Dispatch from Forbearance Presbyterian Church
Somewhere over the Rainbow with Claire
by Charlotte Johnstone
 Claire
Flannery, a Forbearance member for 10 years, was not a bold person.
She spoke softly and was often hesitant in new situations. She
was a bit fanciful and given to odd little whims about spirituality
and religious matters in general. Now in her mid-forties, she
had, for the past several years, felt out of step and dispirited
in a world that seemed increasingly hard-edged and threatening.
Everything seemed too fast, too loud, too brazen and too insistent
that she pay close attention to it all.
And there seemed to be trouble everywhere-war and threats of
war, local crime, poverty, joblessness, cultural coarseness and
the occasional unspeakable atrocity. Warnings seemed to be everywhere---watch
your neighborhood for people who don't belong there, be vigilant
about identity theft, global warming is melting the ice cap,
install a home security system and dead bolt your doors, watch
yourself in mall parking lots, scrutinize your fellow travelers
and prepare to be searched, pay attention to ozone alerts, terrorist
cells might be anywhere, the food you just ate may be bad for
you, stay tuned for severe thunderstorm warnings, prepare a safe
room, avoid too much exposure to the sun, stay off of thin ice,
report abandoned bags, someone somewhere is planning to attack
your homeland, the economy may not recover anytime soon, always
know where the exits are and preplan your escape route. It was
all too much for Claire.
Even Sunday services at Forbearance Church were no longer an
oasis. Rev. Hustisford persisted with sermons that examined the
hard questions of the day-sermons that Claire didn't find particularly
comforting.
--Charlotte Johnstone is a member of Immanuel
Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She (and the cast
of Forbearance Presbyterian Church) welcome comments. Write to
her at Horizons, 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, KY 40202-1396
or email wjohns4949@aol.com.
Read the rest of Charlotte Johnstone's
article in the July/August issue of Horizons
Call 800/ 524-2612 to subscribe or Order
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