
I GUESS THE MAYOR WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE HERE, BU HE HAD AN EMERGENCY, BU HE DOES SEND HIS REGARDS.
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WITH
THE SUDDEN PASSING OF
CORNWALLACE, A DEEP
SORROW FLOODED OUR CHURCH,
BUT OUR MOURNING HAS
TURNED TO DANCING AND OUR
SORROW INTO JOY,
HALLELUJAH.
THE LORD HAS PROVIDED US A
NEW LEADER FOR SUCH
A TIME AS THIS.
PASTOR EVAN, WILL
YOU SAY A FEW WORDS?
- SURE.
- NO SERMONS, PASTOR.
[LAUGHTER]
- SEE YOU NEX SUNDAY, THAT ONE.
FIRST, THANK YOU EVERYONE
FOR COMING OUT HERE.
MY WIFE ELENA AND I ARE
DELIGHTED TO BE HERE, AND
I'M VERY EXCITED TO DO
WHAT I CAN, BUT I
CAN'T DO IT ALONE.
I'M GOING TO NEED
ALL OF YOU TO HELP.
AND WITH GOD'S HELP, THERE
WILL BE EVEN
BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD.
OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I
WILL BE MEETING WITH THE
CHURCH BOARD, AND WE'RE
GOING TO BE GOING OVER
EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE, AND WE'RE GOING
TO BEGIN TO TAKE THE
APPROPRIATE STEPS TO
REALLY SERVING THIS
COMMUNITY AND RESTORING
OUR FACILITY.
SO ENJOY, IT'S
A PARTY.
THAT LOOKS LIKE SOME
DELICIOUS FOOD.
WE'RE GOING TO GO GE SOME, AND EVERYONE HAVE
SOME FUN, THANK YOU AGAIN.
[APPLAUSE]
- SO, WHAT DID YOU
THINK ABOUT THAT?
- COFFEE?
- TEA, ACTUALLY, WITH
MILK AND HONEY IF
YOU HAVE IT?
- HEY, AREN'T YOU
THE NEW PASTOR?
- YEP.
- HOW ABOUT YOU, WALT?
- THE USUAL, I GUESS.
- YOUR NOTE SAID TO
MEET YOU HERE AT 8. WHY?
- I NEEDED A CHANCE
TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
I USED TO GO TO THA CHURCH YOU'RE AT.
STILL HAVE FAMILY THERE.
I JUST HAD TO LEAVE,
TWO YEARS AGO NOW.
- WHAT DO YOU
MEAN HAD TO LEAVE?
- I WASN'T FORCED OU OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I JUST COULDN' TAKE IT ANYMORE.
- I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS
A FEW LIVELY BUSINESS
MEETINGS UNDER
CORNWALLACE,
GOD REST HIS SOUL.
BUT EVERY CHURCH
NOW AND AGAIN...
- NO, IT WASN' LIKE THAT.
CORNWALLACE WANTED
TO DO THINGS.
THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT.
- WHO'S THEY?
- COMFORT IS A
STRANGE MASTER.
PEOPLE WILL DO A
LOT TO KEEP IT.
IT'S AMAZING HOW QUICKLY
PERSONAL PREFERENCE IS
ELEVATED TO MORAL
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
- NOT QUITE FOLLOWING.
- THEY'RE STILL
THERE, YOU KNOW?
THEY'LL BE WATCHING.
- IT'S BEEN A WEEK NOW.
DO YOU KNOW WHO HE MEANT?
- I DON'T KNOW.
- WELL, WHO ARE YOU
SUPPOSED TO WATCH OUT FOR?
- I DON'T KNOW.
- WAS THE GUY JUS WEIRD OR SOMETHING?
- I DON'T KNOW.
- IF YOU SAY I DON'T KNOW
ONE MORE TIME, I WILL MAKE
YOU UNPACK THIS
BOX, I WEAR.
YOU'RE LIKE...
- BUT I CAN NEVER
DO IT AS GOOD AS YOU.
I'D JUST DO IT ALL WRONG.
- YOU'RE SO CUTE AND
FUNNY, AREN'T YOU?
- OH, GROSS, MOM!
TREVOR KEEPS
MOVING MY STUFF.
- TREVOR, GET IN HERE.
CAN YOU GUYS PLEASE
NOT FIGHT TODAY?
WE HAVE WAY,
WAY TOO MUCH...
- WE HAVE WAY TOO
MUCH TO DO TO UNPACK.
- I'VE HAD TO UP TO HEAR
WITH ALL OF
THIS PETTY BICKERING.
- FINE.
- THESE MOVES ARE HARD
ON THE WHOLE FAMILY.
WE HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
- CAN YOU GO GET READY
FOR CHURCH NOW PLEASE?
- ALL RIGHT.
- IS THIS OKAY?
I GUESS WE HAVE
A FEW MINUTES.
I KNOW THINGS NEED TO BE
FIXED UP AROUND HERE.
IT'S JUST THAT I KEEP
TELLING HIM FOR HEAVEN'S
SAKE, DON'T GO TOO FAST.
YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE
WAVES WITH THE
WRONG PEOPLE.
[BICYCLE BELL]
- STAY.
[SINGING ROCK OF AGES]
- THANK YOU,
THAT WAS LOVELY.
HAVE A SEAT.
CHRIST SPENT MUCH OF HIS
TIME AROUND THE SEA OF
GALILEE, A BODY OF WATER
TO THE NORTH OF JERUSALEM
FED BY MOUNTAIN RUN OFF.
GREAT FISHING.
THE JORDAN RIVER FLOWS
SOUTH FROM THE SEA OF
GALILEE UNTIL IT EMPTIES
INTO THE DEAD SEA.
NOT SO GOOD FISHING.
THEY CALL IT DEAD
FOR ONE REASON.
ALL THE MINERALS BROUGH DOWNSTREAM GET TRAPPED AND
DON'T COME OUT.
THEY BUILD UP, AND
ALTHOUGH IT'S QUITE
COMFORTING FOR A GOOD
SOAK, NO FISH OR PLANTS
CAN LIVE THERE.
WITHOUT SOME SOURCE OF
OUTPUT FOR ALL THE INPUT,
ALL OF THAT STUFF GETS
BOTTLED UP INSIDE AND
CHOKES OUT LIFE.
NOW, A CHURCH BODY
CONTAINED WITHIN ITS FOUR
WALLS MUST SEE THAT LIVING
WATER FLOW INTO THE
COMMUNITY, POURING FORTH
THE WELLSPRING OF
HOPE AND PEACE.
WE CAN'T JUS PAY FOR MINISTRY.
WE MUST DO MINISTRY.
THAT IS OUR PURPOSE
IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
- FANTASTIC
SERMON, PASTOR.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- GOD BLESS YOU.
- THANK YOU, YOU TOO.
- SO, ARE YOU PLANNING ON
JOINING US FOR OUR
WEEKLY VISIT TO THE
NURSING HOMES?
- YOU DO KNOW HOW TO PLAY
THE PIANO, DON'T YOU?
I MEAN EVERY PASTOR'S WIFE
WE'VE EVER HAD KNOWS HOW
TO PLAY THE PIANO.
- MRS. CORNWALLACE ALWAYS
PLAYED THE PIANO FOR
US ON OUR VISITS.
- I CAN'T PLAY
THE PIANO, THAT IS.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HELP.
I HAVE SOMETHING
TO DO THIS WEEK...
OH, I HAVE TO TAKE THE
KIDS TO THAT COMMUNITY
MUSIC FESTIVAL, BUT PLEASE
LET ME KNOW WHEN
THE NEXT ONE IS.
I WOULD LOVE TO
VOLUNTEER IN SOME WAY.
- SURE, DEAR.
- THANK YOU, LADIES.
YOU HAVE A LOVELY
REST OF THE DAY.
- THAT WAS SO WEIRD.
- WELL, THE BUDGET IS
WHAT IT IS, AND THE BILLS
ARE WHAT THEY ARE.
VERITABLE CRISIS AWAITING
A RESOLUTION.
- WE STILL HAVE TO FACTOR IN ALL
THE DEFERRED
MAINTENANCE ON THIS BUILDING.
I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN PAY
TO GET IT BACK INTO SHAPE.
- FOLKS MAY NOT TAKE TOO
KINDLY TO WHAT'S REQUIRED.
- OKAY, CATCH ME UP.
- I BELIEVE YOU HAVE
REVIEWED THE BUDGET AND
THE ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS.
- YES, I HAVE
THEM RIGHT HERE.
MARCUS, WHERE'S
YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW?
- I DON'T KNOW, HE SAID
HE'D BE HERE ABOUT NOW.
- FROM WHAT I CAN SEE,
GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A
SERIOUS CASH FLOW PROBLEM.
FINANCIALLY SPEAKING,
THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN DO
OUR JOB HERE MINISTERING
TO EGYPT VALLEY LET ALONE
CATCHING UP WITH THE
NEEDED REPAIRS
AROUND HERE.
- THAT'S ABOU THE SIZE OF IT.
- WE AREN'T EVEN PAYING
THE LIGHT BILL ON TIME.
- HE'S BEEN PLAYING CATCH
UP PAYING ABOU EVERY OTHER MONTH.
- YEAH, WE'VE HAD PRIVATE
CONTRIBUTIONS THAT HAVE
HELPED US TO
MEET THE NEED.
- THE GANG'S ALL HERE.
- WHAT LIFE-CHANGING
DECISIONS WERE
MADE WITHOUT ME?
- OKAY, I THINK IT'S A
GREAT IDEA THAT WE ALL
COME TOGETHER AS A
TEAM, IT MAKES SENSE.
AS YOU KNOW, THE DEACONS
ARE THE SPIRITUAL LEADERS
OF THIS CHURCH, AND FROM
BOOKS TO BUILDINGS,
THE GO-TO GUYS ARE
THE TRUSTEES.
- YOU MEAN TRUSTEE,
NOT TRUSTEES.
- WITH THE DROP IN
ATTENDANCE, WE'VE LOS SOME VOLUNTEERS.
WE'RE DOWN TO JUS ONE TRUSTEE. BRAX.
- WE NEED TO FIX THAT.
LET'S FIND SOME PEOPLE
THAT ARE GOING TO BE
WILLING TO SERVE, OKAY?
- DO I LOOK A YOU OR THE CAMERA?
- WHATEVER MAKES
YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE.
- OKAY, I'LL SHARE.
BUT NO REALLY, IN THE
SHORT TIME I HAVE BEEN
HERE, I'VE SEEN A LO OF REAL POSITIVES.
WE'RE A SMALL
CONGREGATION, BUT FOLKS
SEEM EXTREMELY DEVOTED.
WE'RE IN A GREAT LOCATION
WITH A GROWING COMMUNITY,
AND BEST OF ALL
NO MORTGAGE.
THAT ALWAYS MAKES THINGS
A LITTLE EASIER SO WE CAN
FOCUS ON THE NITTY GRITTY.
- THAT'S PERFECT.
- LOOKING GOOD,
MILES, KEEP IT UP.
- WELL, IF YOU TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT ALL WE'VE BEEN
GETTING IN TITHES AND
OFFERINGS, WE'VE BEEN
FALLING SHORT ON THE BILLS
EVERY MONTH ABOUT $1200.
- OKAY, SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
- BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
WE'RE SENDING $100 EACH TO
17 DIFFERENT FOREIGN
MISSIONARIES, 17!
- SO?
- THAT'S 17
TIMES A HUNDRED.
HERE WE ARE SENDING MONEY
AWAY WHEN WE CAN'T EVEN
PAY OUR OWN WAY.
- I'M NOT SURE...
- BRAX, WHAT YOU'RE
TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE
TAKE SOME OF THAT MONEY
AND PUT I TOWARDS OUR BILLS?
