Terri Reed - A Time of Hope

“Great-nephew, actually.” Ben’s eyes sparkled with mirth. “Mara Zimmer, meet Hope Community Church’s new pastor, Jacob Durand.”

Jacob’s mouth quirked as he watched her digest and finally—though he figured grudgingly—accept his great-uncle’s words.

With much dignity, she climbed out of the tub, set down her brush, wiped her hand on her jeans and stuck out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Pastor Durand. Welcome to Hope.”

“I’m only here temporarily, until a permanent pastor can be found,” he stated, wanting to make sure everyone realized he would not be staying.

Their palms met, his fingers curling around her slender hand. Though her skin was rough with cleanser and hard work, her small hand fit neatly within his and with surprising strength.

A strange spark traveled up his arm.

Must be an allergic reaction to the cleanser, because she certainly wasn’t his type.

grew up in a small town nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. To entertain herself, she created stories in her head, and when she put those stories to paper, her teachers in grade school, high school and college encouraged her imagination. Living in Italy as an exchange student whetted her appetite for travel, and modeling in New York, Chicago and San Francisco gave her a love for the big city, as well. She also coached gymnastics and taught in a preschool. She enjoys walks on the beach, hikes in the mountains and exploring cities. From a young age she attended church but it wasn’t until her thirties that she really understood the meaning of a faith-filled life. Now living in Portland, Oregon, with her college-sweetheart husband, two wonderful children, a rambunctious Australian shepherd and a fat guinea pig, she feels blessed to be able to share her stories and her faith with the world. She loves to hear from readers at P.O. Box 19555, Portland, OR 97280.

A man’s gifts make room for him, and bring him before great men.

—Proverbs 18:16

Thank you to Pastor Rob Anthony of Riversgate Foursquare Church in Portland, Oregon, for patiently answering my questions and for your family’s dedication to the Lord. Any mistakes in this story are purely mine.

To my grandmother, Lorraine: I love you.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

“The commitment is for six months.”

Jacob Durand gripped the arms of the green leather chair. Dread slithered through him and settled in the pit of his stomach. “Six months! You want me to go to Washington State for six months?”

Leland Campbell steepled his graceful hands on the expansive oak desk. His lined face took on a settled expression and his dark eyes assessed Jacob. “Yes, I do.”

As a boy, Jacob had squirmed beneath that intense stare, but now he sat straighter and met it head-on. “I thought we had this all worked out. I’d come on board here as a junior associate pastor.”

“I’ve been praying about that. You know I would love to have you on staff at Shepherd’s Way. But I need you to do this for me first.”

Leland sat back, and the black leather captain’s chair silently moved with him. “I received a call from my brother Ben a few days ago. Actually, on the day of your graduation from seminary. It seems the pastor of their community church has gone home to be with the Lord. They are in need of an interim pastor until a permanent replacement can be secured. I want you to go.”

Jacob recognized the expression on his grandfather’s face. Pastor Leland Campbell had made up his mind, and nothing would make him budge.

All of Jacob’s plans skittered away. Disappointment oozed through his veins. Through four years of college, two years of grad school and three years of seminary, he’d looked forward to finally working and learning from his grandfather. He glommed on to the first excuse that came to mind. “I’m not ready to pastor a church on my own.”

“Nonsense. And I doubt you’ll be there for the whole six months. I’m sure a permanent replacement will be found sooner than that.”

Mentally scrambling, Jacob asked, “What will the associate pastors of that church think, having someone so young and inexperienced assigned to lead their church?”

“You will gain experience, Jacob. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.”

Jacob stared at the full bookcases behind his grandfather. His heart raced as he examined the thought of leading a small community church. Terrifying, thrilling. A perfect opportunity to prove to his grandfather, to his father—and to himself—that he was ready to be up front.

This just might be a good thing. It would certainly accelerate his plans. Readjust and forge ahead. His plans lined up again. “All right. I’ll go.”

The pleasure in his grandfather’s expression made Jacob determined to do a good job. Leland Campbell had been Jacob’s hero since he was a child. Jacob wanted to be just like his grandfather, much to his father’s criticism.

It wasn’t so much that William Durand had disapproved of the church or his father-in-law. He’d wanted his only son to follow in his footsteps, to take over the successful business he’d started before Jacob was born.

That wasn’t Jacob’s dream, and the opposing goals between father and son created tension in the relationship.

Jacob rose to leave, his mind whirling with all the details that he’d need to take care of before heading north.

His grandfather came around the desk and put a hand on his shoulder. “Remember, Jacob. Don’t put God in a box. He can do more than you can imagine.”

Three days later, Jacob stared at the cedar-sided box of a structure that housed Hope Community Church in the small Pacific Northwest town of Hope, Washington. Majestic cedars provided shade for the lush green lawn and meticulous flower beds.

A far cry from the state-of-the-art world of Shepherd’s Way located in the heart of the marina district in San Francisco.

With a sigh of resignation and a reminder to himself that his time in Hope was a means to an end, Jacob climbed from his SUV and headed up the walkway. He took a moment to absorb the outdoors. Fresh April air filled his lungs, revitalizing in its crispness. The only sound he heard was a distant bird. A calm peacefulness filled his soul.

He opened the wood door of the church. Stale air hit him as he stepped inside. The dark, small vestibule had one lone table that supported a single unlit candle in a pewter holder. The inner sanctuary was equally dark. Heavy damask curtains covering the floor-to-ceiling windows were drawn closed.

Jacob gamely drew back one curtain to allow sunlight to brighten the room. Surprisingly, no dust rose to tickle his nose. At least the place was clean.

Wooden pews, enough for a hundred people, give or take a few, filled the narrow building. The platform at the front was raised a few feet up with wooden stairs on one side. A podium and an organ with a matching bench was the only furniture on stage.

Jacob sighed again. “Well, this should be interesting.”

The squeak of a hinge reverberated through the quiet sanctuary. A short, heavyset older woman bustled out from a room to the right of the platform. She stopped, blinking owlishly at him from behind her thick tortoiseshell glasses.