Guest Blogger, Coral Thomas, Member of Greater Hope Gospel United Church, Memphis, TN

When Bishop Percy Jennings appointed (well it was actually more of a mandate rather than an 'appointment') Rev. Theophilus Simmons to serve as the Senior Pastor of my church, Greater Hope Gospel United Church in Memphis, I wasn't so sure that was the best idea. Why? Because I knew the Bishop had done that because of all of the shenanigans and goings ons between Rev. Simmons and that alley cat, Glodean Benson.

Oh, I know she's been all 'doodied' up as a First Lady out in North Carolina and such. But that thang is what she is. I ain't never liked her back then, and I show don't like her right now. I don't know what was wrong with Rev. Simmons when all of that happened between him and her. You know folks don't like to talk about that now because of Essie and because Pastor turned his life around and got right with the Lord. But it still happened, so there.

I am so glad Rev. Simmons got himself right with Jesus. Folks can get so all caught up in the hoopla of church business until they forget about what the church is really about, The Gospel of Jesus Christ. All of those politics and maneuverings can make things so hard for folk, especially preachers, 'cause they, unlike us, do have to deal with the workings (good or bad) of their bishops. I wish it weren't necessarily so. But it is what it is. You know, if those bishops rule on something crazy, you can guarantee it'll get a little bit crazy for the pastors.

We, the regular church folk, can tell the bishop to go and jump in the lake if he (and now, she) ain't acting right, and listening to the Lord when He tells them yes or no on an issue. I mean, there have to be times, when the bishops come up with something and the Lord says....NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I mean, when we the regular folk in the church, the ones sitting in the pews hear about some things they are working on and trying to make as a new rule and such, we'll be like...WHAT? WHY? And then we'll scratch our heads, hard, trying to figure out what part of 'that is just pure-tee crazy talk and actions' that you don't understand.

Whew, I could write a book myself on that one. But I'd better slow this down because Lee Allie has sent me an email while writing that this, that the next guest blogger is on the way to her to get ready for tomorrow.

But anyways, all of this what I'm sayin' is just a good reason to make sure that the Gospel United Church gets good bishops. And I know that when they get to that General Conference in Durham in More Church Folk, it's gonna be on, Coral Thomas.