Soon After by Sherryle Kiser Jackson

place after a short pre-service interview. The tiny playroom appeared to be filled to capacity with the rented adult-sized chairs. The members of his background chorus were poised with their praise. The key member, his Uncle Charley, was able to get the word out to the old and some of the new members. The presence of the news crew could have possibly brought out the rest.
    Abe was pitch perfect as he delivered the amalgamation of adages and anecdotes he’d put together. He squelched the notion to deviate from his outline and impart what was on his heart once he felt the rhythm of his words. He reminded himself he was being taped and that the best television was scripted.
    Abe shook hands and graciously thanked the reporter who said she would be in touch. His back was a pool of sweat and his robe was the perfect sponge. How long did he have to stay and greet the crowd? He felt himself judging the sincerity of everyone’s commendation . He felt dizzy, but he held his mask in place.
    A trustee approached with a sealed envelope addressed to him that was placed inside the offering basket. Abe broke the seal on the envelope as Mother Shempy and her teenaged granddaughter approached.
    â€œPastor Townsend,” Mother Shempy said, “I’m so, so glad that y’all decided to go on with service despite the circumstances. I started to get worried. Lord knows what I would have done if I had to try and find another church.”
    â€œSee, the Lord worked it out for ya.” Abe leaned in for a church hug, which was contact with the arms and the chest, but none of the rest of the body.
    â€œHe sure did. You’ve met my granddaughter, Melanie, haven’t you, Pastor?”
    â€œI believe I have, Mother Shempy,” Abe said, taking the young girl’s hand and pumping it twice in a handshake before releasing it. “How are you, Melanie? Did you enjoy the service?”
    Melanie shrugged her shoulders then added, “Nana’s got District cable, and all she watches is the church channel. You better not change her channel before the Bishop Robbie Robinson Show goes off, although most of the time she is already asleep. I love to watch their choir. Bishop Robinson preached on almost the same thing that you did today, Pastor Townsend. Isn’t that funny?”
    Abe would have been embarrassed. He might have even fainted dead away if he weren’t looking at the note just passed to him.

    Pastor Townsend,
    Great sermon. Seasons indeed change. What you need is a publicist to help polish your image and navigate you through your next phase of ministry, which promises to be fruitful if you plan for the Harvest. I’ll be in touch.
    A friend.

    â€œIt’s funny how that happens, right, Pastor Abe?” the girl persisted.
    â€œNo. Actually, sweetie, it happens quite often. It’s what you call confirmation,” Abe said as he searched the sparse crowd for the source of his anonymous offer.

Chapter 5
    A Tale of Two Pastors
    Alexis rushed from the county Board of Education building where she was covering a special school board hearing to get into the production van with Danny Mitchell, her camera man. Having a special report on the Inside 7 segment to air in less than fifteen minutes didn’t mean her job stopped. That was the hectic life of an assignment reporter. She had barely taped her wrap up on the Harvest story before she had to get set up in Upper Marlboro for the beginning of the school board session. She had cut the squares, laying the voice tracks for the promos, shooting the lead-in live with the anchor in the studio, and pre-taped the interviews, but left it in the hands of Martie and the crew to do the patchwork. She couldn’t wait to see how it turned out.
    They sat in rush hour traffic, but as far as she was concerned she had the best seat in the house. One of the monitors in the back of the van hooked up to roof-top satellites used to send live feed directly to the