There was a nice surprise at my church on Sunday. Calpurnia brought Mr. Finch's kids with her. I know that Mr. Finch was on our brother Tom Robinson's case, so I quickly figured out why his kids were here. As I was walking down a pathway to the sanctuary, I saw them. But it irked me to see that Lula was giving them a hard time. Lula was a type of person that only wanted to be around colored people, and disagreed with anything that had to do with whites. But I can't ask her to leave, she is still a sister under god with us.
At first they were just jawing with each other. I knew that Lula would be upset with Mr. Finch's kids here. But it looked like Cal could handle it. Or at least I hope she could. Talking with Lula in the morning before a sermon wasn't my favorite thing to do, especially before we are about to worship god. Lula stopped in her tracks, then turned around and walked away. Calpurnia's son Zeebo emerged from the crowd gathered around them, and it appeared that he was giving them a proper welcome.
I continued down the path to the sanctuary. Everyone was preoccupied with talking with each other just like any other Sunday. I stood behind the pulpit silently for everyone to quiet down. I was looking around at our limited ecclesiastical items, when I noticed Calpurnia and our two guest in the first pew. Cal was talking with them, and pulled a couple coins out of her purse to hand to the kids. They talked back to her, but I couldn't here it. She quieted them down and pointed up to me. Shortly after, everyone quieted.
I started the sermon with a few community announcements. One of them was about Tom Robinson. I told the congregation that he had been loyal to First Purchase since he was a small boy. Everyone knew Tom Robinson and his current situation. I was saying that our morning collection for the past three weeks were going to his wife Helen, to support her and her kids. I thought I might have seen Mr. Finch's youngest start talking to Cal, but she was immediately quieted. I then opened it up to our opening hymn.
Zeebo walked down the aisles to the front with our only hymn book. It was a large old book, but it still served its purpose. Zeebo started us off with hymn 273. He read a line, and the congregation followed. This was the only way we could sing, for he was one of four people in the church that could read. When we got to the chorus, he closed the book because everyone knew the words. He opened the book and started again, with the congregation in sync behind him.
When the hymn finished, I called upon the holy lord to help the sick and the wounded, and led us in some prayers. I warned the men to watch out for women who might cheat them, and I warned Constance Jackson that she was in peril for arguing with her neighbor.
I finished the prayers, and called for the offering. Individually the congregation came up to the pulpit to drop in their change. It was mainly nickels and dimes, but I knew that we had to support Helen and her kids. Even Mr. Finch's children came up to drop a dime in. When the offering was complete, I counted the change, but it was not enough. I told the usher to shut the doors, and nobody was to leave until we came up with ten dollars. I slowly extracted the money from the congregation. By that time, it was hot, stuffy, and sweaty in the sanctuary. People were waving the makeshift fans to cool themselves off.
The ten dollars came after I pointed out a few members who I had not seen come up here yet. The doors were opened, and the warm air outside came in. Everyone sighed a deep breath that it was now over. I had Zeebo come up and give us a closing hymn. We finished the morning with On Jordan's Stormy Banks.
Mr. Finch's two kids came up to me afterwards. They were full of questions about the Robinsons. Especially the daughter. I tried to give them pensive answers, but they kept asking questions. Calpurnia came to my rescue when she put a hand on each of there shoulders, and they immediately stopped asking questions. They each politely said thank you for letting them come to church, and left.
I cleaned up the papers on the floor, locked up, and left for the Robinsons house to give them the morning offering. I felt happy that I was doing them a favor, and the lord one.
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