- NOT JUST BILLS,
LOCAL MINISTRY, TOO.
- CAN WE DO THAT?
- BRAX, THAT MONEY IS
FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.
- THE BIBLE SAYS TO TAKE
THE MESSAGE FROM JERUSALEM
TO JUDEA TO SAMARIA, AND
THEN THE UTTERMOS PARTS OF THE WORLD.
HOW CAN WE SKIP AHEAD TO
THE UTTERMOST PARTS WHEN
WE AIN'T EVEN GOT OUR
OWN JERUSALEM IN ORDER?
- I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA
AT ALL, I'M TELLING YOU.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THE
MISSION COMMITTEE CHAIR
WON'T LIKE THE
IDEA EITHER.
- YOU KNOW, IF WE DON' GET CAUGHT UP ON OUR
EXTENSIONS AND
REPAIRS AND OUTREACH RIGH HERE IN EGYPT VALLEY, THE
VERY FUTURE OF THIS CHURCH
MAY BE IN PERIL.
- I DON'T KNOW
ABOUT THAT.
- OKAY, GENTLEMEN, IT'S
STILL EARLY IN THE GAME.
SOME OTHER IDEAS
MIGHT COME UP.
- GENTLEMEN, I AGREE
WITH PASTOR EVAN.
I THINK WE NEED TO JUS TAKE A WHILE AND
CHEW ON THIS ONE.
- OKAY, THEN.
OUR NEXT OFFICIAL MEETING
IS IN A MONTH, BUT I THINK
WE OUGHT TO GE TOGETHER BEFORE THAT.
HAVE A LITTLE
FUN, YOU KNOW? SOCIAL.
VINCENT, WILL YOU
LEAD US OUT IN PRAYER?
- SURE, PASTOR.
LORD, WE THANK YOU
FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND
DIRECTION AND ASK THAT YOU
GIVE US SAFETY AND PEACE
UNTIL WE GATHER TOGETHER
AGAIN IN
CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN.
- AMEN.
- VERY GOOD, GENTLEMEN.
- ABOUT THAT GE TOGETHER YOU MENTIONED?
- YEAH?
- WELL, THERE'S A PLACE A
COUPLE OF US LIKE TO GO
ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IT MIGHT BE NICE TO GET A
GROUP OF GUYS TOGETHER.
- KIND OF LIKE A
MEN'S FELLOWSHIP?
- YOU COULD SAY THAT.
- OKAY, GIVE
ME THE DETAILS.
- FIRST, BRING
EAR PROTECTION.
- WHAT?
SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
[GUNSHOTS]
- OH, NICE GROUPING.
- SHOW OFF.
- I SEEM TO RECALL ONLY
A COUPLE OF HOLES
IN YOUR TARGET.
- BECAUSE I'M THAT GOOD.
- WHAT?
- I PUT THE SECOND SHOTS
THROUGH THE FIRST HOLES.
- LET'S SEE, MARCUS,
TOMMIE, BRAX, THEN ME.
THAT JUST LEAVES
YOU, PASTOR.
- ELENA GOT THIS FOR ME
BACK WHEN I WAS WORKING
BACK IN THE CITY.
NEVER QUITE HAD
MUCH USE FOR IT.
- A PISTOL
PACKING PREACHER.
- WELL, LET'S SEE IF
HE'S WORTHY OF THE TITLE.
[GUNSHOTS]
- YOU WERE AIMING
AT THE DIRT, RIGHT?
- HE DOES HAVE A HOLE
THROUGH THE CENTER.
NO WAIT, THAT'S
JUST THE FLY ON IT.
[ALL LAUGHING]
- HA HA HA.
- NO WORRIES, PASTOR.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS MORE,
AND YOU'LL IMPROVE.
- WAIT A MINUTE, THAT'S
WHAT WE KEEP SAYING
ABOUT HIS SERMONS.
[ALL LAUGHING]
- SORRY, GUYS, I
HAVE TO GET GOING.
BERTHA IS EXPECTING
ME FOR DINNER.
- YEAH, WELL WE OUGH TO CALL IT A DAY ANYWAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH
LONGER THE WEATHER WILL
HOLD UP, AND I GOT A LONG
BIKE RIDE TO THE TOWN AND
BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT, SO...
- WHY DO YOU RIDE
THAT ANTIQUE ANYWAY?
YOU KNOW WHA CARS ARE FOR.
- WELL, MARCUS, I WASN' QUITE SURE YOU GUYS HAD
CARS IN THIS TOWN.
- PASTOR? DON'T FORGET TO CLEAN
THAT THING.
- LATER, GENTS.
- FIRST IMPRESSION
OF PASTOR EVAN?
I LIKE PASTOR EVAN WHEN I
WAS FIRS INTRODUCED TO HIM.
I DON'T SEE ANY
PROBLEM AT THIS TIME.
I THINK HE'S --HE'S
ACTUALLY A LOT YOUTHFUL OR
MUCH YOUTHFUL THAN
CORNWALLACE, AND HE MIGH HAVE SOME IDEAS OF HIS
OWN, BUT I THINK HE MIGH BE VERY COOPERATIVE IN OUR
EGYPT VALLEY TRADITIONAL
WAYS YOU KNOW?
- THE PASTOR ISN' EXACTLY WHAT WE HAD
EXPECTED.
[MUSIC]
- WE NEED A FRESH
VIEW, A FRESH VISION.
WE NEED GOD TO WORK
THROUGH THE PASTOR.
[MUSIC]
- WE JUST RECENTLY
STARTED ATTENDING THIS
CHURCH MAYBE WHAT?
THREE WEEKS.
- UH-HUH, ABOU THREE WEEKS AGO.
- WE REALLY LIKE IT.
[MUSIC]
- HE REALLY CARES ABOU THE PEOPLE, AND HE CARES
ABOUT THE CHURCH.
[MUSIC]
- I'M MEETING SOME
WONDERFUL PEOPLE, SO IT'S
BEEN A GREAT CHANGE.
MY FAMILY'S REALLY
SETTLING IN.
I KNOW THE KIDS
ARE LIKING IT.
AND ELENA AND I, WE
FEEL REALLY ADJUSTED.
AND LIKE I SAID, THE
RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU GE TO MEET OUT HERE IN A
SMALL TOWN, IT REALLY
MAKES THIS JOB
WORTH WHILE.
[MUSIC]
- COME ON, THAT WAS
WITH MY LEFT HAND.
- OH, YEAH.
[MUSIC]
- NICE BIKE.
- THANKS. YOU GUYS PLAY
HERE A LOT?
- NOT MUCH ELSE TO DO
AFTER SCHOOL GETS OUT.
- HEY, AIN'T YOU
THAT PREACHER?
- YEP.
- DO YOU PLAY?
- ME? NO.
- HAVE YOU EVER TRIED?
- NO.
- WELL, THEN, HOW DO
YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE NEVER TRIED?
- YOU GOT A POINT.
- YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE ANY
PREACHER I'VE EVER MET,
AND YOU DON'T TALK
LIKE ONE NEITHER?
- YOU EVER BEEN?
- NOPE.
- HOW DO YOU KNOW IF
YOU'VE NEVER TRIED.
- YOU'VE GOT A POINT.
- [LAUGHING] MAYBE YOU
SHOULD STICK TO PREACHING.
- HOLD ON A SECOND,
GIVE ME ANOTHER SHOT.
- YOU SHOULD QUI WHILE YOU'RE BEHIND.
- REALLY, WAIT A MINUTE.
LET'S MAKE THIS
INTERESTING.
I'LL BET YOU THAT I CAN
SHOOT THE BALL FROM...
HERE.
- FROM THERE?
- REALLY, I'LL BET YOU
THAT I CAN SHOOT THE BALL
FROM HERE, AND IF I DO,
YOU'LL HAVE TO COME
TO CHURCH SUNDAY.
- ALL RIGHT, BUT WHA DO I GET IF YOU DON'T?
- IF I DON'T SHOOT I FROM HERE,
YOU GET MY BIKE.
- SERIOUS?
- YEP.
- ALL RIGHT, IT'S A BET.
SHOW US WHAT YOU
GOT, PREACHER.
- I'LL SEE Y'ALL
THIS SUNDAY?
- WAIT A MINUTE,
MAN, YOU LOST.
YOU MISSED.
- WAIT, HOLD ON A SECOND.
I DIDN'T SAY I WAS
GOING TO MAKE IT.
- WHAT?
- THE BET WAS THAT I WAS
GOING TO SHOOT IT FROM
BACK THERE, WHICH I DID.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE
BALL WENT IN OR NOT.
- YOU DEFINITELY AIN' LIKE NO PREACHER
I'VE EVER MET.
- SO I'LL SEE YOU THERE?
- A BET'S A BET.
[MUSIC]
- WE HAVE JUST A FEW
ANNOUNCEMENTS THIS MORNING.
YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG
IN YOUR BULLETINS.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO
HELPED MAKE OUR VACATION
BIBLE SCHOOL SUCH
A BIG SUCCESS.
[APPLAUSE]
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT WILL
BE THIS FRIDAY 7 P. M.
IN THE FELLOWSHIP HALL.
POPCORN PROVIDED.
VINCENT, I BELIEVE YOU
HAVE SOMETHING, RIGHT?
- YES. THANK YOU, PASTOR.
SINCE THE BY LAWS REQUIRE
THAT ALL MEETINGS BE
ANNOUNCED TWO SUNDAYS
BEFOREHAND, THE QUARTERLY
MEMBERS MEETING WILL BE
WEDNESDAY AFTER NEXT.
- SPEAKING OF MEMBERS,
A LOT OF NEW FOLKS ARE
COMING OUT TO CHURCH,
AND THAT'S GREAT.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO BE MORE
INVOLVED, YOU MAY
CONSIDER MEMBERSHIP.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SPEAK
TO ME ABOUT THAT ANY
TIME OVER THE NEX COUPLE OF WEEKS.
- ONE MORE SPECIAL
ANNOUNCEMENT FOR EVERYONE.
- OH?
- MY WIFE BERTHA WILL
COME UP AND
GIVE AN UPDATE. BERTHA?
- I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN
UPDATE ON OUR VERY SPECIAL
MISSIONARY FAMILY,
THE LEIGHFIELDS.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THEY
ARE LOCATED ON ESPROBADA
ISLAND IN
THE WEST INDIES.
JOHN AND BARBARA ARE
RUNNING A SCHOOL THERE FOR
THE LOCAL CHILDREN.
THERE ARE 23 CHILDREN WHO
MATH, HISTORY,
AND THE BIBLE.
AND YOUR DONATIONS HAVE
HELPED TO
MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
- THANK YOU.
- AND SPEAKING
OF DONATIONS...
I WANTED TO LET YOU ALL
KNOW THAT EACH AND EVERY
ONE OF OUR 17
MISSIONARY FAMILIES...
SORRY, 18 AFTER
NEXT QUARTER.
- 18?
- IT WAS DECIDED AT THE
COMMITTEE MEETING ON
MISSIONS LAST WEEK.
WE'RE ADDING THE SMITHS
TO OUR SUPPORT LIST.
- IS EVERYBODY SURE THA IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO
ADD ANOTHER OBLIGATION?
- NOW, PASTOR, BLESS YOUR
HEART, YOU KNOW WE ARE
CALLED UPON TO
GIVE IN FAITH.
THE MORE WE GIVE, THE MORE
WILL COME BACK TO US.
- IT WAS BAD ENOUGH A THE BEGINNING
OF THE SUMMER.
EVEN WITH NEW FOLKS,
WE'RE STILL...
HOW MUCH THIS WEEK?
- $500 AND SOME CHANGE.
- $500 FOR GENERAL.
HOW MUCH DESIGNATED
FOR THE MISSIONS?
