Passion Pastor Ferris

Earnest Ferris, pastor of the Evangelical Free Church Harper village was known for literally holding
his head high. It was not out of pride, as some of his detractors thought. It was to hide a double chin,
because he was very thin man indeed. Nor does it make the eyes directed to heaven, and the Lord,
how many of his congregants thought. Pastor Ferris held his head high, his eyes never driven too
deep to fight temptation.
Pastor Ferris was a challenging one. He would spend two to three hours a day, six days a week to
craft his sermon for next Sunday. He attended every meeting of the committee listened carefully and
offer their advice and insights with lay leaders of the church. But he was a very challenging,
demanding, in matters of dress and appearance. Men must have short hair nicely decorated, elegant
dress, and ideally be clean-shaven. Women should not wear too much make-up and jewelery or skirts
above the knee, or something a bit immodest or indecent. There have been posts, of course -
sometimes colleagues with well-trimmed beard, for example - but there was one point on which was
quite hard. Women's shoes, he insisted, must be plain and simple. Sandals and high heels were out;
Ideal footwear for women, was simply decorated brown loafer.
It was a strange little thing, but members of his church did not seem to mind, because otherwise it
was a good man and really inspired servant of the Lord. So he has something about women wearing
simple shoes. And it was not too difficult to do it. Why is the time Hillary Whitlock came in wearing
dark sneakers Sunday services - imagine sneakers! - Never say never picked up a fuss. It turned out
that he had a good reason, what with the broken toe, bad girls, but no need to explain that just paid
it no mind.
Earnest Ferris was a good man and an exemplary pastor. He led his congregation in worship and
fellowship, and in their acts of charity throughout the Community. And they in turn supported him in
times of trouble, most importantly, when his wife of twelve years, became ill and eventually died.
Earnest Ferris loved his church and his church loved him.
It was on October day when Maggie Timson came knocking on the door of his office. He took off his
reading glasses and nodded with raised eyebrows, his quiet way to welcome her in. Maggie smiled
and walked into the office and sat down, and he sat opposite, staring into her eyes, as he always did.
"What can I do for you today?"
"Well, Pastor, I have a friend named Jessie. She has not been to church in a while, and I thought to
ask her to Sunday services."
"Of course," he said.
"It is," she continued, "that is also in need of a job, and I know you're still looking for an
administrator ..."
"I see," he said. "Well, can you imagine the worship, and we can take it from there."
Maggie smiled. "Thank you, Pastor. Really appreciate it."
He smiled and nodded, and let him finish his work.
This Sunday, Maggie brought his girlfriend to worship. Jessie Astor made a huge impression on the
congregation, not only because of its natural beauty and bright red hair. Jessie performs with grace
and dignity, and spoke with remarkable confidence. Men felt drawn to her - and more than a few
women felt threatened by her. She and Maggie sat in one of the front pews, and a choir sang the
opening song, Jessie soprano voice floated above them all as the feathers on the wings of an angel.
But this was something different about Jessie that would stir the Church, and especially its pastor,
who stood at the pulpit and looking uncharacteristically down, unable to speak for a full minute
before he cleared his throat and delivered his sermon in a way atypically imperfect.
It was her shoes, burgundy leather covering her legs and calves, with slender heels add almost an
inch of her figure. As a pastor fought - yes, fought - that of staring, and his congregants noticed his
distraction, but finally put together. And Maggie, her face turning pink, felt her heart sink to my
friend, whose job prospects at the church has now grown very weak.
Nevertheless, the pastor was a civilian, he managed to calm himself, and briefly talked with Jessie.
And surprisingly, he agreed to meet her the next day for an interview. Jessie later remarked to his
friend as stand-offish, it seemed so different from how it was described. "I think it was your shoes,"
Maggie managed to stammer nervously explained his eccentric passion.
A Jessie laughed, his head thrown back, and brass hearty laugh that made other people's heads turn.
Then grew calm, albeit with a knowing smile across his face.
It arrived Monday at the church a few minutes early. She dressed professionally - and black shoes
this time. Pastor Ferris sat frozen as she sat across from him and handed him my resume and letters
of recommendation.
He pointed to her shoes. "Why do you insist on wearing those?"
"My shoes?" she said innocently, "No, they are specially designed. know, I have a congenital
circulatory problems in my legs, and to keep the foot and calf swelling like a balloon."
"Oh," he said flatly. "Is there something wrong?"
"Well, I tried support hose and wrapping Ace bandages, but do not work well."
"You ... do not wear those to sleep ... you?"
She smiled and giggled. "Of course not, Pastor! I own these knee high socks, though, when I wear it
I have to stay lying down with my feet elevated. Indeed, it is quite manageable, and nothing to worry
about."
"I see. Sorry if I intruded."
She waved her hand casually, and modified in his seat and looked over her resume. Jessie had a
pretty impressive record, a letter of introduction backed that up; its only reason for being out of
work was that her previous place of employment went out of business. As the conversation
continued, he managed to keep his eyes fixed on her, and remained on the road as their employment
history and their beliefs. Jessie came from a more liberal religious background, but found that it
wishes to deepen their spiritual growth and commitment. He seemed genuinely ideal candidate as
well as his assistant and as a member of the choir.
Then she did something that made pastor unintentionally break out in sweat, his eyes grow wide,
and his hand was shaking so hard that the documents in hand as shutters rattled in a gale.
Jessie crossed her legs.
Pastor, he looked down just for a split second, swallowed and asked her, "How soon can you start"
"When you're ready," she said.
She began the next day.
