The Rev

IV.

Rev. DuWright

The bake sale brought in some good dough. The ladies managed to raise eight hundred dollars. Still, that's not nearly as much money as we need. We still have bills to pay and thousands in repairs. So, unfortunately to most of the church's dismay, we were gonna give brother James's idea a try. I will say one thing the bake sale did other than bring in some money was give the church some good exposure. A couple people from the sale said that they would come visit us this Sunday, so hopefully they like us and become members.

I sat behind my desk, inside my office in the church, going over the sermon I had prepared a week before. I mumble my thoughts to myself, going over a few notes. My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. I called for them to come in and I thought that I had died. A gentleman, who closely resembled Jesus in the painting next to the door, stepped into my office wearing a tan suit.

I stood to greet him. "Good morning sir, what brings you here this morning?" I asked as I extended my hand.

"Business." He bluntly said in a straightforward tone, leaving me hanging.

I put my hand down. "Oh, well what kind of business?"

"Debt collection."

"Debt collection?" I questioned, confused.

"Yes." He said abruptly, almost cutting me off as if he's in a hurry.

"How much debt?"

"Eighty six thousand dollars."

My eyes grew big in shock hearing that number. "How in the world is the church in debt to you?"

"Well, it isn't debt to me, but to my boss, Mr. Angelo. I'm just the middle man. And the previous pastor came to us asking for a loan, so it was granted. He agreed that the church would pay us back in three months, but that was four months ago, on this day exactly. Since that pastor has now left, that debt now falls on you."

I sighed while running my hand down the back of my head as I began to pace behind my desk. Where the hell am I gonna get eighty six thousand dollars from. We barely made anything from the bake sale, and most of that was going to bills.

"For the past three months, we have sent small reminders to pay the money back, but they were not answered. Mr. Angelo was kind enough to even give you all an extra week, even with no response to the reminders." He said, interrupting my thoughts as he continued to explain.

"Listen", I started off trying to reason with him. "I don't have that kind of money but maybe if you could give me some time, I could pay you in bits and pieces."

"That wasn't what was discussed during the business deal. Mr. Angelo was told he would be paid the full amount all at once." He said in a tone that sounded like I was inconveniencing him.

"Please, just give us some more time and I'll try and pay you in small payments." I was begging at this point.

He exhaled before letting out an annoyed "Fine." I sighed in relief. "But don't get too comfortable, the answer isn't yes just yet. I will bring this matter up Mr. Angelo." He exhaled before looking around. "But just in case the answer is no, you may wanna start selling a few things." He smirked before making his way to the door.

I swear that the previous pastor is getting on my last nerve and I've never even met the man. I gotta ask the assistant pastor and head deacon if they know anything about this. I can't believe none of this was mentioned in the board meeting we had. Maybe the rest of the church doesn't know. But where were the reminders sent? Oh what the hell.