“They can’t decree what a church wants to do. If we decide to do a live nativity, they can’t stop us. Besides, I don’t think Kate would object. She seemed really upset that it had been canceled. The one who might object the most would be Murray Samuels, but he’s a member of our church. I think I can reason with him.”
Emma leaned toward him and smiled. “Do you really think we might be able to pull it off?”
“I’m sure we can, but we’re going to need someone to direct the overall operation of the project. I’ll be glad to do it if you’ll agree to help me.”
Her mouth gaped open for a moment before she swallowed and blinked. “You want me to work with you on this?”
“I do.”
She smiled. “Oh, Pastor Mike, I would love to help you organize this. I’ve been so upset ever since we left the meeting today. It won’t seem like Christmas if the nativity is missing.”
“I agree. I’ll bring up the idea to the congregation at the Sunday morning service and get their feelings on whether or not they want to do this.”
“I have no doubt you can get them as excited about the idea as much as I am, Pastor Mike,” Emma said. “But we have a lot of work to do between now and the first performance if we’re to make it happen.”
“I know. But Emma, there is one more thing we need to do.”
Her eyes grew wide. “What’s that?”
“We’re probably going to be spending a lot of time together in the next few weeks. I’d feel more comfortable if we were on a first name basis. What do you say we forget the pastor title and you can just call me Mike?”
A smile curled her lips, and Mike’s heart fluttered. She picked up the coffeepot, turned toward the kitchen, and glanced over her shoulder. “I’d like that…Mike.”
Chapter 3
Emma couldn’t remember a more beautiful Sunday morning service. The congregation was smaller than usual, since so many of the members had left Bethlehem after the storm. Those in attendance, though, appeared determined to show they had come to give thanks to God in spite of the terrible destruction that had blown through their town a little over a week ago.
There was still no electricity, and candles burned brightly around the sanctuary. But it was the church’s stained glass windows that captured Emma’s attention. Somehow those beautiful panes of glass had resisted the winds of Eleanor, and they sparkled from the sunbeams that lit them.
Now with the service coming to a close, Emma wondered when Pastor Mike, or Mike, as he had asked her to call him, would tell the congregation about his idea. She didn’t have to wait long to find out. With the last words of their parting hymn sung, he asked everyone to take their seats again.
As the gathered worshipers stared at him, he began to speak. “As you all have probably heard by now, the town council decided to cancel the live nativity this year. I spoke to a few of our members this week, and no one wants to see us discontinue this tradition that has come to mean so much to the town. I wanted to ask you this morning what you thought about our church taking on this project.”
For a moment no one spoke then John Roland rose to his feet. “Pastor Mike, I’ve been a volunteer on the nativity ever since it started, and it’s a big job. Do you really think we can do this? After all, our congregation has never taken on something as involved as this.”
Murray Samuels stood. “I commend you for thinking our church could do this, Pastor Mike, but obviously you haven’t thought this thing through. We have no costumes or props. And our church treasury is already struggling to meet our monthly bills, such as your salary. I don’t think we can undertake such a big project.”
Mike nodded. “I know we’re going to have to step out on faith if we’re to do it. But isn’t that what we’re required to do all the time as Christians? I believe that if we dedicate our efforts to God, He’ll bless the results. I’d like for us to do this.”
Mr. Samuels shook his head. “We can’t do it,” he said. “Although our church was spared in the storm, we lost a lot of shingles. You need to be more worried about getting the roof fixed than putting on a nativity that no one has the time to work on or even wants to see.”
Emma jumped to her feet. “I want to see it. And I’ll make the time to see that it happens.”
John Roland raised his hand. “And so will I.”
“Yeah, I will, too.”
The voice came from the back of the church. Before Emma could identify the speaker, other voices rang out as people jumped to their feet and called out their commitment to the project.
Mike smiled at her and held up his hands to quiet the crowd. “Thank you, but I think we need to vote on this. If you agree that our church should assume the responsibility of the town’s live nativity, please say yes.”
“Yes!” The roar was almost deafening.
“Those opposed, please vote no.”
“No.”
Emma’s eyes grew wide as Murray Samuels cast the dissenting vote. She turned and looked at him, but his attention was directed toward Mike.
Mr. Samuels’s face had turned white, and he glared at Mike. “I knew this was going to happen when we hired a pastor with no experience in running a church. On top of that, you have no idea what we need in this community. We sure don’t need somebody from the outside coming in here and telling us what to do. Go ahead and try to do your nativity if you want, but don’t expect me to help. I’ve got all I can manage right now trying to get life back to normal for this town.”
Mike didn’t flinch from the anger evident in Mr. Samuels’s voice. His reply reminded Emma of a parent trying to reason with a child. “I understand, Mr. Samuels, and I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say we appreciate all you’ve done for the town. Now what we need to do is pray that God will bless the efforts of everyone who is trying to restore life to normal around here.”
Mr. Samuels’s face turned from white to red, and he bit his lip. Then he straightened to his full height and looked about to speak when John Roland beat him to it.
“Pastor Mike, how do we get started?”