- THAT SPEECH BERTHA GAVE
MOST ASSUREDLY CAUSED
A SMALL SPIKE.
- HOW MUCH?
- $643.
- WE'LL BE FLAT BROKE IN
A COUPLE OF MONTHS IF WE
DON'T ACT NOW.
- WELL, YOU CAN'T JUS MOVE THE DONATIONS AROUND
WITHOUT APPROVAL.
I MEAN, EVEN IF IT MAKES
SENSE, YOU GOTTA HAVE THE
PERMISSIVE AUTHORITY
OF THE CONGREGATION.
- YOU PLAN A VOTE?
- YEAH.
- OKAY, I THOUGH ABOUT THAT.
YOU GAVE ME A GREAT IDEA
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
- ARE YOU SERIOUS?
- HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE
MISSIONS COMMITTEE YET?
- NO, IF I TAKE IT TO
THEM, THEY'RE JUST GOING
TO DRAG IT OUT AND
PUSH IT OFF, NO.
I'M GOING STRAIGHT TO
THE MEMBERS WITH THIS.
QUARTERLY MEETING IS
COMING UP,
AND NONE TOO SOON.
- WELL, THIS
ISN'T GOING TO FLY.
- BUT IT'S LOGICAL, AND
WHAT STAND IN THE
WAY OF THAT?
- FAMILY.
- WHAT?
- HE KNOWS, RIGHT?
YOU KNOW THAT FAMILY
BERTHA MENTIONED TODAY,
THE LEIGHFIELDS?
WELL, YOU KNOW WHO BARB
LEIGHFIELD IS, RIGHT?
- HOW AM I SUPPOSED
TO KNOW THAT?
- THINK BACK.
VINCENT TOLD YOU THEIR
DAUGHTER WORKED IN MINISTRY.
- YOUR WIFE IS THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL...
- NO, NO, THEIR
OTHER DAUGHTER.
- - MY HUSBAND VINCEN AND I HAVE TWO CHILDREN,
BOTH OF THEM GIRLS.
THE OLDER ONE, GLORIA.
- I WAS IN AN ORPHANAGE
UNTIL I WAS SIX YEARS OLD,
AND MY MOTHER WAS VERY
FOND OF MISSIONARIES AND
HELPING OUT CHILDREN IN
FOREIGN COUNTRIES, AND AS
A RESULT SHE ADOPTED ME.
- AND WOULDN'T YOU KNOW,
A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER,
WE HAD BARBARA.
AND BARBARA AND HER
HUSBAND JOHN ARE BOTH
MISSIONARIES NOW.
AND WE ARE SO VERY PROUD
OF THEM, SO VERY
PROUD OF THEM.
- SEE, WHAT YOU SEE AS A
PROPOSAL TO CU MISSIONARY FUNDING...
- THEY SEE AS AN
ATTACK ON THE FAMILY.
- SHE'S THAT BARB?
- I GUESS EVERYONE JUS FIGURED SOMEBODY TOLD YOU.
- SURELY SAVING THE
CHURCH IS MORE IMPORTAN THAN PERSONAL SACRIFICE.
I MEAN...
VINCENT AND BERTHA HAVE
TO SEE THAT, DON'T THEY?
- WOULD YOU?
- I'M GET BACK TO YOU
GUYS ON THIS IN
A LITTLE BIT.
IN THE MEANTIME,
PRAY ON IT.
- YOU NEED TO GE EVAN TO RETHINK THIS.
- YOU KNOW THE MISSIONS
COMMITTEE CAN MAKE THEIR
CASE AT THE MEETING.
AND IF THEY CONVINCE THE
PEOPLE, WELL, THE
PROPOSAL WILL DIE.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING, OUR HOPE MAY
VERY WELL DIE WITH IT.
- AND I'M TELLING YOU,
THAT EVAN HAS NO IDEA WHO
HE'S DEALING WITH.
- MEANING?
MARCUS! DEALING WITH WHOM?
- LOOK WHAT IT IS,
MR. RAILROAD HIMSELF.
- HEY, KIM, WHAT'S I TAKE TO GET A CUP OF
COFFEE AROUND HERE?
- HOLD YOUR
HANDS ON, WALT.
- HOW ARE THINGS
DOWN AT THE STATION?
- PRETTY BRISK.
STUDENTS HEADED
BACK TO SCHOOL.
AUGUST IS ALWAYS
LIKE THAT.
I SEE YOU'RE STILL HOUNDED
BY THE PAPARAZZI.
- FUNNY.
- LOOKS LIKE YOU FOUND THE
DEAD SEA SCROLLS.
- THIS HAS TO BE THE MOS CONVOLUTED, CONFUSING, AND
GENERALLY OVERWRITTEN
DOCUMENT I'VE EVER SEEN.
- THE CHURCH BY LAWS.
THOSE PREDATE
MY TIME THERE.
IN FACT, THEY MAY EVEN
PREDATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.
- YOU'D THINK THEY WERE
WRITTEN BY THE GOVERNMENT.
OVERLAPPING AUTHORITY.
VAGUE RESPONSIBILITIES.
ALMOST NO ACCOUNTABILITY
TO THE MEMBERS.
- YOU KNOW, I READ THE
END, BUT I WON'T SPOIL
IT FOR YOU. THANKS, KIM.
I'LL MAKE UP FOR
IT IN THE TIP.
- SURE YOU WILL.
- I SEEM TO RECALL THA WE HAD MORE CHURCH JOBS
AND COMMITTEES
THAN WE HAD PEOPLE.
- EVEN WITH
ATTENDANCE ON THE RISE,
IT'S STILL THE SAME.
ELEVEN SEPARATE
COMMITTEES.
- ...OF THREE TO
FIVE MEMBERS EACH?
- MOST YOU HAVE TO BE
A MEMBER TO SERVE ON.
IF WE COULD JUS CHANGE THE STRUCTURE,
MAKE IT WORK FOR A
GROWING CONGREGATION.
- SON, THOSE 30 YEAR
OLD BYLAWS ARE WORTHY
TO BE GLUED INTO THE
BACK OF THE BIBLE.
THEY ARE HOLY WRIT.
- THEY'RE JUST BYLAWS.
- NO. THEY'RE THE KEYS
TO THEIR KINGDOM.
CONFUSION FOSTERS CONTROL.
TO CHALLENGE THE
SYSTEM IS TO CHALLENGE
THE POWERS THAT BE.
- SURELY THE MEMBERSHIP
HAS TO SEE
THE BENEFIT TO CHANGE.
- WELL, I'D RATHER SHAKE
HANDS WITH A BADGER
THAN TAKE ON THE HAMANS.
- I DON'T THINK
THEY'RE ALL THAT BAD.
- MAYBE.
TIME WILL TELL, MY FRIEND.
AND I SEEM TO BE
RUNNING OUT OF IT.
GOOD MORNING
AND GOOD LUCK.
- THANK YOU.
- YOU WANT A HEATER
ON THAT, PASTOR?
- SURE. THANKS.
HEY KIM,
YOU EVER THINK ABOU COMING OUT SOME SUNDAY?
- YOU MEAN TO CHURCH?
- YEAH.
- YOU KNOW I USED TO
GO WHEN I WAS A KID.
I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUS NOT THAT INTERESTED IN
CHURCH ANYMORE, I GUESS.
ESPECIALLY THAT ONE.
WITH ALL I'VE HEARD
OVER THE YEARS.
- THINGS ARE DIFFERENT.
WE'RE TRYING TO
IMPROVE THINGS,
MORE RELEVAN TO REAL LIFE.
- EVAN, REAL LIFE IS
DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL
PREGNANT, IT'S RAISING MY
KID ALONE WITH A FATHER
WHO KNOWS WHERE,
STRUGGLING TO PAY BILLS,
CHOOSING BETWEEN
FOOD OR HEAT.
I'M NOT SURE THOSE
CHURCH PEOPLE WOULD
UNDERSTAND REAL LIFE.
- KIM, YOU'RE WORKING
REALLY HARD RIGHT NOW
TRYING TO START FRESH FOR
YOU AND YOUR SON, RIGHT?
- WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE?
- PLENTY. BUT YOU'RE
DOING THE BEST YOU CAN
RIGHT NOW FOR BOTH OF YOU.
YOU AREN'T GONNA LET YOUR
PAST GET IN THE WAY.
- I CAN'T.
- OUR CHURCH HAS
HAD A ROUGH PAST TOO.
- YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN.
- OUR CHURCH HAS
HAD A ROUGH PAST TOO.
WE JUST WANT A
FRESH START TOO.
MAYBE WE UNDERSTAND
THINGS A LITTLE BI BETTER THAN YOU THINK.
10:00 O'CLOCK SUNDAY.
DON'T LET YOUR PAS GET IN THE WAY.
- SO I THOUGHT THAT WITH
THE COLD WEATHER COMING
UP, I CAN MAKE A
COUPLE OF NEW ONES.
PLUS IT HELPS ME RELAX,
KIND OF A HOBBY.
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
- IS THAT THE DOOR?
WHAT IS THAT?
OH, IT'S THE BACK DOOR.
HOLD ON A SECOND.
OH, HI!
PLEASE, COME IN.
HELLO, LADIES.
HOW ARE YOU?
WOULD YOU LIKE
A CUP OF TEA?
I JUST MADE A FRESH BATCH.
- NO THANK YOU.
WE CAN ONLY STAY A MINUTE.
- OH, OKAY.
- WE NEEDED TO
TALK TO YOU ABOU VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL.
- I KNOW, IT WAS
GREAT, WASN'T IT?
SO MANY KIDS CAME TO IT.
EVEN KIDS THA HAD NEVER BEEN TO
VACATION BIBLE
SCHOOL BEFORE.
- ELENA, WE'D LIKE TO
TALK TO YOU ABOU YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN.
- PLEASE, WE REALLY ENJOY
HELPING WITH
THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE DO. SO NO PROBLEM.
- WELL, MAYBE JUS ONE SMALL PROBLEM.
- OH, WHAT'S THAT?
- WE WANTED TO SAY THIS
TO YOU AS A FRIEND
AND IN CHRISTIAN LOVE.
- GO ON.
- WE ARE WORRIED
ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN.
- HOW SO?
- I WONDER IF--
HOW CAN I--
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO
BE A GREAT EXAMPLE
OF FAITH TO OTHER
BOYS AND GIRLS.
- WHAT ARE YOU
DRIVING AT, GLORIA?
- YOUR SON PLAYS ARMY
WITH THE OTHER KIDS IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, PRETEND
SHOOTING AND ALL.
AND YOUR DAUGHTER, WELL,
WITH THOSE JEANS THA SHE WEARS EVEN TO CHURCH
EVENTS, WELL A YOUNG LADY,
YOU KNOW, A PASTOR'S
CHILDREN AND--
- EXAMPLES OF FAITH?
LET ME ASK YOU, WHERE
DOES FAITH COME FROM?
FROM ACTIONS OR
FROM APPEARANCES?
- ACTION.
BUT APPEARANCES SPEAK
VOLUMES ABOUT THE HEART.
- I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU
GOT YOUR INFORMATION FROM
GLORIA BUT TRUST ME WHEN
I SAY THAT NO CHILD IS
AUTOMATICALLY HOLY JUS BECAUSE SHE WEARS A SKIRT.
- NO ELENA, WE'RE NO TRYING TO CAUSE PROBLEMS.
- REALLY? THEN WHAT ARE
YOU TRYING TO CAUSE?
- OH, HONEY, WE AREN' SUGGESTING--
- AND YOUR STANDARDS, WHERE
DO THEY COME FROM?
IS IT FROM THE SCRIPTURES
OR FROM YOUR
OWN TRADITIONS?
BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS FROM THE BIBLE.
HOW DO YOU RAISE YOUR
CHILDREN, GLORIA?
