Keeping the Faith by Barbara Andrews

Author:Barbara Andrews [Hanson, Pam; Andrews, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8249-4943-3
Publisher: Guideposts
Published: 2011-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

A lice stayed behind to wait for Clay after her sisters had left early for church. Louise would be playing the organ, and Ethel had recruited Jane to do a few jobs before the service to get ready for the brunch. She especially needed her help with the big coffeemaker, since it was something of a puzzle to their aunt.

Their guest didn’t keep Alice waiting. He announced that he was looking forward to services, but he added apologetically, “I didn’t bring any good clothes for church. I hope I won’t embarrass you.”

“Not at all. You look fine,” Alice said.

She was impressed that he’d laundered his clothes and borrowed Jane’s iron to press one of his better pairs of jeans. His long-sleeved light blue knit shirt wasn’t exactly formal wear, but it was perfectly acceptable. Some members of the congregation dressed to the nines, notably Florence and a few of the older women, but Rev. Kenneth Thompson had let it be known that there was no dress code. He much preferred casual wear to a competitive fashion parade every Sunday.

Alice was wearing a lightweight two-piece print dress in shades of blue. The hem was fashionably long, making it a nice change from her uniforms and usual summer walking shorts. Her white sandals had narrow, delicate straps and a one-inch heel, a compromise between dressy shoes and comfortable ones.

This morning she didn’t offer to drive Clay. He’d refused her invitations enough times to make her realize that he preferred to get about on his own, even if walking was still uncomfortable. Fortunately Grace Chapel was only a short distance from the inn.

“Tell me about your minister,” Clay said as they started walking to church. “How did he come to the Lord’s service?”

“As I understand it,” Alice said, “he came from an affluent but only nominally Christian family. In college he read Joseph Campbell and began to see the importance of a spiritual life. He attended seminary and became a minister in Boston, his hometown. Unfortunately, his wife died tragically young about ten years ago. We’re greatly blessed to have him with us now. His outreach to the poor and bereaved is an example to all of us.”

“I’m glad I’ll get to meet him,” Clay said, taking long strides in spite of his limp, which made Alice hurry to keep up.

He started to tell Alice about a minister who served his home church when he was young.

“Even after he retired, he visited nursing homes and hospitals every day. He was by my grandmother’s side when she passed on. At the funeral he talked about how beautiful her face had been when she gave herself over to the Lord. I pray that she’ll approve of what I’m doing with the inheritance she left me. She loved nature and tried to share it with everyone who came into her orbit.”

They’d reached the chapel, and again Clay had given her something to ponder. He was such an extraordinary young man that they would all miss him when he resumed his walk.

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