He folded the bulletin and stuck it in the pocket of his khaki shorts, a small souvenir of the trip down memory lane. Leaving the foyer, he made a left and went down a long hallway containing the church offices. He stopped in front of Pastor McCann’s door and knocked.
No one answered, and he checked his watch. I’m right on time. He didn’t have an appointment per se, but a time to visit with his mentor and fill him in on Jasper Lake and the position there.
The secretary’s door opened, and Mrs. Thames walked out. When her eyes landed on him she smiled and shuffled her robust body toward him. “If it isn’t Elijah Brewer. I do declare I thought you’d never come home.”
He grinned and threw his arms around the older lady who was a staple of the church. “It’s good to see you. How’s the mister?”
She returned the hug, squeezing him tight. “Doing just fine. He retired in February, but you’d never know.”
“Working in that garden all day, I bet.”
She nodded. “Come for a visit if you have time and your mama will spare you.”
“I’ll fit it in.”
“Did you come to see Pastor McCann?” Her gaze flicked to his office.
“Yes. He asked me to stop in and said he had this afternoon free at two.”
“Hmm. He always tells me when he’s leaving the building, and he didn’t mention anything. Chances are, he’s elsewhere in the church. Hold tight and I’ll give his phone a ring.”
Before she made it to her office, Pastor McCann entered the hallway. The larger-than-life figure left an imposing impression everywhere he went. He stood over six feet tall and had a large, broad frame. His voice was deep and commanding, and when he spoke, one dare not ignore him.
Despite his intimidating appearance, Elijah admired the man and knew his heart for God. He had a reputation for being firm but fair and ran the church with strict guidelines for leadership.
They exchanged pleasantries in the hallway, and then Pastor McCann invited him to the pastoral office. “Have a seat.”
Elijah sat in an oversized leather chair with brass studs, the same one he’d often occupied during high school and college when he sought advice from wise counsel. “This place almost feels like a second home.”
“We have had many a great conversation here.” A fond smile spread across Pastor McCann’s mouth. “Tell me, what do you think of your time as a youth pastor?”
“It’s been a learning experience, but I’ve enjoyed the position.”
“What have you learned?”
He let out a long breath. “Humility. Lots of humility.”
Chuckling, the pastor nodded. “A most important lesson. You’re fortunate to have learned that early.”
“I almost lost a church member due to my pride, but by God’s grace the situation revolved and I’ve formed a friendship instead.”
“That speaks volumes.” Pastor McCann leaned back in his executive chair and crossed his hands over his chest. “What challenges have you faced?”
“What haven’t I? It’s been a crazy eight months.” Different situations rose to mind. “Unsupportive parents, unhealthy habits, online addictions, teen pregnancy.”
“It’s a hard world out there for today’s teens. We’re seeing more problems than we ever have, which is why it’s so important to have strong, Godly leaders in our church to lead these children and youth.” Pastor McCann tapped his fingers against each other. “How would you rate your response to those challenges?”
“To be honest, I struggled at first. Once I started seeing each youth as an individual in need and not just a churchgoer—that’s when I began seeing a difference.” He thought of Simon, who often disrupted class. “Most of the ones we would call bad come from a bad situation. Simon is one of my challenging boys, but I found out his mom abandoned him and his dad is an alcoholic. One day I invited him for ice cream after Wednesday night services and he started to open up. Since that day, he’s improved. He’s not perfect and still acts up, but he’s making progress.”
“Taking a personal interest in them is a great first step to building relationships. There’s an old saying that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Pastor McCann leaned forward. “After thirty-five years of pastoring, I can attest to that truth.”
Trixie came to mind, but he wouldn’t let himself think about her now. “You’ve always done a great job of showing your congregation how much you care. It’s one of the qualities I admire most about you.”
“Thank you.” Leaning back again, Pastor McCann appeared deep in thought for several seconds. “What about the teen pregnancy? How did you handle that?”
“I’ve met with the parents of both teens, and I’ve also established a mentoring relationship for the teen mom with a lady who has been in a similar situation but has turned her life around.”
“That’s good, but tread carefully. You won’t want to appear to condone premarital relations.”