“Emma Townsend is going to be helping me oversee this project. Please see her before you leave here today and sign up for whatever area you feel you could help with. I’ll let her tell you what we need.”
He nodded toward Emma, and she held up the papers in her hands. “We’re going to need seamstresses to make the costumes, carpenters to build the sets, actors to fill the roles, musicians, people to be responsible for the animals, and set decorators. My girls’ choir will sing, but we need other special music also. I’m sure we’ll think of other things later on, but this is a good start. I’ll put these sheets on the table at the back of the sanctuary, and you can sign up before you leave. And please know how much we appreciate whatever you can do to help us.”
Mr. Samuels shook his head and glanced around the congregation. “It all sounds good while you’re talking about it, but you’re going to find out it’s a bigger job than you thought once you get started. Just remember I tried to warn you.”
Mike smiled. “I’m sure we’ll all remember that. Now, why don’t we have the benediction?”
Ten minutes later Emma picked up the papers from the table and glanced over the names of those who’d signed up before she walked to where Mike stood shaking people’s hands. He turned toward her when the last ones left.
She held up the papers. “Nearly everyone signed on to take a job. I think this is going to be the best nativity we’ve ever had.”
Mike rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. “I hope so. I just wish Mr. Samuels would be more supportive.”
Emma chuckled. “Don’t worry about him. I’ve known him all my life, and his bark is much worse than his bite. He really does love this town, and I’m sure he’s worried about all that needs to be done right now.”
“I like it that you can see the good in people. That’s a wonderful quality for a person to have.”
She shrugged. “It’s nothing special. Besides, I kn
ow the people around here. They always pull together when it comes to our town. And Mr. Samuels will, too.”
“I don’t know about that. He didn’t seem like he wanted to be involved today.”
“He will be. Just wait…” Emma pulled the paper from the bottom of her stack and stared down at it.
“What is it?” Mike said.
She held up the sheet. “This is the sign-up sheet for actors. All of the roles are taken except for the three wise men. Nobody signed up for those parts.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’m sure we can convince someone to take those roles.”
“I hope you’re right. Everybody’s gotten so used to the same men playing the part, they probably didn’t think about having to get other actors this year.”
“Why do we have to get other actors?”
“Because one of the men who’s played the part for years died in March, another left to live with his daughter in Florida, and the third one moved into a retirement home in Bangor. They were all perfect in the role. With so many of the residents gone from town, I can’t think of anyone else to play the parts.”
“It can’t be as bad as you’re making it sound. I’m sure there are three men in this town who would be perfect, and we’ll find them. Don’t go looking for problems before we get started like Mr. Samuels did.”
She frowned and shook her head. “He’d be happy if we abandoned the whole performance, but…” Her eyes grew wide, and she snapped her fingers. “That’s it! I know who can play the roles.”
“Who?”
“The three selectmen. They’d be perfect, and it’ll be a way of getting them to support the nativity.”
Mike looked at her like she’d lost her mind before he laughed. “You’ve got to be kidding. How do you think you’ll convince Mr. Samuels to play a part in a nativity performance that he opposes?”
She arched an eyebrow and propped her hand on her hip. “Are you saying that you think I can’t do it?”
“Well, not exactly. But you have to admit it sounds like wishful thinking.”
Both eyebrows arched, and she gave a playful gasp. “Why, Michael Benson, you sound as if you don’t have faith in my abilities. Are you forgetting that it’s my job to coax middle school kids into doing what they don’t want to do?”
A slow smile pulled at his lips. “No, but I think getting Mr. Samuels to agree to this may be a little tougher than dealing with a thirteen-year-old.”
She crossed her arms and stared at him. “I see that I’m going to have to prove myself with you. But just for the fun of it, I’d like to make this more interesting.”
“Interesting? How?”
Emma thought for a moment before she replied. “You always compliment me when I sing a solo. But I’ve noticed that you barely open your mouth when the entire congregation sings.”
He smiled. “That’s because I can’t carry a tune. Never have been able to.”
Emma tilted her head and nodded. “You may think that’s true, but it isn’t. I had a voice teacher once who told me that if you can talk, you can sing. Maybe not like what you’d want to sound like, but you can at least make a joyful noise. And your overly long sermons certainly show you can talk.”
“Overly long sermons? Nobody’s told me that before.”
Emma waved her hand in dismissal. “Well, maybe not all of them are too long, but sometimes you do get carried away. So let’s say that if I can get Mr. Samuels to agree to be a wise man, you’ll sing a solo in church.”
His mouth gaped open and he stared at her in disbelief. “No way am I going to sing in front of the whole congregation.”
“Aha!” she said. “Then you think I can convince him?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“So why would you be afraid that you’ll have to sing if you’re so sure I can’t convince him?”
He stared at her for a moment before he smiled and nodded. “Emma, I’m seeing a side of you that I didn’t know existed, and I must say, I really like it. I still don’t think you can convince Mr. Samuels, though, so you need to promise to do something I want if you can’t get him to agree.”
“Something horrible, no doubt,” she scoffed.
