Going To Church Part III

TODAY WAS MY SECOND TIME to attend the new church, now for me, the little rustic ancient brick church in the middle of the rustic woods in a far corner of a rural state. This time, it really began to sink in, to take hold of me. Now I am beginning to become certain that I shall become a regular attendee, a good reliable congregant. There were fewer in attendance than my first visit two weeks ago. Down to about ten from the previous approximate fifteen. It may be that the holiday weekend kept people away, took them off to other activities, the lake the picnic; celebrations of life on what was intended to be a somber memorial to death. I had barely been seated in my pew when a good friend of mine, the friend who first invited me to attend, waved is finger at me, bid me come. I arose and came towards him.With undisguised enthusiasm, he bragged that he had been given permission toe ring the bell in the steeple,and began showing f his bell ringing skill, the long rope hanging down in a small room just off the main chapel. So gleefully did the ring it that I immediately became infused with excitement, and humbly, humbly asked permission to give it a pull. He acceded. This did I pull the rope once, and only once, not wanting to extend virgin bell ringing too much. My lone ring was noticeably less loud than his repeated rings and been; a rookie, shy in his first attempt. I intend to apply for the honored position of "assistant bell ringer". If accepted, I promise to perform my assigned duties faithfully, reliably. I think my chances are good. Whereas the sermon two weeks ago was obviously impromptu,off the cuff, and disorganized, this week's was far superior, focused, with a clear message.  He expressed concern that the day's sermon may have been a bit disorganized. I replied that it was not, but that the one two weeks prior had been. I don't mince words, with anybody. Among the several themes was that when Eve tempted Adam into disobedience, she gave women a bad name, and that their secondary position in human culture ever since was the result, and was not a good thing. His indirect advocacy of women's equality inspired me. My fellow bell ringer, who sits on stage near the minister, leads the congregational prayers and light the candles, later told me that he had evidently missed this point, confessing that his mind had drifted. I chuckled and forgave him; doubtless  God did the same. Again, this sermon was a great improvement from the one I heard previously, and I told the minister, now a new friend of mine, that I thoroughly enjoyed it, which indeed I did....I even managed to slip a few dollars into the collection plate which once again was shoved into my face; I may be able to get used to that aggressive form of offering. After church I spent about an hour talking baseball with the minister, and eating donuts. Now, that, dear reader, is a kind of church I can get used to.