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blame them. Anyway, this group is forming a new church, kind of based on the Presbyterian order but they won’t be affiliated with any denomination. They’ll be independent, see, and they’ve already bought property to build on and everything. Larry says he doesn’t know what will happen to their old church, because its most generous contributors are the ones who have left. But he thinks they’re doing the right thing.” She began shredding the Kleenex, strewing bits of tissue on her lap. “Well, of course he would, since he can get so exercised over some of the things the General Assembly does.”
    â€œYes, I know,” I murmured. I wasn’t surprised that our pastor would sympathize with the church splitters, since he’d tried off and on for years to get our members to do the same thing.
    â€œWell, anyway,” Emma Sue went on, as she blinked back another gathering of tears. “They contacted him, this group, I mean, and asked him to recommend a sound, Bible-based man to pastor them. They know Larry’s as conservative as they come and is in touch with other ministers who’re of the same mind, and they thought he could help them find the right man to call.”
    â€œHe’d be a good one to ask,” I said, nodding. “He must know any number of ministers who’d jump at the chance to start a new church, especially a well-financed one.”
    â€œThat’s just it! He’s jumping at the chance, or at least thinking of it.” Emma Sue’s face crumpled and tears spurted out again.
    â€œThinking of what?”
    â€œAccepting their call, Julia. That’s what I’m talking about. He said,” she hicupped, “he said that it was in-incumbent on him to recommend the right one, and he thinks he’s it.”
    A jolt of joy shot through me. Pastor Ledbetter was leaving—something I’d hoped for and occasionally prayed for more times than I cared to admit. Visions of a new pastor danced in my head, someone who would lead us along a middle way, somewhere in between the wild-eyed radicals on the right and the fuzzy-minded do-gooders on the left. I couldn’t wait to see a pastor-seeking committee formed. I would tell them exactly the kind of preacher we wanted.
    But for Emma Sue’s sake, I had to stifle my hopes for better things to come.
    â€œThey may not want him,” I said, trying to offer a little encouragement. “They didn’t specifically call him, did they?”
    â€œNo, but they asked him to find the best man for the job, and…” Emma Sue could hardly speak for the sobs in her throat, “and he’s going to recommend himself, Julia.”
    â€œOh, dear,” I said, taken aback by such overweening self-confidence. Or was it arrogance? “Well, Emma Sue, if he does, they may surprise you and not take him.”
    â€œOh, they will, I know they will when they find out he’s interested. Everybody knows he’s a leader in the conservative movement, so they’d take him in a minute.”
    â€œThen I guess you have to look on the bright side. Maybe it would be a good thing. Of course, we’d hate to lose him, but nobody would stand in the way of a better opportunity for both of you.”
    â€œBut I don’t want to move! He promised me that we’d stay in Abbotsville until he retired, and this is my home now. It’s not fair for him to suddenly pull up stakes and move all the way across the state and start something new. Why, Julia, do you know what starting a new church involves?”
    â€œWell, no. Our church has been here for over a hundred years, so we’re pretty well settled in.”
    â€œWell, just listen to this. In their letter, they told Larry they want to call someone with a wife who’ll work right by his side, organizing the Sunday school and the Women of the Church and vacation Bible school and helping out in the office until they