Free A Surprise for Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger Page B

very long sermon, and finally came to an end. Now would be the time for Zeugnis , when the other ministers shared their thoughts about the sermon the minister had finished preaching. Today, there were several benches filled with visiting ministers and bishops who wanted to witness the ordination. Lily swallowed a yawn. She knew it would take a long time for each to have a turn and share his thoughts. That was one thing she had learned about ministers: they were never shy to share their thoughts.
    At long last, the closing hymn was announced and everyone started to sing in the familiar slow, rhythmic way. Lily’s church sang the same hymns, in one voice, the same way all their great-great-grandparents used to sing.
    Today, just once, Lily wished they could speed up the hymn. Wasn’t anyone else eager to find out who the new bishop would be?
    After the last hymn ended, everyone went outside to get some fresh air before it was time to head back inside. Lily joined the other girls in the kitchen who were waiting to get a drink of water. Effie was beside herself with excitement.She was beaming, positively beaming. “I can’t wait to see who the new bishop will be,” she said. “Becoming a bishop’s family means that family is the most important one in the community. My mother said so, just this morning.”
    Aunt Lizzie, Uncle Jacob’s wife, would never say such a thing. Neither would David Yoder’s wife. Dear God, Lily prayed silently, please don’t let the bishop be Effie’s father. Please, please, please. She didn’t think she could stand Effie any more proud or puffed up than she already was.
    Lily filled a glass with water and drank it as slowly as she could before it was time to head back into the room filled with benches. A visiting bishop cleared his throat and got slowly to his feet. His eyes swept the room filled with people. He looked kind and compassionate, almost as if he felt sad to ordain a new bishop today. “We all know why we have gathered back together this day,” he said. “If all the visiting ministers and bishops would join me in the basement, we will be ready to start taking your votes.”
    Lily watched Henry Kauffman, David Yoder, and Uncle Jacob. They sat on the front bench, heads bowed, bearded chins to their chest. Lily wondered if they were all praying that God would let one of the other two ministers become the bishop. She almost giggled out loud. How could God answer such a prayer? If so, someone’s prayer couldn’t be granted.
    All the men went down to the basement and lined up. One by one, they whispered their vote, their choice of whom they’d like to see as bishop, to one of the visiting ministers. After the last man sat down, it was the women’s turn to vote. Afterward, everyone sat quietly, waiting. Waiting, waiting, waiting. It felt like a heavy silence. Lily didn’t dare wiggle or move an inch. It almost seemed irreverent to breathe.
    The sound of heavy feet on the basement steps broke the silence. The bishop led the way back to the front of the room. He carried three hymnals in his hands, each held shut with a rubber band. That meant all three of the ministers were chosen to be in the lot. Effie could hardly keep the smile off her face. She stretched and craned her neck to see the hymnals. Lily wanted to pinch her.
    â€œThe votes have been cast,” the bishop said. “Now I ask Henry Kauffman, David Yoder, and Jacob Miller to come forward and take a hymnal.”
    One by one, the three men rose from the bench and chose a hymnal, then sat down again. The bishop read a few verses from the book of Acts in the Bible. It described how an apostle had been chosen, after Jesus had returned to heaven, to replace Judas Iscariot as the twelfth disciple. The bishop closed the Bible and read a prayer from the little black prayer book.
    It was finally time.
    Everyone leaned forward on the benches. The only sound