Jessie has joined the Church rather quickly, and pastor took a personal interest in her. He
recommended that the members of the church choir because her God gifted voice and his love of
music. And found it was not so stand-offish, as originally thought, especially when she wore her
religious robes, or sitting behind his desk. Their conversation over lunch was growing more and
more interesting, from the Bible and philosophy to other mutual interests. Soon they became friends
- and then something more
.
It was in January when Pastor Jessie Ferris called and invited her to dinner and a movie. "The date
you have in mind?"
"No," he said nervously, "if you would like to see that."
She could not help but smile. "On Thursday at seven?"
"Uh ... Yes, I think it will be fine, yes. Thank you."
A Thursday took her to the best restaurant Harper Village works, and sat and ate and talked long
into the night, they never got around to film. Instead, he went to her home, always keep your eyes
forward until he stopped, put his hand on his chin and turned his face to hers.
"Really?"
He was pale. "Y-Yes?"
"Could you do something special for me?"
"I - I suppose."
She leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "Look at my shoes."
Earnest slowly looked down. Jessie had six pairs of shoes - two black, two dark brown, one light
brown and burgundy, which she wore tonight. Her dark blue dress came to just below the knee, and
she lifted one leg, a hint of her light skin peeked between cloth and leather, and her knee seemed to
sparkle in the night. He shuddered as he looked.
Then gently steer his face to look back to its generous green eyes. "See, nothing to it."
"Jessie," he tried to say. "I have something to confess to you." She nodded slowly, stroking the side of
the jaw, soothing him to continue ". ... I've always had a thing for feet ..."
"Women's feet," filled
His head swung around and nodded. "A shoe Some shoes, as well as -." His eyes down at his shoes
again, then flashed back into her eyes. "For so long I had to resist the temptation -"
"Do you think it's wrong."
"It's bad to be paid only part of the women, and no more Do not you see how objectifying how
disgusting -!?"
"Earnest," she said, "look at me!" He froze, and focused on her face. "I know, after all these months
it is not true that I respect and care about me as a whole person."
He closed his eyes and nodded slowly. "Yes., Jessie, I am what we have and who you are - .. It means
so much to me,"
Her eyes gleamed, and she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "And that's why I have to
confess something to you.'s Not so congregant pastor, but because we want to go further with this,
we have to be absolutely honest."
He took her hands in his and looked tenderly at her. "Go on."
"Remember how I told you why I wore these shoes?"
"Yes, your circulation problem."
"No," she admitted with a shrug, "that's not quite true."
"What do you mean?"
. "I had this problem at school, and I wear shoes like these, because my doctor recommended them,
but even after the problem is gone, I was so used to wearing them that -"
Now his face changed completely, so much so that he had to take a step back from him. "You knew!
Knew about me all the time!"
"It was not hard to figure out Earnest."
"And you used me you -!"
"No, I swear!" protested, rushing to take his hand. But he shook it up and started to walk away.
Jessie called his name, but he ignored her when he left, he left it where it was.
The next day, he called in sick, so Jessie alone in the church. He refused to talk to her, not even to
say whether he wanted to work there. On Saturday, informed the chairman of the council of elders
that he was too ill to lead worship, so the deacons led an impromptu service that Sunday. Jessie And
that day was also present.
Finally, on Monday, Pastor Ferris arrived at the church. Jessie was already there.
"We need to talk," he said, his gaze averted.
"Are you going to fire me?" she asked.
"I'd rather," he tried to say, "if you could leave voluntarily."
"Why?" she insisted. "Because I lied, or because they do not think you should be ashamed of?"
He closed his eyes tightly. "Because you're special ... used my desire to get what you wanted."
"Let's just say that I did not wear these shoes," she said, "but the simple brown shoes, like you, that
every woman around him to wear. Would you hire me then?"
"Of course," he replied coldly. "You're more than qualified."
"And if I had no legs at all, confined to a wheelchair?"
"It has nothing to do with your work, or your faith."
"Exactly!" she cried. "Yes, I lied, and I'm sorry for that, but I did not do it," to use your wishes. "I did
it so it would not be a problem, so you can see me as qualified for the job, as a whole person. And
you see me like this, right?"
I still could not look at her, but he managed to nod. "But I still do not understand why it's so wrong
... It's like the Chinese, insisted that the women bind their feet -."
"No, Earnest," she corrected him. "Valuing women's legs as they are, as God intended, there is
nothing like foot binding, but your assertion that every woman around him wrap his legs clunky
plain brown wrappers -."
Now he turned and looked at her. And then I began to realize that yes, it would be humiliating
enforcement of legalism to each woman about him, insisting that they are in line with the outward
code for his own good and his alone. And now, when he heard and realized it when he found it even
harder to look at Jessie.
She reached over to the table, grabbed my Bible, and handed it to him and he shyly took her hand.
"If you can show me in the Scriptures," he said, "where it is said that man can not admire a woman's
legs, then leave and come back -. Painful, such as" And with that he turned and went into his office.
It was the end of the day. Pastor came out of his office all the time. Jessie finished all his work,
neatly folding and presentation of what needs to be put away. She took her coat from the closet and
put it on, then threw a scarf around his neck.
When he left the hall, pastor stood in the doorway of his office. His face was white as a sheet, beads
of sweat covering his face. Slowly walked up to him, and he was within reach, gently took her face in
his hands.
"Song of Songs," he whispered, his voice trembling. "Chapter seven, verse one."
Jessie closed her eyes and felt her heart turn to lead. Then he kissed her more tenderly and
passionately than either kissed other, and tears came into his eyes, and she began to cry as well.
And Earnest Ferris, pastor of the Evangelical Free Church Harper Village, fell to his knees, stroking
her brown leather boots with the tips of his fingers, and through his sobs, he recited the verse:
"How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! Joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the
work the hands of a cunning workman."