“Is Pastor Steve available? I have an important question for him.”
She hadn’t offered her name, but I knew the woman’s voice on the other end of the line. In fact, I could picture her customary pew, the spot where she’d shuffle slowly every week, undeterred by the fact that the service had started ten minutes ago and we’d already gotten to the prayer of confession. Father, forgive me for getting exasperated at the disturbance of latecomers.
“No ma’am,” I said. “He’s not in at the moment. Could I take a message?”
I don’t typically answer the phone at my church, where I work as the communications director. But I was covering the front desk that day, and as it turned out, it wasn’t only our receptionist and lead pastor who were out of the office just then. Most everyone the caller needed was gone.
“Well, what about Pastor Walter? Is he there? Or Pastor Charlotte?” Her voice sounded a little urgent, and I worried something might be wrong.
“I’m sorry, they both just left for lunch. They should be back in about an hour. Is there something I could help you with in the meantime?”
