Last Time: By pushing the church to look at the minor problems trying to be solved, Brother Matthew Walker helped rectify those issues.
December 4th, 2010
Trying to refocus everyone on the lack of support the Deacon Board receives in comparison to Pastor Cyrus Payton’s Armor Bearers, Deacon Bill Richards said, “We don’t have the chance to do what the armor bearer’s do now. Pastor Payton used to go places. But Pastor Payton don’t go nowhere no more with us.”
Sister Valentine Moore voiced her rebuttal to the feelings Dcn. Richards had, “The reason the deacons don’t like the armor bearers is just that – (the deacons) can’t do what they want because someone else went above and beyond to do it before them. What the armor bearers are doing is what makes (the Deacon Board) jealous.”
In support of the Deacon Board’s angst was Trustee Sinclair Millard. Throwing his hands in the air to cheer on Chairman of the Deacon Board Dewey Holly, Tr. Millard echoed Dcn. Holly insisting the Pastor Aid funds be only used to assist Pastor Payton – not for workshops that could push the deacons out of the way in favor of armor bearers. In an effort to make sure Dcn. Holly’s declaration about the Pastor Aid’s money be properly utilized, Sister Susan Toliver – Associate Minister Zachary Toliver’s wife – challenged any deacon to join the Pastor Aid. Dcn. Holly offered his services, causing a collective groan to move throughout the room.
Sister Ester Harris suddenly stood to speak, “I know a lot of people don’t like me because I’m real! They wanna get rid of me because I tell ‘em like it is! And I hate to see the deacons get beaten up like this. When those other ministers left, it was the deacons that picked up the pieces because those ministers left the church in shambles. If S. T. Dalloway (a deceased Deacon Board member) was here, this meeting wouldn’t even be happening. Y’all need to stop pretendin’! I’m an old coon and I can look at someone in their face and know if they mad or not!”
When Sis. Harris sat down, Dcn. Holly demanded that something be resolved between Pastor Payton and the Deacon Board. Pastor Payton decided on the 15th of December that the Deacon Board and himself would have a sit-down. A loud round of applause rang out when the Deacon Board agreed to meet on the date.
As everything seemed to be settling down and heading toward a satisfying conclusion, a fired-up Sister Charlotte Travis – the woman Pastor Payton called out about stirring rumors in the church – jumped to her feet. Sis. Travis admitted that she has come to Pastor Payton and his wife for personal issues, but never about church business.
Sis. Travis was still hurt over Payton calling her a liar when she denied being a church gossiper, saying seconds later, “And I think you need to apologize for calling me a liar when I told the truth.”
“I said you have come to us trying to find the truth in rumors,” Pastor Payton informed her. “So I’m not going to apologize.”
Doing a complete 360-degree spin in front of her chair, Sis. Travis yelled, “What? Apologize for callin’ me a liar! Apologize now, in front of God and the church members who know you are lyin’ on me!”
Pastor Payton asked Sis. Travis to calm herself, but would not give her the apology she sought. In an effort to help Pastor Payton bring the anger levels down, Deacon Roscoe Calhoun started loudly reading Psalms. The soothing nature of the Word allowed everyone to refocus and pray together for the church’s growth in love and patience to conclude this five and a half hour marathon.
