The sermon of the century

My pastor is a hero!

The newcomer

Last Sunday, it should have been a service like any other. I was standing at the back in the middle of praising God with my arms in the air, when suddenly I notice a ‘newcomer’. He comes in and sits down at the front.

Up to that point, nothing out of the ordinary.

But…he’s moving around!?

From time to time, I open one eye (it’s about being sure that you haven’t been trans-teleported to heaven: you never know!)

Well, how about that… ?!

‘The newcomer’ is near me now. He is small, has blue eyes staring insistently at me and short, white hair. He is busy shaking hands with the people around me.

As for me, I still have my arms in the air (a bit as if I was picking apples) and an expertly studied expression of adoration, I am chilled.

Well, how about that… ?!

The little guy is no longer there (saved), but what do I see ? He is now in the rows at the front and … Oh no! catastrophe, he is lighting up a ciggy (a ciggy in a church !!! My Christian side is thrown by that…!) It looks as if a big discussion ensues with Luke (my pastor friend). Argh! this worship! it’s impossible to hear what they are saying!

I open an eye again (this time the other one, you have to vary it a bit).

I give a start: the little guy is again at my side talking non-stop with the pastor who has followed him (well, yes, we don’t have one for the front and one for the back, you know).

‘Why won’t you let me go right to the front?!’

And the pastor (who isn’t a half daft) replying:

‘Ah! You want to go to the front, no problem; I have a place of honour for you.’

The pastor takes him to the front row (reserved for invited guests) next to him.

But … they are leaving!?

Several times he takes him in his arms, so much so that I wonder if the little guy isn’t a close relative of his family.

Two songs later, I see the fella walking out of the exit door, followed by the pastor two choruses later.

I can’t hold out any longer, I have to go and see how it is…

When I reach the door handle, I realise that my arms are still in the air (but also being really pretty smart myself, I lower them in order to be able to open it !) Just kidding ! I manage very well to open it with my feet.   

In the entrance hall of the church, no one is there any more.

I go out and notice that at the station opposite, Luke has sat down next to him to talk to him and explain to him that he does not have to feel rejected…

I go back to my place of worship; the song has barely finished when the pair of them return and sit down again at the front.

But … they are talking on the stage !?

Then comes the moment when the pastor speaks to us :

‘We have Peter here who insists and who would love to say something to you.   

I don’t believe it, he is allowing him to speak?! the stranger, proud to have a microphone, shouts out:

‘Er, I would like to tell you that I love you all, thank you.’

And he sits back down (that didn’t have much of an impact, someone who doesn’t know you saying that he loves you…Huh).

During holy communion, Peter bursts into a Christian song followed by one less well-known in our circles:

‘Rum, women and beer, in the name of G …’ (words of a popular drinking song)

Luke just manages to deflect the attention of the congregation…

I don’t much remember any more the words of my friend the pastor’s sermon that day (given the title, that’s silly, eh!?) But I saw the attitude of a pastor with a big heart, so attentive not to offend a complete stranger.  

And it is one of the most beautiful sermons I have ever seen.