Chapter 31

Lamais's pov

At Thursday night meeting I ordained Bro. Kirkland and Bro. Smith to Minister, Kemar and the Kirkland's son who is a new member to junior Minister and Tishawna and Petal Sis. Spence's daughter a new member also to junior Missionary. Sis. Kirkland, Sis. Roper, shanty and Sis. Spence to Missionary, Sis. Grant I ordained as a secretary for the church because she was versatile in that field and I elaborated while explaining their duties and how to carry themselves to them.

I give Ms. Grant her first job as the church secretary to get the certificates ready by Sunday, to the visitors who desires to be on the choir I say. "Even though some of you want to get baptize to be on the choir and the band, your conduct and faith in the Lord is what is required to be ministering. You will be closely watched and trust me, if you don't belong up there you will most certainly be taken down and maybe I won't be the one to do it."

For the keyboard I call out a new member who has shown versatility in playing it, he is a certified electrician and I was glad to have him among my church family. Two young men who played guitars were next and along with Kemar I call out two more drummers, for the choir I call out Tishawna, Petal and Tasheika for lead singers, Sis. Roper and ten females ranging from teen to adult. Then I call out seven male which were teen and young adult.

I send them all up to the choir platform to see how they all looked and they looked good, we discuss the choir robes afterwards and then held a short members meeting to talk about things related to the church. I assign the ministers their various duties and then we locked up and leave for our homes.

Rolling off my bed unto my knees the following morning, I begin my prayer firstly with thanking the creator for life. Then for the innocent fisherman who will be sitting trial today, I prayed and prayed and prayed. I was sweating and my knees hurt when I stood, into the bathroom I went and stood under the cold shower a while before bathing.

I check my messages and see a deposit of the money I had told inspector Gregory along with a message from him, I paid my bills before making a sumptuous breakfast. Bro. Smith came in with Shanty and her children reminding me that I had ask him to pick a few roasting breadfruits, I tell him where the picking stick was and he and Kemar went away to the backyard.

From the big juicy limes and grapefruits they brought back, I tell Shanty to make drinks and bottle some of it. I seasoned up some fish for dinner, while Shanty roast the breadfruits and Kemar and Bro. Smith went over to the church yard to sweep and clean up the grounds. The Kirklands stop by on their way to market and leave a bag ground foods.

"Mighty God, thank you and bless them, bless them with a productive and fruitful day," I said raising my hand to the sky.

"Yes Lord, Amen," Shanty says and begin taking out yams, Irish potatoes, green plantains and fresh skelion and thyme.

I leave her to share it and went and answer my phone, surprise to see that it was Bishop Shimands. He wanted to know about the posts circulating over the media with my name, so I explain in detail telling him about it. He told me that several single Ministers were requesting to know if I was dating because they were interested in getting to know me and hopefully my hand in marriage. I didn't know what to reply to him and so I stood buck shuffling in the living room, the phone was taken from my hand and Shanty said.

"Yes sir, I'm interested."

The phone was place back in my hand and she stood akimbo in front of me, I listened to the rest of what bishop Shimands was saying with half an ear and gladly tells him goodbye afterwards. Shanty ran out to see who was at the gate and I went over to the read-ing room, I push what the bishop has told me to the data saving part of my brain and focus on my work.

"Sis. Shanty, did the Kirklands get a share of the breadfruits and grapefruits this morning?" I ask Shanty as I serve dinner.

"Yes ma'am," she reply.

"Okay good, I want you to always remember that whatever we have we can share with those of our members who are kind enough to share their things with us and also those in need," I tell her serving slices of yellow yam into each plate.

"For real ma'am," she says pouring the drinks into glasses for all of us.

We ate dinner and I give Shanty her pay, Kemar and Tishawna I give pocket money and of course the smaller ones who were looking on. Then they leave to go and start getting themselves sorted out, I relax a while before getting ready myself and we took pictures before loading into the vehicles then pray for safety before driving off.

The church was almost full when we arrive, Shanty attached the plastic sword with a stylish chain belt that came with the suit and took several pictures of me before we leave the car park. Bro. Kirkland lead the way through the crowd standing about outside and I had to walk quickly inside so as not to be bombarded by those who don't know read-ing time different from service.

A Minister who was walking towards the alter like I was looked at me, if he is waiting on me to greet him he will wait the whole night I think as I look away from him and direct my focus on asking God to forgive my sins. When I finish praying Shanty was beside me, she held my hand and pull me towards her.

"There's no seat on the rostrum for you," she whispered.

"Ok, do you see any I can sit on?" I said then ask.

She directs me to one at the side where they were sitting in the congregation, I sat and she stood and I realize the church had filled up and she and Bro. Kirkland did not have a seat. All eyes were on us when I look towards the rostrum, I smile and shook my head. How are the mighty fallen, O Lord? My inner voice said.

How quickly everyone judges you base upon what they hear about?

Your reputation can be tarnish just like that.

While I sat having dialogue with myself the choir and host Pastor Shanique Lester marched in, people love mix-up and gravitate to negativity more than they do to positivity and it showed up plainly in this church. I acted like I didn't see Pastor Lester telling them to make space on the rostrum and placing another seat in the middle for me to sit on. She whispers to the moderator who calls my name afterwards for me to come upon the rostrum. I merely acknowledge and turn to Sis. Spence who was on my left.

"Yuh see how we treate people good and proper when dem come a our church? When me a send out invitations fi anything at all mark my word this church will not be one of them," I said under my breath.

She nods then said. "A waan yuh gi dem a sermon fi remember."

"I will with the help of God," I said then got up because it was looking bad and I wasn't planning on having Shanty or any of my members standing.

I went and took the chair and carried it to Bro. Kirkland, then went and sit on the side of the pool and took out my bible for the reading of the scripture. A Pastor and a Bishop offered me their seat but I refuse them politely. There were constant murmurings from rostrum to pew, I sit leaning comfortably against the column and minding my business.

When it was time for me to preach I repeated the psalm 24, then elaborated on it before saying. "It's good to see the church full of people, I and my members could hardly find seats to sit. Glory to God, yuh know as I stand here tonight I am feeling more than a dozen spirit that is against me, but I'm waiting for the scribes and Pharisees to cast the first stone. A lot a uno gon get lick in here tonight ino."

"Hallelujah," Pastor Lester shouted behind me.

"God, I trust in you," someone says from the choir.

I rolled up my sleeve and incline my heart unto God, I came to do his work and I'm going to do it. "Is there anyone who have been hearing the message from the first night and desires to get baptized?" I ask.

"You can just raise your hand to indicate or come to the alter and a Minister will talk and pray with you," I added.

Nicole and her two friends came and stood in front of the rostrum, No Minister move towards them and I turn and held out my left hand swiping it to compass the whole rostrum questioningly. Was this some kind of joke? I wonder to myself, I look towards Sis. Grant and saw her with her phone in her hand showing something to Sis. Roper.

"Father God, stand up for me tonight," I said quietly and look up into the roof of the church.

To be continued...