THAT'S RIGHT, I FORGOT,
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY YET.
- ELENA, I JUST THOUGHT--
- YEAH, YOU JUST THOUGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR THOUGHTS, LADIES,
BUT MY CHILDREN ARE
GONNA BE JUST FINE.
I BELIEVE YOU SAID YOU
DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME?
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY.
- WE'LL BE
WATCHING YOU, DEAR.
JUST TO HELP OUT AND ALL.
- I'M SURE YOU WILL.
GOODBYE.
LET ME CLUE YOU IN, BEING
A PASTOR'S WIFE IS LIKE
LIVING IN A FISH BOWL
WHERE ANYBODY AT ANY GIVEN
MOMENT THINKS THEY CAN
JUST PEER IN AND CHECK
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE
KIDS, OH MY.
OH, MY, THEY JUST GO AND
PUT THE FAMILY IN SOME
SORT OF PEDESTAL PERFECTION
OR SOMETHING.
THE TRUTH IS NO MATTER
HOW GOOD THE KIDS ARE,
THEY CAN NEVER
BE GOOD ENOUGH.
EVAN!
- IT'S 7:00 O'CLOCK. WE
NEED TO GET STARTED.
I'LL CALL THIS
MEETING TO ORDER.
TOMMIE, WILL YOU
OPEN IN PRAYER?
- LORD, PLEASE ALLOW
WHATEVER HAPPENS THIS
EVENING BE PLEASING
IN YOUR SIGHT.
IN CHRIST'S NAME, AMEN.
- GROUP: AMEN.
- OKAY, ACCORDING
TO THE CHURCH CLERK,
THE SIGN-IN SHEET SHOWS
12 MEMBERS PRESENT.
- OUT OF HOW MANY?
- 21.
- SOME ON THAT LIST DON' ATTEND HERE ANYMORE.
- WE MOVED SOME TO
INACTIVE STATUS
HOPING THEY'D COME BACK.
- LUCRETIA HOWARD IS
STILL ON THAT LIST.
- SO?
- DIDN'T SHE DIE
THREE YEARS AGO?
- THAT'S A PROBLEM.
- WE'LL HAVE A BIGGER
PROBLEM IF SHE SHOWS UP.
[LAUGHTER]
LET'S SEND OUT A LETTER
TO THE LAST KNOWN
ADDRESS OF THOSE FOLKS.
IF THEY DON'T RESPOND OR
WRITE BACK SAYING THEY'RE
ATTENDING ELSEWHERE, WE
CAN WEED OUT THE ROSTER.
- FINE.
ON TO THE BUSINESS
OF THE DAY.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE
HAS BEEN A SHORTAGE OF
TRUSTEES. WE HAVE TWO
MEMBERS WHO STEPPED FORWARD
TO VOLUNTEER: TOMMIE
AND STEWART.
WITHOUT OBJECTION?
ALL RIGHT THEN,
PASTOR'S REPORT.
- WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE'RE STILL FALLING SHORT.
I'M GONNA ASK STEWAR TO HELP ME PASS OUT OUR
LATEST FINANCIAL REPORT,
COURTESY OF BRAX.
BRAX, DO YOU WAN TO SAY ANYTHING?
- AS YOU CAN SEE
ON THE REPORT,
FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS,
OUR EXPENSES HAVE
EXCEEDED OUR INCOME.
NOW, WITH THE INCREASE
IN ATTENDANCE,
IT'S GETTING BETTER BU IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO
PUT US IN THE BLACK.
AND THE DEFICIT NOW IS
NOT A RESULT OF THESE
EXPENSES. UTILITIES,
CONTRACT OF SERVICES,
INSURANCE, IT'S
ALL ON BUDGET.
THE SHORTFALL IS IN
THE GENERAL INCOME.
- IF WE CONTINUE
ON OUR PRESENT PATH,
WE'LL BE BROKE IN THE
NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
- I'M SURE WE'RE ALL
WORKING VARY HARD TO
BRING IN NEW PEOPLE TO
CHURCH AND THAT WILL
BRING IN MORE SUPPORT.
- LONG TERM, YES.
BUT IN THE SHORT-TERM, WE
NEED TO MEET OUR EXPENSES.
- WELL, THERE'S A WAY
TO GET US BACK ON TRACK
WITHOUT REQUIRING ONE
MORE DOLLAR FROM ANYONE.
- HERE WE GO.
- CURRENTLY, WE'RE
COLLECTING A SEPARATE
OFFERING FOR FOREIGN
MISSIONS AND WE'RE KEEPING
THAT MONEY IN A
SEPARATE ACCOUNT.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE
MISSIONS BANK ACCOUNT BE
CLOSED AND MERGED INTO
THE GENERAL ACCOUNT.
IN THE FUTURE, ALL FOREIGN
MISSIONS GIVING WILL BE
REDUCED TO A FLAT 10% OF
THE TOTAL CHURCH INCOME.
- AND THAT WON'T REQUIRE
US TO ASK FOR ANOTHER
MISSION'S
OFFERING ANYMORE.
AND THEN WE CAN PAY ALL
OF OUR BILLS RIGHT HERE.
- AND AS THE
CHURCH GROWS,
SO WILL FOREIGN
MISSIONS GIVING.
- SO YOU HATE
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
- I DON'T HATE
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
LOOK, WE HAVE
PROBLEMS RIGHT HERE.
ALL AROUND US, HERE
IN CONNERSVILLE.
REMEMBER MATTHEW 6?
IT SAYS FOR WHERE YOUR
TREASURE IS THERE WILL
YOUR HEART BE ALSO.
WE CAN'T KEEP SENDING
A DOLLAR OVERSEAS AND
IGNORING OUR NEIGHBORS AND
THINK WE'RE HONORING THE
GREAT COMMISSION.
- BUT PASTOR, IF WE CONTINUE
TO KEEP GIVING IN FAITH--
- IT TAKES FAITH TO GIVE
AND WORK AT HOME TOO.
BESIDES, THERE'S A
DIFFERENCE IN GIVING IN
FAITH AND ACTING
IN IGNORANCE.
- ARE YOU SAYING MY
MOTHER IS IGNORANT?
- NO. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE
GOOD STEWARDS, RIGHT?
WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT.
NOT EVEN WITH
OUR OWN BUILDING.
- THE BUILDING?
- YEAH.
WHAT ABOUT THE BACK
CORNER OF THE SANCTUARY?
THE CEILING IS BAD.
IT LEAKS LIKE A SIEVE
EVERY BIG RAIN AND
EVERYBODY KNOWS IT.
AND THAT RAFTER
IN THAT SPOT,
IT'S IN NEED OF
A BAD INSPECTION.
- THAT CEILING'S BEEN
THAT WAY FOR A LONG TIME
BRAX, AND IT CAN
WAIT A LITTLE LONGER.
WHEN PEOPLE COME BACK,
WE'LL HAVE THE MONEY
TO FIX THINGS.
- WE REALLY CAN' AFFORD TO WAIT.
- ARE WE SUPPOSED TO TELL
THE MISSIONARIES TOO BAD?
WE WANT THE MONEY
FOR OURSELVES?
- VINCE HAS
A POINT, EVAN.
THEY COUNT ON
SUPPORT FROM HOME.
- ESPECIALLY
THE LAYFIELDS.
- I KNOW YOUR DAUGHTER
WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS,
AND I'M SORRY.
YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THA WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CHURCH
SENDING THEM AN OFFERING.
- THIS WHOLE
CONVERSATION IS MOOT.
THE BYLAWS CLEARLY
STATE THAT THE MISSIONS
COMMITTEE HAS FULL OVERSIGH OVER MISSIONS SPENDING.
- ABOUT THE BYLAWS,
THEY COULD USE A
GOOD WORKING OVER.
THEY'RE ALL MUDDLED
UP AND OUT OF TOUCH
THE WAY THEY ARE.
THEY NEED A GOOD DOSE OF
CLARITY AND FLEXIBILITY.
- THE BIBLE'S NOT FLEXIBLE.
- THE BYLAWS ARE
NOT THE BIBLE.
- SO DOES THE BODY HAVE A
SAY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF
THE CHURCH OR NOT?
- BUT WE'VE NEVER DONE
IT THAT WAY BEFORE.
- WHAT ABOUT THE VOTE
TO CALL THE PASTOR?
WASN'T THAT A
MEMBERSHIP DECISION?
- BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT.
- YOU KNEW THIS WAS A
COMMITTEE RUN CHURCH
WHEN YOU CAME HERE.
- NO, I THOUGHT THIS WAS
COMMITTEE LED CHURCH.
I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS
COMMITTEE RUN UNTIL I'D
BEEN HERE A WHILE.
I'M GOING TO ASK THE
DEACONS AND TRUSTEES TO
LOOK OVER THE BYLAWS
WITH ME IN AN ATTEMPT TO
DISCOVER SOME PLACES WHERE
WE CAN TWEAK IT FOR THE
BETTER OF OUR CHURCH.
- PASTOR, YOUR PROPOSALS
AND ACTIONS MAKE ME
VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE
HOLY SPIRIT IN ME WILL NO DISAGREE WITH THE
HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU.
THEREFORE, SPIRITUALLY
YOU MUST BE WRONG.
- EXCUSE ME?
- THIS PLAN IS SIMPLE.
I AM SURE OF IT.
- I THINK YOU MIGH BE CONFUSING YOUR OWN
FEELINGS WITH GOD'S LAW.
- I'M JUST SAYING THAT I
THINK THE MEMBERSHIP HERE
RECOGNIZES THE
REAL PROBLEM.
THAT'S ALL.
- OKAY.
LET'S ASK THEM.
DO I HEAR A SECOND ON MY
EMERGENCY BUDGET PROPOSAL?
- SECOND.
- THERE BEING A SECOND,
ALL IN FAVOR OF
PASTOR EVANS' MISSIONS
CUTTING PROPOSAL,
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
OPPOSED?
THE AYES HAVE IT.
- I HOPE YOU KNOW
WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
- HE PREACHES FRIENDSHIP,
BUT HE'S NOT A FRIEND TO
THOSE WHO HIRED HIM.
- HE NEEDS TO HONOR THE
WISHES OF THOSE
WHO WERE HERE FIRST.
ALWAYS VISITING ALL
THESE NEW PEOPLE.
- AND HIS WIFE, NO SUBMISSIVE AT ALL.
- OUR FAMILY'S BEEN HERE
A LONG TIME AND WE'RE NO GONNA LET SOME FLY-BY-
NIGHT PASTOR CHANGE THAT.
- AND WE CAN' COMPROMISE WITH EVIL.
- AS LONG AS WE
FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT,
GOD WILL BLESS OUR
EFFORTS, THAT'S FOR SURE.
- BOY, YOU WANT TO
EXPLAIN YOURSELF?
- WHAT IS THIS?
- OH, YOU KNOW PERFECTLY
WELL ABOUT THAT LETTER.
- SIT DOWN, BRAX. PLEASE.
WHEN DID YOU GET THIS?
- THIS MORNING AT THE
HARDWARE STORE AND
EVERYONE THERE WANTED TO
KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
- I DID NOT MEAN FOR
THIS TO GET MAILED YET.
I WROTE IT IN CASE THINGS
GOT WORSE AND WELL,
YOU KNOW.
- THIS IS NOT THE FIRS TIME THAT OUR CONGREGATION
HAS SEEN DIVISION.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THA YOU NO LONGER PERMI PASTOR EVAN BENNETT OR
HIS WIFE ELENA TO CHARGE
ANYMORE ITEMS TO
THE CHURCH ACCOUNT.
BOY, WHAT WERE
YOU THINKING?
- I WAS THINKING THAT THE
DAY MAY COME WHEN PASTOR
EVAN IS NO LONGER PASTOR.
