Not Church as Usual

It was a beautiful Sunday morning in March and at 7 am you would have thought that it was noon. I was sitting in my Jaguar in the garage of my townhouse. I paid cash for this car after saving for two years. I was pretty well off for a single woman with no kids. I made $150,000 a year working for the most prestigious law firm in the state. My clothes were always the runway's latest's fashion and I knew I was a good looking woman. My semi full-figured shape and honey brown complexion were my finest attributes. I never wanted to be toothpick skinny. I liked my thunder thighs and my curvaceous bosom. I thought that was what men wanted, something that they could hold on to. I adjusted my rearview mirror and pulled out of my two car garage and headed for church. I was one of the volunteer attorney’s but also assisted the Finance Committee. We had to be there by 8 am on Sundays to get the deposits ready for Monday and to print the paychecks for the day. Most of us were volunteers and we felt like it was an honor to serve the Lord with our gifts and talents. The church staff people were paid on Sundays, not Fridays like when most businesses pay their staff.. After all we are a church and most of the income did come from the tithes and offerings given by the congregation. On Mondays the church was closed so that the staff could at least have one day off for personal time. If they didn’t close the staff would never get a break. Church business can be a 24/7 operation depending on funerals, weddings, counseling sessions and so forth.
My pastor was an international Bishop and presiding prelate who he had multiple churches in different states. Our main church, Faith and Grace Temple of Deliverance is headquarters for the Holy Zion Churches of America and International Fellowships (or for short The Fellowship). The Fellowship is well known in the city and surrounding counties as a community partner and also admired by the business community as well. The Fellowship’s mission is to help empower people and in doing so has help decrease blight, rebuild neighborhoods and help members start businesses. Faith and Grace Temple owned multiple strip malls where we assisted members with opening their salons, dance studios, wellness spas, restaurants and convenient stores. We had a small grocery store and credit union as well. The mayor recognized our church as a key component to the success of our inner city neighborhoods coming back alive from blight. Because some of our employees were from our rehab programs, prison ministry, homeless shelter and welfare-to work programs we were also acknowledge for helping to keep the crime rate at an all time low. Members from all of the The Fellowship churches developed a construction firm that is use to employ members, build and maintain all of the churches and offer an apprentice program to help keep delinquent youth out of trouble. I was honored to be a part of this awesome ministry and I believed that my volunteered service gave glory to God. Under our current Bishop we were also renowned for our goodwill endeavors in global missions. Bishop has grown our church from roughly 50 adult members to 8,000 members including children. I grew up in this church and really don't know any place else I would want to be. It was small and old and damp when I was a kid. Our original pastor, Reverend Marcus Dalbert, died in 1982 of natural causes and the church found a younger minister with very ambitious dreams and goals. As a youth I admired Bishop and most of the youth did too. Bishop (Reverend Michael Smalls then) had to convince the adults that he wasn't someone selling them a pipe dream and just wanted to get money. Bishop had vision and taught us over the years the importance of credit, saving, education, real estate investment and owning our own businesses. By trade he was a manager at the largest cabinet manufacturer in the nation. But he was so dedicated as a lay preacher and he would spend many nights at church. My parents were deacons and trustees so of course where they went I had to go as well. Being an only child did have its perks though. I was able to hear all of the strategic planning and business discussions. As a kid I use to dream of sitting at the conference table making decisions and being influential. Didn't realize as a kid that a lot of the late nights in meetings were often due to budgets, or members needing counseling or church projects. Being in those meetings and seeing the disgust on Bishop's and my parents face whenever we encountered another setback made me decide to become a lawyer. I figured I could be the person to help churches go through the legal matters that they often were not familiar with when they started projects. I didn't know then that the church would grow astronomically and that I would fulfill my dreams afterall.
I arrived at 8:20 and had my own parking space close to the door on the administrative wing. It was a perk the other volunteers didn't have. Bishop said I earned it and I thank God every time it rains how I don't have to walk across that long parking lot. “Good morning Sis. Marie, it's a beautiful day isn't it?” I chirped almost humming as I walked passed our church secretary. She was about 45 years old and widowed. I felt so sorry for her. It seems like being here at the church is the only life she has. But she was always pleasant and never let anyone see her down. That's was the one thing we could count on, Sis. Marie being that pleasant voice greeting you in person or over the phone. “Praise da Lawd La La” she said with a big grin. La La was my nickname that I only allowed the church mothers and family and some friends to call me. I really didn't like being called “La La” because it's always indicative of a ghetto name but I try to not hurt people's feelings. Plus, it keeps me grounded, reminds me that no matter how high I get I am still that little black girl from the hood.