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Cassidy let out a shocked cry. “I can’t believe that. This was a storm...an act of God. It should be fully covered by the insurance company.” Her eyes were flashing dangerously, and her cheeks looked flushed. She was standing with her arms folded across her chest. If the situation weren’t so serious, Tate would have laughed at Cassidy’s feisty stance. She looked ready to wage war against the insurance company single-handedly.
Pastor Blake shook his head at Cassidy. “I’m not letting God be the fall guy for this one, Cass. I was the one who selected the policy and the coverage. I’m the one at fault. If anyone in the congregation wants to point fingers, they should point them directly at me.”
“Pastor Blake, you can’t blame yourself. No one could’ve predicted this would happen.”
Tate felt a stab of guilt. It seemed as if the pastor was expecting his congregation to call him out, perhaps based on events from the past. He knew all too well the ruckus his parents had raised eight years ago when they’d tried to have Pastor Blake removed as head of Main Street Church. It had caused a lot of strife and pain for the Blakes and had nearly torn the congregation apart. It was the only time in his life he’d ever felt ashamed of his family. And his mother’s feelings hadn’t changed all that much either, considering she wanted him to have nothing to do with Cassidy or the Blakes.
Pastor Blake raised his hands up. “I have no idea how we’re going to afford a new roof, not to mention the steeple. It was the original steeple from when this church was built back in the 1800s. We’re already mortgaged to the hilt. And all I keep thinking is that my congregation no longer has a place to worship.” He shook his head in disbelief.
“Maybe you can raise a special collection to cover the costs,” Cassidy suggested.
“Times are tough. West Falls has been hit hard by the recession, just like the rest of the country. Main Street Church is barely keeping the lights on as it is. We have programs to run, paychecks to write, missions to support...” Pastor Blake exhaled loudly. “We’ve already seen a drastic reduction in our weekly offerings. I don’t think the town has much more to give.”
As one of his parishioners walked past, Pastor Blake excused himself for a moment. Tate watched in humble appreciation as he wrapped his arms around the distraught woman. Within a manner of minutes he’d managed to bring a smile to her face despite the tears coursing down her cheeks.
Tate drew in a deep breath. No matter what the community needed to do to make it happen, Main Street Church needed to raise the funds to restore itself. Even though it might be a huge undertaking, he was going to commit himself heart and soul to the restoration of his beloved church.
* * *
By the time her father rejoined her and Tate, the number of parishioners inside the church had dwindled down to a handful. Most of them were seated at the front of the church, their hands crossed in prayer. It moved Cassidy to see so many members of the congregation coming to support her father and send up prayers for the church. She’d spent the past ten minutes listening as members of the church choir brainstormed about ways to raise money for the repairs. Although she wished she could make a huge donation to the cause, she’d funneled all her savings into the gallery in order to make it a success. But she was dedicated to doing anything she possibly could to support the efforts.
“We need to have a gathering,” Mona Jackson suggested, the words tumbling out of her mouth. “Not just any gathering, mind you. A coming together of the West Falls community to support the Main Street Church restoration.”
Her father frowned. “Do you think the timing is right? We just held the church bazaar.”
“And you saw how successful that was, right?” Doc Sampson asked. “It was jam-packed with people.”
Doc was right. Everyone in West Falls had turned out to the fairgrounds for the event. It had been popular with all segments of the community—teens, seniors, married with kids. It had always been a can’t-miss event. This year was no different.
“Yes, it was our largest fund-raiser to date,” her father acknowledged. “It allowed us to make a sizable donation to a woman’s shelter in Amarillo and get caught up with our bills.”
“That shows that the community supports fund-raising efforts,” she added. “And who wouldn’t want to help restore the church?” Excitement was coursing through her. Perhaps Mona was on to something. West Falls was a town that came together in times of crisis to support one another. If they could just tap into that goodwill, they might just be able to raise the money for a new roof.
Her father looked wary. “I don’t want the town to feel as if we’re nickel-and-diming them.”
“It’s not nickel-and-diming if there’s an urgent need for help,” Tate said, glancing up at the missing roof. “I think this qualifies as an urgent need.”
For the first time since she’d arrived her father broke into a wide smile.
“I think it sounds wonderful,” he said. “Since it was your idea, I’m appointing you as organizer, Mona. I’m sure we can count on the church council, as well. We’re going to need a lot of hands to pull this together. I’m going to make some calls this afternoon and put a committee together.”
Mona did a celebratory dance in the aisle. Tate threw his head back and laughed at Mona’s little jig, his rugged features appearing even more handsome in his relaxed state. Cassidy was overjoyed that her father had given the community gathering the green light despite his initial reservations.
“Count me in to help,” Tate offered. “I’m sure you can count on Holly, too. In case you didn’t know, Pastor Blake, she’s your biggest fan. Main Street Church has always been there for her. I’m sure she’ll want to reciprocate.”
“Bless you, Tate. I’m very thankful for this community.” Her father clapped Tate on the back. “Whenever I stumble in the darkness, I know the congregation will be there to lift me up.”
Cassidy watched the wonderful rapport between the two men. She couldn’t help but think that Tate would’ve been his son-in-law if they’d gone through with the wedding. The mere thought of it caused a strangled sensation to bubble up in her stomach. The regret that trickled through her caught her off guard.
“We need Main Street Church.” He shifted his gaze toward Cassidy. “All of us.”
Tate was right. This church was home. Although not all her recollections of this place were perfect, she’d built memories here that would last a lifetime. With the help of her father, her spiritual journey had begun within the walls of this church. And her faith was still growing by leaps and bounds. She was beginning to understand that it was a never-ending journey.
“It’s a marvelous idea, but where would we have this gathering? In order to increase our revenue we need to find a venue that is as cost-effective as possible so as not to cut into the proceeds.” Her father scratched his head, looking as stumped as she’d ever seen him.
Tate grinned wide, showcasing his pearly whites. “I think I might be able to help you out with this one.”
“I’m open to any suggestions,” her father said, his tone weary. “This aspect is crucial to the overall success of the event.”