- WELL, UNTIL
THAT DAY DOES COME,
HE IS. AND THIS LETTER--
- GLORIA MUST HAVE SEEN
THE LETTERS AND THOUGHT--
- WHOA, WHOA, WHOA,
LETTERS PLURAL?
- I HAD ONE FOR EACH
OF THE STORES WHERE THE
CHURCH HAS AN ACCOUNT.
- WELL, YOU ARE GONNA
WRITE EACH OF THOSE STORES
A NEW ONE RESCINDING THIS
FRAUDULENT LETTER RIGH AWAY. DO YOU KNOW HOW
BAD THIS MAKES US LOOK?
- JUST COOL IT, BRAX.
WE ARE DOING A GOOD ENOUGH
JOB OF THAT OURSELVES.
INFIGHTING AT THE
COMMITTEE MEETINGS,
VISITORS LEAVING.
I HEARD THE HODGE FAMILY
ISN'T COMING BACK ANYMORE.
- WELL, BEFORE WE CAN
KEEP NEW FAMILIES,
THIS UNDERCURRENT DIVISION
HAS GOT TO BE ELIMINATED.
- IT'S EVAN'S
DOING YOU KNOW.
- YOU KNOW WHAT, YOUR IN-
LAWS CAN GET RID OF THIS
PASTOR, BUT LET ME
TELL YOU SOMETHING,
HIS REPLACEMENT IS EITHER
GONNA HAVE TO CAPTAIN A
SINKING SHIP TO ITS DEPTHS
OR HE'S GONNA FIGHT THE
STATUS QUO AND HE'S
GONNA SUFFER FOR IT.
- I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW
MUCH LONGER I CAN
BE SEEN BACKING YOU.
- BACKING WHOM?
WAIT. I WITHDRAW
THE QUESTION.
- LOOK, I COULDN'T HELP
BUT OVERHEAR ALL OF THAT.
- GREAT.
- THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF
PEOPLE COMING FROM LOTS OF
CHURCHES. I'VE WAITED ON
TOO MANY TO COUNT.
MOST OF THEM DON'T GIVE
ME A SECOND THOUGHT.
WELL, EXCEPT WHEN THEY
WANTED TO WHISPER ABOU ME AND MY CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT EVAN, HE'S
DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW?
HE JUST TALKS TO
ME LIKE I MATTER.
HE'S BEEN TRYING TO DO A
LOT AROUND THIS TOWN
AND NOT GETTING MUCH
SUPPORT FROM FOLKS
LIKE YOU I GUESS.
- HOLD ON A MINUTE, KIM.
- I SEEM TO RECALL CHRIS WASN'T TOO POPULAR
WITH THE RELIGIOUS
FOLK OF HIS DAY.
MAYBE EVAN'S HAVING
TROUBLE WITH HIS
RELIGIOUS FOLKS TOO.
- YOU DON'T GO
SO YOU DON'T KNOW.
- YOU KNOW WHAT?
MAYBE IT'S ABOUT TIME
I START GOING TO
CHURCH AGAIN.
MAYBE A BUNCH
OF US SHOULD.
MAYBE IF ME AND MY BOY AND
MY NEIGHBOR AND EVEN YOU
STARTED LEARNING MORE
ABOUT WHATEVER EVAN KNOWS,
WE MIGHT START DOING MORE
OF WHATEVER EVAN DOES.
- I'M NOT INTERESTED
IN KNOWING EVAN.
I WANT TO KNOW CHRIST.
- I WONDER, WOULD
CHRIST KNOW YOU?
- NOT NOW, GUYS.
TURN THAT OFF.
I SAID NOT--
- EVAN?
HEY.
PLEASE TALK TO ME.
- I CAN'T RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE A DEACONS
MEETING IN A BIT.
OR SHOULD I SAY ONE
LESS DEACON MEETING.
- WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
- MARCUS IS JUMPING SHIP.
I JUST GOT A LETTER FROM
HIM SAYING HE'S DONE WITH
THE WHOLE DEACONS THING.
- HE'S QUITTING THE CHURCH?
- NOT THAT I KNOW OF,
JUST THE DEACON'S BOARD.
- WHY?
- I THINK YOU KNOW
PERFECTLY WELL WHY.
- HEY. I'M NOT THE ENEMY.
- I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH
MORE OF THIS I CAN TAKE.
EVERYDAY, EVERY
MEETING, EVERY SERVICE,
THE BYLAWS, IT'S JUS ONE STRUGGLE AFTER ANOTHER.
NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY,
THE HAMAN FAMILY
IS THERE WATCHING.
- I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO SO
FAST WITH THOSE
CHANGES YOU HAD IN MIND.
ESPECIALLY AFTER
FINDING OUT ABOU THEIR MISSIONARY
DAUGHTER-IN-LAW.
- I DON'T NEED AN "I TOLD
YOU SO" LECTURE RIGHT NOW.
- THIS IS NOT A LECTURE.
- THEN WHAT IT IS, ELENA?
I HAVE THIS CHURCH THAT'S
DYING ALL AROUND ME,
A TOWN IN NEED,
AND ONE FAMILY SEEMING
TO BLOCK IT ALL.
TRYING TO HOLD ON TO SOME
LITTLE KINGDOM OF THEIRS.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?
- NOT ALIENATED
THEM, THAT'S WHAT.
- HEY, I SEEM TO RECALL
YOU HAD A RUN-IN OR TWO
ABOUT THE KIDS, RIGHT?
- THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME.
I KNOW YOU.
I KNOW HOW YOU CAN GE WHEN YOU GET ALL WORKED UP.
I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE.
I DON'T WANT THA TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
YOU'RE GONNA BURN YOURSELF
OUT IN FRUSTRATION.
YOU MARK MY WORDS,
THIS WILL HAUNT YOU.
- YOU GO HAVE YOUR
MEETING NOW AND
THINK ABOUT THIS.
- I'M SORRY I'M
LATE, GENTLEMEN.
- WAIT A MINUTE.
BYLAW CHANGES?
- RECOMMENDATIONS.
YOU KNOW WE'VE BEEN
WORKING ON THIS FOR
A WHILE NOW.
- I WANT TO KNOW WHEN
WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE
HEART OF THE PROBLEM.
- WE HAVEN'T EVEN OPENED
UP IN PRAYER YET, VINCENT.
- THE HEART OF THE
PROBLEM IS YOU.
YOUR PREACHING
MAY BE SKILLFUL,
BUT YOUR MOTIVES
ARE TRANSPARENT.
YOU DESIRE TO DO
THINGS YOUR OWN WAY,
AND IT IS CERTAINLY CLEAR
THAT CHURCH POLICY
IS FOREIGN TO YOU.
DID YOU EVEN READ OUR
CONSTITUTION BEFORE YOU
ACCEPTED THIS POSITION?
- VINCE, LET'S HOLD OFF ON
THIS DISCUSSION A BIT.
WHERE IS BRAX?
- HE SAID HE WASN'T SURE
IF HE WAS GONNA BE
ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT.
- YOU SEE? EVERYONE'S
ABANDONING YOU, PASTOR.
FIRST MARCUS. WHO'S NEXT?
- I DON'T THINK BRAX
MEANT ANYTHING NEGATIVE
ABOUT NOT BEING
HERE TONIGHT.
- VINCENT HAMAN, YOU
CLEARLY ARE UNHAPPY
WITH THE WAY THINGS
ARE AROUND HERE.
YOU HAVE TRIED AND TRIED
TO CONFOUND EVERY CHANGE.
THIS CONFLICT YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY ARE CREATING IS
DRIVING PEOPLE AWAY
FROM THE CHURCH.
THE WAY I SEE IT, WE
HAVE FOUR OPTIONS.
FIRST, I COULD DO NOTHING.
PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE
TO LEAVE THE CHURCH
IN FRUSTRATION AND
IT WILL CONTINUE TO
WHITHER AWAY ON THE VINE.
THE UPSIDE IS YOU WON' HAVE ANYONE TO FIGHT WITH
SO THINGS WILL CALM DOWN.
IF I LEAVE, IT WILL
BE ABOUT THE SAME.
- ARE YOU LEAVING?
- YOU'RE MISSING THE POINT!
IF YOU AND YOUR CLICK
WOULD JUST CALM DOWN THE
AGGRESSIVE RHETORIC AND
JOIN WITH THE MAJORITY
OF FAMILIES WHO WAN TO SEE CHANGE.
- THEY AREN'T MEMBERS.
- YET!
- OR MAYBE IT'S
TIME TO TURN A PAGE.
THEY SAY IT'S BETTER TO BE
BROTHERS IN CHRIST UNDER
SEPARATE ROOFS THAN
SIBLING RIVALS UNDER ONE.
- WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING?
THAT I SHOULD LEAVE?
- YOU MIGHT FIND ANOTHER
CHURCH THAT SHARES YOUR
PREFERENCE ON NON
LOCAL MINISTRY.
- THIS IS RICH.
YOU SWAGGER IN HERE
SIX MONTHS AGO,
READY TO SAVE THE WORLD.
WE HIRED YOU. WE DID!
AND NOW YOU WAN US TO LEAVE?
- AS LONG AS YOU
AND I ARE BOTH HERE,
WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER
IN CHRIST OR THIS
CHURCH WILL FALL APART.
- GENTLEMEN, I AM
TOO OLD FOR THIS.
DOESN'T THE PSALMS TEACH
US THAT IT'S A GOOD THING
AND A PLEASANT THING FOR
BRETHREN TO DWELL TOGETHER
IN THE SPIRIT OF UNITY?
IF WE'RE GONNA
SAVE THIS CHURCH,
WE HAVE TO DO IT IN
THE SPIRIT OF UNITY.
- WHAT ARE YOU TYING
TO SAY, MR. FRITZ?
- I'M JUST SAYING THA I'M GONNA NEED LOTS OF
TIME FOR LOTS OF PRAYER.
SO THE BEST THING THAT YOU
FOLKS CAN DO IS TO FIND
ANOTHER PERSON TO TAKE
MY PLACE AS THE DEACON.
- YOU SEE WHAT HE'S DONE?
- WHAT I'VE DONE?
WE NEED TO JUST--
- THERE'S NO WE. YOU'RE
DOWN TO ONE DEACON.
ME. WITHOUT ME, THA JUST LEAVES YOU.
WHY DON'T YOU TRY THA ONE ON FOR SIZE, PASTOR.
- VINCENT, THIS CHURCH
NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER.
- I CANNOT AND I WILL NO COMPROMISE MY BELIEFS.
THIS IS A
SPIRITUAL BATTLE,
AND AS LONG AS
YOU ARE HERE,
SATAN HAS A STRANGLEHOLD
ON THIS CHURCH.
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY,
YOU HAVE MY RESIGNATION
AS A DEACON.
- YOU'RE GONNA ACCUSE ME?
ACCUSE THIS CHURCH
AND THEN JUST LEAVE?
- DID I SAY I WAS
LEAVING THE CHURCH?
OH, NO SIR. JUS YOUR PUPPET BOARD.
AND WE'LL SEE HOW LONG YOU
CAN LAST WITHOUT DEACONS
AND LEADERSHIP, AND WE'LL
DO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO.
- WHAT WAS THAT?
- HEY DEAR. GE EVERYONE TOGETHER.
I'VE GOT AN IDEA.
- I THINK THE HAMAN'S
ARE TRYING TO STRANGLE
HIS IDEAS AND, I MEAN, I
KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO
HELP OUT PEOPLE OVERSEAS,
BUT WE'VE GOT TO HELP
THINGS HERE IN THE CHURCH.
- CHURCH IS A FAMILY,
OF COURSE, BUT YOU KNOW
LIKE ANY FAMILY YOU
CAN BE DYSFUNCTIONAL.