“No, nothing like that. I’ll show you that I’m not such a bad guy. I’ll give you something easy. Something you wouldn’t mind doing.”
“And what would that be?”
He bit down on his lip as if he was in deep thought, then smiled. “If you don’t get him to agree, you’ll sing a song in church that I choose as a solo.”
“What would you choose?”
“ ‘His Eye is On the Sparrow.’ It was my grandmother’s favorite hymn. I’d like to hear you sing it.”
Emma blinked to keep the tears from filling her eyes at the memories of hearing her mother’s voice drift from the kitchen singing that song as she cooked supper. “I’d be glad to sing it no matter what happens. Shall we shake on it?”
He reached out and wrapped his fingers around hers. He held her hand for a moment before he shook it and took a deep breath. “Have you thought about how you’re going to get Mr. Samuels to agree to be one of the three wise men?”
Emma glanced down at his hand still holding hers and gently pulled free. “I don’t know, but God does. I think I’ll leave that up to Him.”
Chapter 4
Three weeks after Eleanor, Emma sat at the desk Mike had set up for her in a corner of the church fellowship hall and stared at the names on the papers she held. It had all seemed so simple that day in church when she asked for volunteers and everyone had been ready to jump in and join the effort to stage the nativity. Now things didn’t look as hopeful, or as easy.
“Good afternoon, Emma.”
Mike’s voice jerked her from her thoughts, and she glanced up to see him standing next to her. She dropped the papers onto her desk, closed her eyes, and massaged her temples with her fingertips. “I hope you’re here to tell me your day has been better than mine.”
He slid into the chair in front of her desk and leaned forward. “What’s the matter?”
She sighed and crossed her arms on the desk. “I’m running out of actors for the nativity. I just got word that Jim and Karen Morrison have gone to stay with his parents in Pennsylvania. So now I don’t have Joseph, Mary, or baby Jesus.”
“I’m sure we can find others to play those roles.”
She suppressed a small groan. “If only it were that easy. Half the people who volunteered aren’t even in Bethlehem anymore. A lot of them whose homes were badly damaged have been evacuated to the emergency shelter the state set up at that big hotel in Augusta. What are we going to do?”
“We knew from the beginning this wasn’t going to be easy. I hope this doesn’t mean you’re giving up.”
She sat up straight and shook her head. “Giving up? No way. It’s just that this last bit of news hit me at a time when I was thinking about the carpenters at my house. I haven’t checked on them in three days because I’ve been so busy here.”
“I know what you mean. I haven’t gotten anyone to repair the church roof yet either. Every contractor I talk with is busy, and all they can do is put us on the list. Maybe Mr. Samuels was right. This may have been too much for us to take on.”
“Don’t you say that, Mike. We may be having a weak moment, but we’re not going to quit. I really believe that if we can give our community the nativity, it will help to pull everybody out of their despair.”
His gaze traveled slowly over her face, and Emma’s heart did that funny little flip she’d come to associate with being around Mike. “You’re right, Emma. You are such an inspiration to me. We just need to keep our eyes on the goal and do whatever it takes to make the nativity happen.” He stood and came around the desk to stand beside her chair. He leaned down and studied the papers in front of her. “Now, what’s our biggest problem?”
She tried to ignore the tingle that raced down her spine at his nearness, but it was no use. She found it harder and
harder to think straight when he was around. In an effort to clear her mind, she directed her attention to the papers and shuffled through the lists. “Well, let’s see. The men who signed up to build the props are busy repairing their own homes, the material I ordered for the costumes is back-ordered and won’t be here for at least two more weeks, and I still haven’t approached Mr. Samuels about getting the selectmen to be the three wise men.”
He grinned. “So I’m not in danger of having to sing that solo yet?”
She propped her elbows on the desk and rested her chin in her palms. “Not yet, but don’t think you’re safe. I’ve been thinking about how to do it. I just need to come up with a plan. If I could get him to support the idea of the nativity, maybe he would pitch in and help us. But so far he remains just as set in his decision as ever. I’ve prayed and asked God to change Mr. Samuels’s attitude, but so far nothing has changed. I keep telling myself to remember that God’s in control, but we’re running out of time.”
Mike shoved his hands in his pockets and backed away from the desk. “All kidding aside, I want you to know I really admire you for wanting to change Mr. Samuels’s mind. If anyone can do it, you can. I’ve watched you over the past couple of weeks, and the way you’ve approached this project and how you’ve worked with everyone has inspired me. You’re quite a woman, Emma Townsend.”
Emma’s face warmed, and she stared down at her desk in an effort to avoid looking into his eyes. “Thank you, Mike. I keep telling myself to trust God, that it’s all for His glory. Whatever He decides will be best for our town, and I’ll be thankful for it no matter what.”
“Then how can we fail?”
Emma rose to her feet. “We won’t; so from now on I’m going to take a step back and get out of God’s way.” She smiled up at Mike. “It’s going to be fun seeing what He has planned for us, isn’t it?”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, and then he reached out and covered her hand that still rested on the desk with his. “Thank you, Emma. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you better these past two weeks. I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner.”
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