parents didn't bother to dress her for church – she wore a faded t-shirt and jeans.
Jan wave d the children away. " Children, Reverend Wiley is very tired. He'll answer your questions later. "
" Are you okay, Reverend Wiley? " asked the child in the long gown.
" He'll be fine, honey ," Jan said.
" I don't know, I saw somebody on CSI last night what looked just like him. " This was the older boy. God only knows what he was doing watching a show with such violence , thought Jan.
" Ain't nobody on CSI that look like the Reverend ," his younger brother said.
" Yea there was, he was laid out under a white sheet. "
" You ain't seen that ! "
" Did too! "
" Did not! "
Jan fast walked Wiley past what soon would become fisticuffs. " Excuse us, kids. Reverend Wiley needs to take his seat. "
" Bye, Reverend Wiley! " the children shouted in unison.
Deacon Rutherford won the craps game and the privilege to lead the service. Elias, Jan and Wiley we re seated in the front pew.
" And I'd like to thank Reverend Wiley for personally calling me to this service. I am truly humble in the eyes of God and in the eyes of our beloved Reverend Wiley. Just look at him! Look at him, I said! Such a good man ! Such a man of God has never crossed our threshold before. "
The audience applaud ed .
" Look at that man. A pillar of strength. A living example of the power of Jesus. "
Elias whispered in Jan's ear. " He got that half right. We do owe him to the power of a man from the Holy Land . "
" A herald of the resurrection of our savior. He is symbolic of all that is good and right in the black church. Reverend Wiley, I say on behalf of you r church family , we all wish you God speed on Tuesday. May He bless you with another term. Amen. "
The audience stood and applaud ed . Jan stood and playfully yanked Wiley to his feet. The applause die d as bug eyed Wiley scanned the congregation. Finally, he said, " God ain't got nothing to do with it! "
A gasp, then silence.
" Uh, okay. Thank you Reverend Wiley," Rutherford said from the pulpit. The man's been into his gin early today.
Jan tug ged on Wiley's jacket. Finally, he sat . The audience t ook their seats , some still murmuring.
" And with those, um, inspirational words from our p astor , we'll have our liturgical dancers. Today they will perform a piece choreographed by Sister Riley. Sister Pace will read Psalm 14. Sister Pace ?"
Sister Pace walk ed up to the podium on the floor , cracked open her Bible . " The Lord looks down from Heaven on the sons of men. "
A half dozen dancers stream ed into the church as the keyboardist play ed a soft melody. The dancers, carrying colorful scarves, we re all ages, shapes and sizes.
The sister continued her narration. "T o see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside... "
The dancers hid their faces.
" ... all have become corrupt. Is there no one who has done good? Not even one? "
The dancers pantomime d someone looking out.
At this, Wiley stood . Jan pull ed on his sleeve but he w ould not sit down. Shit.
The dancers pause d for a moment, unsure, and then continue d their dance.
" Will evildoers never learn - those who devour my people... "
Wiley raise d both hands in the air. The oldest dancer shimmied over to him .
" ...as men eat bread... "
The old woman t ook Wiley's hands. As Wiley move d to the rhythm t he crowd applaud ed and laughed .
" ... and who do not call on the Lord. "
Wiley and the woman reach ed the main aisle of the church.
" There they are, overwhelmed by dread. "
Wiley br oke loose from the woman's hand. He danced gracefully up the aisle.
" For God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor... "
Wiley executed a pirouette as the attendants open ed the churches' huge double doors . W iley glide d out.
" ...but the Lord is their refuge. "
The
Jan wave d the children away. " Children, Reverend Wiley is very tired. He'll answer your questions later. "
" Are you okay, Reverend Wiley? " asked the child in the long gown.
" He'll be fine, honey ," Jan said.
" I don't know, I saw somebody on CSI last night what looked just like him. " This was the older boy. God only knows what he was doing watching a show with such violence , thought Jan.
" Ain't nobody on CSI that look like the Reverend ," his younger brother said.
" Yea there was, he was laid out under a white sheet. "
" You ain't seen that ! "
" Did too! "
" Did not! "
Jan fast walked Wiley past what soon would become fisticuffs. " Excuse us, kids. Reverend Wiley needs to take his seat. "
" Bye, Reverend Wiley! " the children shouted in unison.
Deacon Rutherford won the craps game and the privilege to lead the service. Elias, Jan and Wiley we re seated in the front pew.
" And I'd like to thank Reverend Wiley for personally calling me to this service. I am truly humble in the eyes of God and in the eyes of our beloved Reverend Wiley. Just look at him! Look at him, I said! Such a good man ! Such a man of God has never crossed our threshold before. "
The audience applaud ed .
" Look at that man. A pillar of strength. A living example of the power of Jesus. "
Elias whispered in Jan's ear. " He got that half right. We do owe him to the power of a man from the Holy Land . "
" A herald of the resurrection of our savior. He is symbolic of all that is good and right in the black church. Reverend Wiley, I say on behalf of you r church family , we all wish you God speed on Tuesday. May He bless you with another term. Amen. "
The audience stood and applaud ed . Jan stood and playfully yanked Wiley to his feet. The applause die d as bug eyed Wiley scanned the congregation. Finally, he said, " God ain't got nothing to do with it! "
A gasp, then silence.
" Uh, okay. Thank you Reverend Wiley," Rutherford said from the pulpit. The man's been into his gin early today.
Jan tug ged on Wiley's jacket. Finally, he sat . The audience t ook their seats , some still murmuring.
" And with those, um, inspirational words from our p astor , we'll have our liturgical dancers. Today they will perform a piece choreographed by Sister Riley. Sister Pace will read Psalm 14. Sister Pace ?"
Sister Pace walk ed up to the podium on the floor , cracked open her Bible . " The Lord looks down from Heaven on the sons of men. "
A half dozen dancers stream ed into the church as the keyboardist play ed a soft melody. The dancers, carrying colorful scarves, we re all ages, shapes and sizes.
The sister continued her narration. "T o see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside... "
The dancers hid their faces.
" ... all have become corrupt. Is there no one who has done good? Not even one? "
The dancers pantomime d someone looking out.
At this, Wiley stood . Jan pull ed on his sleeve but he w ould not sit down. Shit.
The dancers pause d for a moment, unsure, and then continue d their dance.
" Will evildoers never learn - those who devour my people... "
Wiley raise d both hands in the air. The oldest dancer shimmied over to him .
" ...as men eat bread... "
The old woman t ook Wiley's hands. As Wiley move d to the rhythm t he crowd applaud ed and laughed .
" ... and who do not call on the Lord. "
Wiley and the woman reach ed the main aisle of the church.
" There they are, overwhelmed by dread. "
Wiley br oke loose from the woman's hand. He danced gracefully up the aisle.
" For God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor... "
Wiley executed a pirouette as the attendants open ed the churches' huge double doors . W iley glide d out.
" ...but the Lord is their refuge. "
The
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