- IF THERE IS A PAST THA I MAY HAVE HAD THAT I
DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO
GET ON CAMERA, BUT YEAH,
I THINK BEING ACTIVE IN
THIS CHURCH HAS BROUGH MY FAMILY TOGETHER,
MUCH CLOSER.
- AND I THINK THA THEY TAKE EVERYTHING
PERSONALLY, PROBABLY
TOO PERSONALLY.
- SOMEHOW THEY WILL
FIND A WAY TO GE RID OF PASTOR EVAN.
I THINK EVERYBODY WILL BE
VERY SURPRISED TO FIND OU SOME OF HIS REACTIONS
TO ALL OF THIS.
- FRANKLY, I DON' KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT.
JUST WHEN WE WERE
GETTING SO CLOSE--
- WHAT'S THAT?
- WHAT'S GOING ON NOW?
- THEY'VE SET UP A
MEETING CALLING FOR
EVAN TO GET FIRED.
- THEY CAN'T DO THAT.
- ALL THEY NEED IS FIVE
MEMBERS TO CALL A VOTE.
- SEE THE SIGNATURES?
- EVEN IF THEY CALL
THE MEETING THOUGH,
THEY STILL HAVE
TO GET THE VOTES.
- YEAH, WE WEEDED OU THE MEMBERSHIP ROSTER
JUST A BIT.
- THERE'S STILL A
BUNCH OF PEOPLE ON IT.
ALL THEY NEED IS
A MAJORITY VOTE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU
THINK THEY CAN FIND
AND FILL WITH NONSENSE.
- NOT LUCRETIA HOWARD.
- WHO DIED?
- WE DID.
- THEY WANT TO HAVE THE
MEETING AND THEN
YOU'RE GONE THREE
WEEKS AFTER THAT?
- HONEY?
- LORD, WE ARE AT THE
END OF OURSELVES HERE.
WE HAVEN'T ALWAYS DONE
THINGS THE WAY WE SHOULD
HAVE. THIS IS YOUR CHURCH,
THESE ARE YOUR PEOPLE,
AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF
MINISTRY LEFT TO DO HERE.
IF YOU WANT US TO
KEEP PRESSING ON,
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO
OPEN UP THE DOOR
AND SHOW US THE WAY.
WE CAN'T DO I WITHOUT YOU. AMEN.
- AMEN.
- I HAVE A FEW
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS NO A HAPPY ONE, PER SAY,
BUT I AM REQUIRED TO
ANNOUNCE A SPECIAL MEETING
CALLED FOR THIS FRIDAY.
EXCUSE ME.
- FRIDAY?
- JUST A MINUTE, FOLKS.
- NOW THEY WOULDN' BE THAT CARELESS AS TO
VIOLATE THEIR OWN
BYLAWS, WOULD THEY?
- IT'S HARD TO THINK
STRAIGHT WHEN YOU'RE ANGRY.
- CHECK THE DATE.
- FRIDAY. RIGHT THERE.
- THAT MEANS THEY
CAN'T DO THIS.
- THEY CAN JUS NOT THIS FRIDAY.
THEY'LL COME BACK NEX SUNDAY WITH A PROPER
WARNING. THAT GIVES
US A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
- GOD HAS BOUGH US SOME EXTRA TIME.
- SO WHAT DO WE DO?
- FOLKS, THAT MEETING
THAT WAS CALLED FOR FRIDAY
HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
THE BYLAWS SPECIFICALLY
STATE THAT ALL MEETINGS
MUST BE GIVEN
TWO WEEKS NOTICE.
SO SPEAKING OF MEETING
ANNOUNCEMENTS,
THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL
MEETING HELD TWO MONDAYS
FROM NOW ON THE 18TH.
- THERE WILL BE?
- YEP, THIS MEETING IS
BEING CALLED TO VOTE
IN NEW MEMBERS.
A SIGN UP LIST WILL
BE GOING AROUND
AND I WILL BE AVAILABLE
AFTER CHURCH TOO.
OF COURSE, ALL POTENTIAL
MEMBERS WILL HAVE
TO BE INTERVIEWED
AND BE BAPTIZED.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR HAVE YET TO
BE BAPTIZED, PLEASE SEE ME
RIGHT AWAY AFTER SERVICE.
- I BELIEVE THAT WILL
HELP BALANCE OUT THINGS
QUITE A BIT.
ANYTHING ELSE?
- SECOND, AS YOU KNOW THE
CHURCH LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN
WORKING ON A NEW SET OF
BYLAWS FOR SOMETIME NOW.
WELL, THOSE PROPOSALS
ARE NOW READY
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
- THE BYLAWS. RIGHT.
- THIS SPECIAL MEETING
WILL GIVE MEMBERS CURREN AND NEW A CHANCE TO VOTE
TO MAKE OUR CHURCH BETTER
SUITED TO GROW AND MOVE
FORWARD IN THE FUTURE AND
SINCE FIVE MEMBERS ARE
REQUIRED TO CALL A
MEETING, I'M ASKING THA FIVE FOLKS HERE ARE
ABLE TO HELP US OUT.
- DON'T YOU MEAN FOUR?
WHAT ABOUT YOU, PASTOR?
- I'D RATHER THAT I BE CALLED BY YOU GUYS.
IF WE CAN'T GE FIVE PEOPLE HERE--
- COUNT ME IN.
- ME TOO.
- THANK YOU. EACH OF YOU.
OH, SINCE OUR MODERATOR
WILL MOST ASSUREDLY WAN TO PARTICIPATE IN
THIS DISCUSSION,
AND IT WOULD BE
INAPPROPRIATE FOR A
MODERATOR TO
NOT BE MODERATE,
I SUGGEST THAT WE SECURE
AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY
TO BE A MODERATOR
FOR THAT EVENING.
- WE'RE AT A CROSSROADS.
IF THE LORD DOESN' BUILD UP THIS HOUSE,
WE LABOR IN VAIN.
[MUSIC]
- WHAT IS THAT?
- EVAN? EVAN?
- YEAH.
- THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR COMING SO FAST.
PLEASE DON' MIND THE CAMERA.
PLEASE, THIS WAY.
- AND WHERE IS
THE NOTE NOW?
- HERE.
- INTERESTING.
- I'D SAY IT'S
INTERESTING.
WE'RE NOT USED TO GETTING
THREATS IN THE MAIL.
- AND THERE WERE NO
ADDRESSES OR SIGNATURES OR
ANY IDENTIFYING MARKS
ON OR ATTACHED TO THIS?
- NO. BUT TRUST ME, WE'VE GO A PRETTY SHORT LIST OF
WHO IT COULD BE.
- I CAN LOOK INTO THIS
BUT WITHOUT ANY LINKS TO
THE SENDER, IT'S GOING TO
BE DIFFICULT TO PIN THIS
ON ANYONE IN PARTICULAR.
- WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED
TO DO IN THE MEANTIME?
IT WENT FROM CHURCH
SQUABBLES TO DEATH THREATS.
HOW IS MY FAMILY SUPPOSED
TO FEEL SAFE ANYMORE?
- MA'AM, I'LL KEEP MY
EYES AND EARS OPEN AND I
WILL GET BACK TO YOU.
- WELL, BUT THAT'S
NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
- ELENA.
OFFICER COOGAN, THANK YOU
FOR YOUR HELP WITH THIS.
- YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN
HEARING STORIES AROUND
TOWN ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN
GOING ON OVER HERE.
PERSONALLY I LIKE WHA YOU'VE BEEN DOING, BU SOME FOLKS JUS DON'T LIKE CHANGE.
- WE'VE NEVER DONE
IT THAT WAY BEFORE.
- YEAH. LOOK, IF I WERE YOU I
WOULD TAKE STEPS TO KEEP
YOU AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE.
GIVE ME A FEW DAYS.
WE'LL TALK AGAIN.
- OKAY. THANK YOU AGAIN.
I'LL WALK YOU OUT.
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
- SO MOM GO THIS CALL, RIGHT.
AND EVERY TIME SHE PICKS
UP THE PHONE --
- NO ONE WAS THERE.
- WHO'S TELLING
THIS STORY?
ANYWAY, SO SHE GETS THESE
CALLS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
- NO CALLER ID.
- TREVOR!
- JUST A MINUTE, ROSE.
YOU'LL GET YOUR CHANCE.
FINALLY, SHE GETS THIS
ONE CALL FROM SOME WOMAN.
MOM NEVER TOLD ME WHAT THE
WOMAN SAID, BUT SHE WAS SCARED.
REAL SCARED.
- TREVOR, HURRY UP!
- WHAT'S THE
BIG DEAL, ROSE?
[HONKING]
[SCREAMING]
- THEY'RE OKAY,
AREN'T THEY?
- JUST SOME SCRAPES AND
BRUISES FROM THE BUSHES.
WE WERE LUCKY.
- THIS TIME.
- ANYONE SEE WHO DID IT?
- NO. NOT THAT WE KNOW.
THE POLICE ARE
CHECKING AROUND.
- I'M SO SORRY.
- NOT AS SORRY AS I AM.
- SO LISTEN, ELENA --
- NO. NO, EVAN, YOU
LISTEN TO ME.
I'VE MADE UP MY
MIND ABOUT THIS.
THE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE
SAFER STAYING AT MY MOM'S,
AND I'M GOING WITH THEM.
- THIS CAN STILL
BE FIXED, YOU KNOW.
THE CHURCH CAN
STILL BE SAVED.
IN A COUPLE DAYS WE
HAVE THE MEETING.
- THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH.
WOW. THAT'S ALL
I HEAR ABOUT! THE CHURCH.
WHAT ABOUT US?
WHAT ABOUT THE KIDS?
OUR FAMILY?
DON'T YOU CARE?
I LOVE YOU. I DO.
BUT WE'RE JUST NO SAFE HERE ANYMORE.
- OKAY. I CAN I UNDERSTAND
SENDING THE KIDS, BUT WHY YOU?
I NEED YOU HERE.
- WHAT DO YOU
NEED ME FOR?
I'M JUST ANOTHER TARGET.
- LOOK, I KNOW I
CAN BE A HOT HEAD.
- YOU AND YOUR SKIRMISH
WITH THE HAMANS.
- I'M SURE THERE'S GOING
TO BE A LOT OF THINGS WHEN
I LOOK BACK WHEN THIS IS
OVER AND SAY YEAH, I COULD
HAVE DONE THAT DIFFERENT.
BETTER.
YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN MY
ROCK FOR DISCERNMENT.
YOU ALWAYS SEE THINGS.
- WHY DON'T YOU LISTEN?
- I HAVE TO BELIEVE THA GOD BROUGHT US HERE
FOR A REASON.
DIDN'T HE?
I'M SORRY ABOU ALL THIS STUFF.
I LOVE YOU, YOU KNOW.
- YEAH. I KNOW.
YOU HAVE TO LET ME GO.
YOU HAVE TO
LET ME DO THIS.
I HAVE TO PICK UP THE
KIDS, AND THE TRAIN LEAVES
IN AN HOUR.
I HAVE TO GO.
- OKAY.
DO ME A FAVOR, PLEASE.
- WHAT?
- PRAY FOR ME.
[MUSIC]
- I JUST --
[PHONE RINGS]
- THIS IS PROBABLY ELENA.
I'LL PUT THIS ON
SPEAKER FOR YOU GUYS.
- EGYPT VALLEY.
- IS THIS YOU? EVAN?
- WALT?
- YEAH. HEY, I NEED YOU TO MEE ME AT THE DINER TOMORROW
MORNING. THE USUAL TIME.
- I'M EXTREMELY BUSY FOR
A BIG MEETING TOMORROW, WALT.
- YOU'RE GOING TO
WANT TO MEET ME
FOR THIS REVELATION.
