Chapter 7: Calvin

It was a normal Sunday morning at Calvin Presbyterian, pastor Mark Andersen leading the service. The people were welcomed, a few well chosen humorous stories about events in the life of the church family over the past week were told, a few announcements were made. The responsive reading was read, a hymn was sung from the hymnal, a prayer was said, another couple hymns were sung from the praise book.

It came time for the prayers of the church, a prayer Mark lead from request cards handed in during the singing of the first hymn. He began.

"Dear Lord, we wish to praise you today and everyday, and be a blessing to our community in your name."

The first request concerned an older woman's cancer surgery. The next was for the leaders in Washington, that they might have God's wisdom (hard for Mark to pray with a straight face, but he got through it).

The third seemed to Mark to be much more important than the others, though he wasn't sure why. It simply said "Pray for the youth of Corvallis, that they might know the truth, that they may know love." He faltered a bit, as he tried to understand the powerful feel he had for this prayer.

"Father God, we hold up the young adults of Corvallis," he intoned, "in need of Your care and protection. So much of what they hear draws them away from You. Please give them Your wisdom and love, truth and compassion. Protect them from the evil that surrounds them, and soften their hearts."

And the intensity was gone. Funny, that.

The next card was obviously written by a child. "Pastor, please pray that Luke won't be so silly all the time. He annoys me."