Something Old - Dianne L. Christner [97]
The next speaker was another man. He read the long passage of scripture in Corinthians. Katy felt like he was stealing from the congregation’s discussion time, for they had already covered the scripture several times in the course of Brother Troyer’s sermons. She tried to calm herself, to listen. She tried to remain open-minded. To silently pray. But after the man sat down, she found herself on her feet.
“Yes, Sister Katy,” Mr. Weaver said gently.
“I—” She closed her eyes a moment and swallowed, trying to put her thoughts into a short summary. The image of God’s sheltering wings shot into her mind again, along with the scripture she’d just heard. “But we are to wear the covering on behalf of the angels. According to the scripture just read, they are present in this room.” She paused. “Right now.” Nothing else came to her mind so she sat.
Silence prevailed for a long moment. She dipped her head and stared at her skirt, thinking she had not expressed her opinion logically. Megan took her arm in support. The silence prolonged. And amazingly, nobody else stood. Her heart drummed inside her, for she wondered what everyone was thinking. Still nobody spoke. She slowly raised her head. Across the sanctuary, several heads were bowed. A rush of shivers passed over her.
Then a sweet note filled the silence, and she turned toward its source. One of the women had started to sing from her pew. Her words rang pure and sweet wafting over the otherwise silent room: “Angels from the realms of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth.” Katy joined her voice to the rest of the congregation’s. “Ye who sang creation’s story, now proclaim Messiah’s birth; come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King.”
At the end of the song, Mr. Weaver spoke in a reverent tone. “I believe the angels are observing our meeting. In the awe of this holy moment, let us pray.” His prayer held reverence and worship. A few Amens sounded afterward.
He looked over the congregation and explained, “If the vote to keep the present headdress ordinance does not pass, then the elders will appoint a committee to write a new ordinance. That one will be brought to the congregation for a vote of approval. Let us take our vote now regarding the original ordinance. Remember, only church members are allowed to participate. All those who wish to keep the head covering ordinance as it is, please stand.”
Katy stood. Megan and Lil both remained seated. But Katy joyfully noticed a large number of men and women stood with her. After they were counted, Mr. Weaver asked them to please be seated. Then he said, “All opposed to the present ordinance on the headdress, please stand.” Lil and Megan stood, and a lump of despair and unbelief filled Katy’s throat when she saw that the opposing side was equally represented. Her heart drummed inside her as she waited for the count to be concluded.
“Be seated.” Mr. Weaver coughed into his hand. “The opposed have it. The ordinance will be amended. This meeting is now adjourned.”
Stunned to silence, the congregation slowly rose and, Quaker-like, filed out of the meetinghouse. The winning side did not gloat, and the losers did not protest. Generations of practicing nonresistance came to the fore and governed the congregation’s actions. Everyone seemed to understand that it was best to just disband until everyone had time to pray over the elders’ decision since it was such a controversial matter. Katy followed the suit of the others, but inside, she felt turmoil. Soon the turmoil turned to anger.
When they’d reached the parking lot, Megan said, “I want you to know that I stood because I believe the only way we can keep the congregation from splitting is to allow everyone to make their own decision. I’m sorry. I know it hurt