- WHAT IS IT?
- I WAS LATE GETTING HOME
FROM THE STATION TWO NIGHTS
AGO, AROUND OVER
BY YOUR PLACE.
- YES.
- I SAW IT, EVAN.
I WATCHED THE WHOLE THING.
THE CAR.
WE'LL TALK ABOU IT TOMORROW.
GOTTA GO.
- WAIT A MINUTE.
WALT? WALT?
[LOUD NOISE]
- WHAT WAS THAT?
ANYONE OUT THERE?
KIM, DID I MISS WALT?
- UM, I DON'T THINK
ANYONE REALLY MISSES WALT.
- SERIOUSLY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
- NO. HE HASN' BEEN IN HERE YET.
I THINK I'D REMEMBER THAT.
WAIT. WHAT TIME IS IT?
THAT'S WEIRD.
HE'S ALWAYS IN
HERE BY NOW.
EVERY DAY.
[MUSIC]
- EVAN? WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
FOLLOW HIM! FOLLOW HIM!
GET THE CAR.
[POLICE SIREN WAILS]
- WAIT. WAIT. WAIT.
WAIT A MINUTE, PASTOR.
I CANNOT LET YOU
THROUGH HERE RIGHT NOW.
ESPECIALLY NOT WITH
THOSE CAMERAS.
NO. NO. NO.
LOOK, WALT HAS BEEN INVOLVED
IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
- WHAT HAPPENED?
- WELL, HE FELL
AND HIT HIS HEAD.
- THIS MIGHT NO BE SO ACCIDENTAL.
- AND WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU
SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
- I WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET WITH
HIM RIGHT NOW AT THE DINER.
HE SAID HE SAW WHO
TRIED TO HIT MY KIDS.
- DID HE SAY WHO?
- NO. HE WAS GOING TO TELL
ME EVERYTHING TODAY.
IF THIS ISN'T AN ACCIDEN --DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE
CHURCH MEETING TONIGHT?
- WELL, YES I KNOW
ABOUT THE MEETING.
EVERYONE IN CONNORSVILLE
KNOWS ABOUT THAT MEETING.
- FIRST WITH THE
KIDS AND NOW WALT.
WHO KNOWS WHA SOMEBODY IS CAPABLE OF.
- WHAT ARE YOU
THINKING, PASTOR?
- I'M THINKING THE MEN'S
FELLOWSHIP NEEDS TO
GET TOGETHER.
- WELL, ALL RIGHT.
I NEED TO GO AHEAD AND GE BACK INSIDE, BUT PLEASE,
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
- YEAH. IF YOU COULD DRIVE
AROUND THE CHURCH LATER, JUS KEEP AN EYE OU FOR SOME TROUBLE.
- I'VE ALREADY
PLANNED ON IT.
- THANKS.
[MUSIC]
- STEWART?
- YEAH.
- GO BE WITH WALT.
I'LL SEE YOU LATER
AT THE MEETING.
- SURE YOU DON' NEED ME RIGHT NOW?
- YEAH.
[DOOR SLAMS]
- ELENA?
- WHAT'S GOING ON?
LISTEN, I THOUGHT ABOU SOMETHING KIM SAID.
I CANNOT USE OTHER PEOPLE
AS AN EXCUSE ANYMORE.
I'M NOT GOING TO LET FEAR
OR A FAMILY OF PHARISEES
GET IN THE WAY.
THEY'RE OUT TO DESTROY
THIS CHURCH AND MY FAMILY
AND I WON'T LET THIS
HAPPEN, SO I'M BACK.
- UH, GENTLEMEN, I DO BELIEVE
THIS IS OUR CUE TO LEAVE.
WE'LL SEE YOU
LATER, PASTOR.
- SO WHAT DID I MISS?
- MY HUSBAND DOESN' GET OUT TO CHURCH MUCH.
BUT FOR THIS HE'LL COME.
- THANK YOU.
- WHY AM I HERE?
WHY ARE WE HERE?
- BECAUSE I NEED
YOUR VOTE, HONEY.
- VOTE. OKAY.
- WHERE'S STEWART?
HE'S GOING TO BE LATE.
- OH. HE CALLED HE'S WITH
HIS DAD AT THE HOSPITAL.
HE TOLD ME TO TELL
YOU HE'S SORRY.
- HE DOESN'T HAVE TO
BE SORRY ABOUT THAT.
MAN! JUST PUTS US IN A FIX.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE THE NUMBERS OR NOT.
- YEAH.
- LET'S GET GOING.
LET'S GET STARTED,
EVERYONE.
HELLO. THANKS
FOR COMING OUT.
LET'S KEEP STEWART'S
FATHER IN OUR PRAYER.
WALT TOOK A BAD FALL DOWN
AT THE STATION EARLIER
TODAY, AND HE'S IN
THE ICU AS WE SPEAK.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW MAYOR
URBAN IS AN ELDER AT HIS
CHURCH AND HE HAS
GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO SERVE
AS TONIGHT'S
MODERATOR PRO TEM.
WITHOUT OBJECTION?
THANK YOU.
- THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
ASKING ME TO COME OVER
THIS EVENING TO DO
THIS JOB AS MODERATOR.
I APPRECIATE
YOUR KINDNESS.
BEFORE WE START, I'D LIKE
TO BEGIN WITH PRAYER IF
THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.
LET US BOW TOGETHER.
OUR FATHER, WE'VE COME HERE
TONIGHT WITH HEAVY HEARTS.
WE'VE COME HERE TO CONDUC THE BUSINESS OF THIS CHURCH.
OH GOD, WE ASK THAT AS
THIS BUSINESS BEGIN THA HARMONY AND PEACE,
LET US LEAVE IN JOY.
AND OH GOD, WE ASK THA YOU BE WITH EACH ONE
THAT'S HERE TONIGHT,
THAT NOT OUR WILL BU YOUR WILL BE DONE.
FOR WE ASK THAT IN THE
NAME OF CHRIST, AMEN.
FIRST ON OUR AGENDA
TONIGHT IS TO VOTE TO
ACCEPT NEW MEMBERS.
- MR. MODERATOR,
POINT OF ORDER.
- ON WHAT GROUNDS?
- THE BYLAWS CLEARLY
STATE THAT ANY CANDIDATE
FOR MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED
TO BE INTERVIEWED BY
LEADERSHIP, BUT WE HAVE
NO DEACONS IN LEADERSHIP
RIGHT NOW.
- I HAVE INTERVIEWED
THESE CANDIDATES AND THE
LAST TIME I CHECKED
THE PASTOR IS STILL
CONSIDERED LEADERSHIP.
THEY HAVE ALL PROFESSED
THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST AND
EVIDENCE OF BAPTISM.
IN FACT, JUST THIS LAS WEEK ONE CANDIDATE WAS
BAPTIZED IN THE
COMMUNITY POOL.
- I THINK THA ANSWERS THE OBJECTION.
- JUST A MINUTE.
I HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF
OUR CANDIDATES.
- WHAT ARE YOU
IMPLYING, BERTHA?
- TAKE FOR
INSTANCE THAT WOMAN.
YOU KNOW ALL KNOW THA WOMAN HAS A CHILD AND
SHE'S NEVER BEEN MARRIED.
NOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN
STANDARDS IN OUR CHURCH
THAT WE HAVE
TO ADHERE TO.
DO YOU ACTUALLY THINK THA WE SHOULD HAVE A TRAMP
LIKE THAT AS A MEMBER
OF OUR CONGREGATION?
- WAIT A MINUTE!
THE FORGIVENESS OF CHRIS IS A BRIDGE BETWEEN OUR
PAST AND HIS FUTURE.
EACH ONE OF US HAVE DONE THINGS
THAT WE'RE NOT PROUD OF.
AND NOBODY IS ANY BETTER
IN THIS ROOM THAN ANYONE ELSE.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO STAND
HERE AND LET YOU TEAR DOWN
A SISTER IN CHRIST JUS BECAUSE WHERE SHE HAS BEEN.
SHE'S HERE NOW WITH
US, WITH CHRIST.
CAN WE JUDGE TO A HIGHER
STANDARD THAN THAT?
- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
A PAPER BALLOT VOTE.
IF THE SECRETARY WOULD PLEASE
PASS OUT THE PAPER BALLOTS?
[MUSIC]
- THANK YOU.
HERE ARE THE TOTALS.
WE HAVE 6 VOTES IN FAVOR.
WE HAVE 1 PERSON
THAT HAS ABSTAINED.
- I WONDER WHO DID THAT.
- AND 5 AGAINST.
WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS, TO
THE EGYPT VALLEY CHURCH.
[APPLAUSE]
- THAT WAS JUS AN OPENING VOLLEY.
THE REAL BATTLE
IS COMING UP.
- THE SECOND PART OF THIS
MEETING TONIGHT IS TO
ACCEPT THE BYLAWS.
I HAVE BEEN GRACIOUSLY
INFORMED BY VINCENT HAMAN
THAT THE CURRENT BYLAWS
REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY IN
ORDER TO PASS.
- 70%.
- IS THERE ANY
FURTHER DISCUSSION?
- I HAVE A COMMENT.
- SOMEHOW I'M
NOT SURPRISED.
- WE WERE ONCE KNOWN ALL
OVER AS A CHURCH THA SUPPORTED MISSIONS.
NOW WE'VE LOST THAT.
WE'RE TOO BUSY WORRIED
ABOUT NEW THINGS.
WE GAVE UP OUR HERITAGE
FOR THE SAKE OF SOME
SUPPOSED NEW
OUTREACH EFFORT.
WHY? WE'VE NEVER DONE
IT THAT WAY BEFORE.
WHY CHANGE NOW?
- HOW CAN WE TELL THE
WORLD HOW TO LIVE IF WE
CAN'T LIVE IT AT HOME?
- AND SPEAKING OF HOME,
THIS SUPPOSED PASTOR AND
HIS FAMILY SHOULD BE
EXAMPLES OF GOOD CHRISTIAN
BEHAVIOR, BU WHAT DOES HE DO?
HE INSULTS AND HURTS MY
FAMILY WHEN WE'RE JUS TRYING TO SERVE
OUR CHURCH.
YOU KNOW WHA I MEAN, MARCUS?
AND THEIR KIDS,
THEY'RE SO WORLDLY.
WITH ALL THEIR ROUGH PLAY
AND SECULAR ACTIVITIES AND
UNKEMPT APPEARANCE.
AND TREVOR, WITH
HIS ARMY GAMES.
FRANKLY I WOULDN'T BE
SURPRISED IF HE DIDN' KILL YOU IN YOUR
SLEEP SOME DAY.
- POINT OF ORDER!
MR. MODERATOR, THIS
ENTIRE TRIAL AGAINST OUR
PASTOR HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE QUESTIONS OF
THE NEW BYLAWS.
- ON THE
CONTRARY, IT DOES.
WOULD WE BE HERE RIGH NOW IF NOT FOR HIM?
- NO. BASED ON OUR FINANCIAL
CONDITION, OUR CHURCH
WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSED
A LONG TIME AGO.
- WHAT MY HUSBAND IS
TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE
NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE NEED A FRESH START,
AND THIS MAY BE THE LAS CHANCE THAT GOD GIVES
THIS CHURCH TO SAVE US
FROM OURSELVES.
- AS MODERATOR, I'M
GOING TO JUMP IN HERE.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD BOTH
SIDES OF THIS DISCUSSION.
I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE
THE PAPER BALLOTS.
- I CALL FOR A VOICE VOTE, A
MEMBER BY MEMBER VOICE VOTE,
A PRIVILEGE PERMITTED
IN THE REAL BYLAWS.
EACH MEMBER ONE AT A TIME
STATE THEIR POSITION OUT LOUD.
- FINE.
