It was finally a sunday and not raining so I got to shore and made it to church. I chose a small - read SMALL - baptist church. I had ridden past it often and knew the start time was 11am. (class at ten, worship eleven) like everywhere else...
so I am my usual 'on time' and decide to not be there 20 minutes early. i'll sit in the shade down the street and cool off from my sunny Sunday walk. finally at 10:50 I stroll up to the corner where the church sits. NO cars in the lot. (did I mess up?) I walk up and 2 ladies are sitting in the lobby, just off the little auditorium. "Hi, is church at eleven?" Oh yes, you can go right in. (they jump up and open the door for me to enter) It's a tiny little room with 12 pews, six on each side. One lady seated, and me. The two ladies from outside came in and took their usual seats. It's now about 10:52am. A couple of minutes later in walk 3 more ladies and 7 kids. (if you are adding it up: 6 adults, 7 kids. me.) At exactly 11:12am I hear the crunch of tires and the preacher comes in. He's a very animated, brightly suited gentleman. Wearing white tennis shoes which highlight and set off his bright gold suit and tie. About ten minutes later another family of 2 adults and 2 kids arrived and sat behind me. (math: 8 adults, 9 kids, preacher, me)
Church ended at 12:50p. 11:13a-12:50p. The preacher was a one man show. He would preach awhile, pray, sing, then 'the offering'.
OOPS. I forgot - "we have a visitor today, if he will introduce himself and tell us where he's from?" I said, "is it me?" laughter....
Anyway the offering. "We aren't lazy here in the Bahamas, so instead of passing a plate, we have it up here at the lectern. That way everyone can stand up, visit, and make their own way up front to drop in. And while we are up, we all greet one another with a handshake or a hug." I stand up and am clueless about what is going to happen next. Everyone jumps up and runs around hugging and visiting. They all came and hugged me. Without exception, everyone in the church, except the preacher and the grown man behind me who shook my hand, the others hugged me. One at a time the children came up and stood in line to hug me, from about 3yoa to teens. It was surreal. I managed to make it up front and dropped an offering.
He preached on Sin and the end of time from Isaiah.
After church they all came and hugged me again.
In Stuart when I was 'church shopping', the Baptist church had the most people who came and welcomed me before the service. But in Marsh Harbor EVERYONE came and hugged me.
