We gather, as many churches do for a devotional reading and song before we divide up into our Sunday school classes. It’s led by a layman so I was sitting in a pew and just before the the service started a wave sorta rose through the pews (back to front instead of side to side). Instead of cheering everyone rose saying “What was that?”
After the front pews jumped up we saw some sort of ‘critter’ bolt from the congregation into the choir loft. When it climbed up the wall we saw what it was — a squirrel!
I made an admittedly pathetic attempt to grab it. There is simply no training in seminary to prepare you for catching rodents that are circling the chancel, weaving in and out of organ pipes. The assembly was mostly made up of little ol’ ladies, so I was glad when, after a few minutes of chasing the squirrel, Danny came in. Danny is very big and very country, just the sort of man you want to show up when your trying to catch an animal.
Danny is apparently more intimidating to squirrels than I am. It might be his size and obvious comfort chasing animals, then again it might be because his momma is famous for her squirrel dumplings. Any way when Danny entered the chancel the squirrel decided to get out of there. It had climbed nearly to the ceiling, it spread its arms and flew over our heads. We had a flying squirrel.
After a nice chase through the narthex among very confused parishioners and very excited children the squirrel shot into my office. I stood outside my office listening to the thud – bump – SLAM going on inside. I tried to smile nicely to folks as I imagined going inside to find squished squirrel bits all over my books. After a minute or two, Danny emerged, beaming with pride and holding his jacket over his head. It was bundled around what had to an extremely panicked squirrel. The squirrel was set free unharmed and the morning service continued as normal. I did ask our organist to play Ray Stevens for the offertory.
(By the way Danny has since joined the Army and is serving his second round in Iraq. You’re in our prayers.)