ONE BY ONE I'LL HAVE
EACH ONE OF YOU VOTE.
TELL US HOW YOU
WANT TO VOTE.
- NO.
- NO.
- YES.
- YES.
- YES.
- NO.
- NO.
- YES.
- YES.
- YES.
- YES.
- YES.
- YES.
- YES.
- NO.
- UM --LOOK, I KNOW WHA I'VE SAID AND DONE, AND I
KNOW THAT EVAN HAS HURT.
HE HURT YOU, BU I'M SORRY, GLORIA.
I CAN'T KEEP DOING THIS.
I KNOW THAT FAMILY IS
IMPORTANT, BUT WE ALL SAID
THIS CHURCH
NEEDED NEW LIFE.
BUT DID WE MEAN IT?
IF WE KEPT GOING THE WAY
WE WERE, WE'D JUST BE
FOOLING OURSELVES AND
HURTING THE FAITH WE SAY
WE BELIEVE.
I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOU THIS FOR A WHILE NOW.
IF I HAVE TO CHOOSE,
I HAVE TO GIVE
EGYPT VALLEY A CHANCE.
I AM SORRY.
BUT NO MATTER THE COS I HAVE TO VOTE YES.
- THAT MAKES
THE VOTE 11 TO 5.
SO IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE
CORRECT, THAT'S 68.75%.
THEREFORE THE BYLAWS FAIL.
[KNOCKING AT THE DOOR]
- NOW JUST WAIT A
COTTON PICKING MINUTE.
MR. MAYOR.
- MR. FRITZ, WELCOME.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
- SON, I'VE BEEN A MEMBER
OF THIS HERE CHURCH FOR
SOME 62 YEARS NOW.
I THINK THAT ENTITLES
ME TO A VOTE.
- I'D SAY SO.
- WELL, ALL RIGHT THEN.
YOU FOLKS OUT HERE I'VE
BEEN WATCHING ALL OF YOU
FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW.
I'M SEEING PROBLEMS COME
IN AND GO OUT AND BACK AND
FORTH AND BACK AND FORTH.
NOTHING GETS SOLVED.
EVERYBODY WANTS YOU TO
LISTEN TO THEM WHEN THE
ONLY VOICE WE OUGHT TO BE
LISTENING TO IS THE
VOICE OF GOD.
I PRAYED AND I'VE SEEN A
LOT OF GOOD WORKS THAT'S
BEEN DONE HERE AT CHURCH.
MAYBE MORE SO THAN I'VE
SEEN IN A LONG LONG TIME.
THEN I PRAYED SOME MORE,
AND I BROUGHT THIS LITTLE
THING OUT THAT YOU CALL
BYLAW YOU GAVE TO ME.
AND I PRAYED OVER IT, TOO.
AND YOU KNOW, I COME TO
THE CONCLUSION THAT IF
THIS IS WHAT IT TAKES TO
SAVE THIS CHURCH AND TO GO
ON INTO THE FUTURE, THEN
I SAY MY VOTE IS--
[THUNDER ROLLS]
YES.
- THE VOTE THEN
IS 12 YES AND 5 NO.
IF I'M CALCULATING
CORRECTLY NOW, AND I KNOW
I AM, THE VOTE IS 70.58%.
THE SUPER
MAJORITY IS BACK.
- YES!
- MOTION TO ADJOURN.
- SECOND!
- CONSIDER THIS A
BILL OF DIVORCEMENT. I QUIT!
- COME ON.
WE'VE GOT A FIND A NEW
PLACE FOR ME TO PLAY.
- OKAY.
[MUSIC]
- I DIDN'T KNOW HOW LAS NIGHT WAS GOING TO GO AT ALL.
I CAN'T IMAGINE IT GOING
ANY BETTER THAN THAT.
- I'M SORRY.
- NO. I'M SORRY, TOO.
- WE DID IT, MAN!
- NO. GOD DID IT.
- YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT.
- HEY, BUT HE DIDN'T MIND
US HELPING A LITTLE, DID HE?
- NO, HE DIDN'T.
HMM. YOU GUYS GO AHEAD.
I'LL CATCH YOU.
I GOT TO LOCK UP AND
TURN THE LIGHTS OUT.
- ALL RIGHT.
- SEE YOU IN
A LITTLE BIT.
[THUNDER ROLLS]
[NOISE AT THE PODIUM]
- VINCENT?
- I'VE BEEN WATCHING
YOU, REVEREND.
EVER SINCE THE BEGINNING,
YOU HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL.
I TOLD YOU THIS WAS
A SPIRITUAL BATTLE.
I KNOW NOW I CAN' LET EVIL WIN.
NOT EVEN BY A
MAJORITY VOTE.
[COCKS GUN]
- WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE,
GET OUT OF THIS AND GET HELP.
PUT THAT DOWN, VINCE.
YOU'RE STRESSED OUT.
LET ME HELP YOU.
- WHAT PARTNERSHIP COULD
LIGHT HAVE WITH DARKNESS?
[THUNDER ROLLS]
- GIVE ME THAT.
WHAT DO YOU WANT, VINCENT?
- YOU COME IN HERE
HURTING MY FRIENDS,
HURTING MY FAMILY.
HOW DOES IT FEEL, PASTOR?
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO
SACRIFICE MY DAUGHTER ON
THE ALTAR OF
YOUR GREATNESS?
DID YOU FEEL AS RIGHTEOUS WHEN
YOUR FAMILY WAS THE TARGET?
- WAS IT YOU?
DRIVING THE CAR?
MY KIDS.
WHAT ABOUT WALT?
- I MUST CAST THE UNCLEAN
THING OUT OF THE HOUSE
OF THE LORD.
I COULD SAVE THIS CHURCH.
I CAN. AND YOU WON' HURT ANYONE EVER AGAIN.
- AH!
[GUN FIRES]
[MUSIC]
- NOW, WHY WOULD
YOU RUN UP HERE?
[MUSIC]
SO I FIGURED YOU SNUCK
OUT SOMEHOW, RIGHT?
- IT DOESN'T HAVE TO
BE LIKE THIS, VINCENT.
THIS ISN'T FAITH.
IT'S FORCE.
YOU WON'T GET AWAY
WITH THIS.
- IT REALLY DOESN' MATTER ABOUT ME ANYMORE.
MINE IS A HIGHER CALLING
FOR FAITH AND FAMILY.
- HELP IS ON THE WAY.
- NOT FAST ENOUGH.
[SIRENS WAILING]
BEHOLD, THE HAND OF GOD.
[CEILING CRASHES DOWN]
[MUSIC]
[ WE WISH YOU A
MERRY CHRISTMAS ]
- YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE TO SEE
WALT UP AND AROUND AGAIN.
- YEAH.
- WELL, THE TRAIN SHOULD
BE HERE ANY TIME NOW.
- I KNOW THIS GUY. HE'S GOOD.
HE HAS A GOOD HEART.
JUST THE RIGHT TYPE OF
PASTOR TO BRING SOME
HEALING TO THINGS.
- YOU KNOW, I STILL WISH
YOU'D STAY AFTER ALL.
- YEAH, WELL, WITH US
GONE THE CHURCH HAS A
TOTALLY FRESH START.
NO EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE.
HEY, HOW ARE
YOU TWO DOING?
- GLORIA AND I STARTED
COUNSELING THIS WEEK.
IT'S --IT'S TOUGH.
STILL HAVEN'T BEEN TO HER
MOM'S SINCE THE FUNERAL,
BUT I THINK WE'LL
WORK IT OUT.
- I HAVE FAITH
IN YOU TWO.
- SO EVAN, WHAT OFFER
DID YOU DECIDE TO ACCEPT?
- I'M GOING OVER TO FIRS COMMUNITY IN PRESSKYLE.
- I KNOW THAT CHURCH.
ACTIVE YOUTH.
VIBRANT MINISTRY.
- SEEMS LIKE A
PERFECT FIT FOR YOU.
- AND IT'S CLOSE
TO ELENA'S MOM'S.
- OH. I'M SORRY TO HEAR THAT.
- I GUESS YOU'RE PUTTING
THE PAST BEHIND YOU.
- AND ALL THAT INTRIGUE.
- YEAH. MADE FOR A
GOOD MOVIE, THOUGH.
[TRAIN PULLS IN]
- THERE IT IS.
[TRAIN SCREECHES
TO A HALT]
[TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS]
- IT'S GOOD TO
SEE YOU, EVAN.
- YOU TOO.
YOU REMEMBER BRAX AND MARCUS
FROM THE PHONE CONFERENCE?
- OH, OF COURSE.
- SAFE TRIP?
- ABSOLUTELY.
- I'LL GO WARM
UP THE CAR.
- WELL, EVERYTHING
IS SET FOR SUNDAY.
- WE'LL HAVE A BUSINESS
MEETING AND VOTE RIGH AFTER SERVICE.
JUST A FORMALITY, MIND YOU.
- YEAH. I BELIEVE OUR PEOPLE
WILL FIND GREAT POTENTIAL
IN YOU AS OUR PASTOR.
- ASSUMING ALL GOES AS
PLANNED, WHEN DO YOU THINK
YOU'LL BE MOVING IN?
- YEAH. BECAUSE I COULD
HELP PLAN AHEAD AND
UNLOAD THE TRUCK.
- I THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD
TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
- OH?
- WHAT IF WE HIRED SOME
OF THE LOCAL COLLEGE
STUDENTS TO COME DOWN
AND HELP WITH THE MOVE?
MIGHT BE THE START OF A
GOOD COLLEGE MINISTRY.
- THAT IS INTERESTING.
- YEAH. WE'VE NEVER --
NEVER DONE IT THA WAY BEFORE.
[MUSIC]
SHOW ME WHICH WAY
I NEED TO GO ...
BECAUSE I CANNOT FOLLOW
THIS PATH ON MY OWN ...
WELL, I KEEP ON
COMING UP FAST ...
AND MISSING THE PATH THA CALLED MY WAY HOME ...
AND I KEEP ON COUNTING
THE DAYS OF DARKNESS
BEFORE TOMORROW ...
BUT UNTIL THAT FINAL
DAY COMES ...
I'M JUST A RAMBLER TRYING
TO FIND HIS WAY HOME
SO LIGHT UP THE WAY
YOU WANT ME TO GO ...
SO THIS RAMBLER CAN FIND
HIS WAY HOME ...
I NEED TO HEAR YOUR
GENTLE VOICE ...
THROUGH THUNDER AND RAIN
AND THIS LIFE OF WHITE NOISE
I'VE BEEN SEARCHING SO
LONG FROM DUSK UNTIL DAWN
FOR A STAR ON THE
HOME MAP ...
AFTER THE STORIES I'M TOLD
AND THE LIES UNFOLD ...
THAT'S WHERE I
FIND NO REST ...
UNTIL THAT FINAL
DAY COMES ...
I'M JUST A RAMBLER TRYING
TO FIND HIS WAY HOME
SO LIGHT UP THE WAY YOU
WANT ME TO GO ...
SO THIS RAMBLER CAN FIND
HIS WAY HOME ...
[MUSIC]
THROUGH ALL THE STORMS AND
THROUGH THE RAIN ...
THROUGH ALL THE LIES, THE
MISERY AND PAIN ...
I NEED YOUR WORD TO
SHINE ON THROUGH ...
I FOLLOW YOU, LORD, BECAUSE
I TRUST IN YOU ...
OH ...
[MUSIC]
UNTIL THAT FINAL
DAY COMES ...
I'M JUST A RAMBLER TRYING
TO FIND HIS WAY HOME
SO LIGHT UP THE WAY YOU
WANT ME TO GO ...
JUST A RAMBLER TRYING TO
FIND HIS WAY HOME ...
TRYING TO FIND HIS
WAY HOME ...
[MUSIC]