“Now, friends, brothers, sisters, we all know the economy is down. Friends, we know it is hard. Fathers, you are worried about those college bills. Mothers, your grocery money is dwindling. Folks, the answer is at the altar! Come right now! Get out of the Sunday pews and fill this space. Show God your obedience. Show Him your needs.”

Quickly, the same 22 altar-groupies hit the carpet for the altar. They have to get their favorite spot.

Their prayers are loud, some louder, and some the loudest.

But, the Pastor is not satisfied. There is a RECESSION in our country. He saw it on the news. Should not his parishioners be NEEDY? Should they not be prostrate on the church carpet crying out for dollars? Why has not his entire flock responded?

Oh, well, there’s “Tomas”. He never responds. Lord knows he should but he doesn’t. The Pastor wonders what Tomas’ bank account looks like. Pastor decides to pull another altar call out of his pocket. This one is an oldy-but goody.

“Friends, it seems some of us have obedience. It seems some of us might receive dollars … er…answers this Sunday. But, does that mean the rest of us are rich? Are we without worry? Are our employers the Almighty or Man? It is Man! We need hope! If you need HOPE…Come show your God that you do! Come friends, get Hope today.”

Well, here come Delores, she is always a second-runner. And now comes that John Jay. He should have come up first as an example, he is a Deacon after all.

But, Thomas is still sitting in that fourth pew from the right. Is he hard of hearing? Does he really not want hope? If he is this oblivious to the recession, I should be seeing more of his tithe!

Pastor now considers it a personal challenge. The altars SHOULD be full in time of recession. They were full during the last national tragedy, what is the difference?

“Friends, Men, listen. Do you enjoy being the provider in your family? It is a joy, right? A privilege. What if this recession takes it away from you? What then? Will you no longer be a Man? Come, find God this morning. Tell Him you want to continue to be a Man. He needs to hear you right now.”

The altar is, mostly, full of the Pastor’s protegees. They are lamenting for hope, for money, for a change in administration. The Pastor is almost pleased.

However, out of the corner of his eye, he sees Tomas take his coat in hand, and quietly head for the door. No! Tomas must respond to me! I am the Pastor! He needs my insight!

Pastor slips off the pulpit stage, past the rows of crying parishioners, notices that Erma has new shoes. Hm. I thought we were in a recession.

He meets Tomas just by the front door.

“Tomas! Tomas! Brother, it was good to see you today friend! I so enjoy seeing your face in our congregation! How are you Brother? My heart feels heavy for you. Are you running from something, friend?”

Tomas, expert in handling denominational demi-gods, calmly smiles, puts his hand on Pastor’s shoulder and responds, “Pastor, I am pleasantly full of hope. I found it when I helped my special needs child read his first word last week. I have all the money we need right now because I invested and saved wisely during the boon last year.

Pastor, I am on my way to see my aging grandmother, to take her some of her favorite flowers, before her nap time this afternoon. Pastor, I never run. I am always present. Always available. But I am also always in Christ.”

“Good Day Pastor” says Tomas as he evades the press of legalistic guilt that this man of God excels at but, of which, Tomas has no need.

Pastor, shakes off the moment, thinking that if more of his parishioners get to be like Tomas he will have less and less to do with his life.

Next Sunday, he’ll have to preach about how we can only find our hope and happiness in Christ and NOT in the things of this world. “I hope Tomas will be there. He needs to know where his Hope really is.”