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Pastor Chaz chuckled. “You’re probably right. All right. I’ll call her back and try to explain.”
“Did she say why she didn’t call me?” That stung. I wasn’t exactly new. I’d been the youth pastor for a little over a year now. Was there going to be a point when the parents would accept that I was the one in charge?
“Not really. Would you like me to ask her?”
What would the pastor say if I said yes? It was tempting.
He sighed. “You’re upset.”
“No. It’s fine. I appreciate you touching base with me.” I could hear the stiffness in my voice, but I couldn’t do anything about it.
“I’m sorry, Luke. I should have told her to call you. Would you like her contact information? You can call her back?”
I scoffed. “No. At this point, it’s clear she’d rather hear from you. I’m sure if I tried to reach out, she’d just call you to confirm that I had the authority to answer the way I did.”
“I don’t think it’s that bad.” The pastor’s voice was full of concern. “Do you really feel that way?”
“I do. I keep waiting for the parents to accept me and get excited about the program. But everyone keeps going back to you or reminding me of how Kyle did things.”
“Kyle was here a long time. Ten years.”
“I know. Believe me. But he and his family moved to Texas so he could start a church, and you all hired me to replace him. Not to be him with a different name.” It drove me crazy that no one seemed to understand—or support—my desire to do things my own way.
“You have to—”
“Give it time. I know. You keep telling me.” I probably shouldn’t have cut him off, but I was tired of being told the same thing over and over. “Maybe the spring break trip is a bad idea. It’s not too late to cancel it.”
“Is that really what you want to do? Because of one question?”
I frowned. It was the first question, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to be the last. “I guess we can wait and see how high that number gets before next week.”
“I have confidence in you, Luke. I think the trip’s a great idea. It’s new and not like anything we’ve ever done before. And there’s a lot of good potential for the kids to get their hands dirty and learn what it can mean to serve others. All the things you told me when you first proposed the trip. They still ring true. Don’t let one mother derail that.”
“How many should it take?” I shook my head. “Sorry. I appreciate you calling to check and I appreciate you getting back to the parent. And passing along the same message to the rest of them who call. Will you do me a favor, though?”
“Sure.”
“Keep a count.” Maybe them calling Pastor Chaz was a good thing. Maybe it would help him see how little the parents were doing when it came to accepting me as the youth pastor. I’d been hired and approved by the congregation after a search committee and multiple interviews and visits. But maybe they’d only agreed to hire me because I was the candidate the committee put forward. Maybe they’d be better off with someone else.
Maybe I’d be better off someplace else.
“All right. I can do that. Will you tell me why?”
“Because I don’t think you realize how resistant people are to change.”
“Kyle’s gone.”
“I know that. You know that. I’m not sure the parents have accepted it.” I sighed. “I’d like it if you proved me wrong.”
“I guess we’ll see. I’m praying for you.”
“Thanks.”
I ended the call and dropped my phone on the passenger seat. I’d go home. Shower. Grab some lunch. And then I guessed I’d spend a little time on the computer trying to decide if there was anything in Mexico City that was worth rearranging the whole trip to try to get to see.
At least that might keep me from spending the rest of the day anxious about my second date with Kayla.
12
