Fig Tree Federated
Church has a checkered history.
Established around the turn of the 20th Century as Fig Tree Covenant
Church, the congregation split when 17-year-old Billy Bliss was asked to
deliver the message one fateful Sunday morning.
Billy’s message suggested a homosexual relationship between Biblical
characters David and Jonathan, causing great consternation among the church
folks, including holy grouch Amos Cobb, who set out to establish a competing
congregation, which he named The Fig Tree All Souls’ Bible Tabernacle of Our
Holy Redeemer.
Amos and Fig Tree
Covenant Church founder Josiah Corn were life-long friends and rivals. It seemed to Amos that Josiah always had the
upper-hand, and when Amos’ later-in-life-daughter Millie became engaged to Josiah’s
son Jeremiah it was just about the last straw.
Following conflict-filled and comedic episodes, Fig Tree All Souls’
Bible Tabernacle of Our Holy Redeemer and Fig Tree Covenant Church eventually
united to become Fig Tree Federated Church.
Fast-forward a couple
of generations to Brent Bent, Pastor of Fig Tree Federated Church. Brent faces
numerous obstacles and roadblocks from belligerent and officious church members
in his attempt to call the church to mission.
Brent is inspired by a young stone mason, Jim Fraser, who serves
part-time as pastor of Friendship Church.
Friendship Church,
while small in numbers, has a diverse membership, and offers weekly free
community meals. Brent shows up to
volunteer with some of the Friendship Church members, such as a gay couple,
Vince and Barry, and the chief organizer of the meals, Nita, a woman who has
endured numerous difficulties in her life, and with whom Brent, rather
unsuccessfully, attempts a personal relationship. Even Travis, a five-year-old African American
boy, has an engaging and uplifting persona that touches Brent.
When Brent tries to convey the spirit
of Friendship Church to the people at Fig Tree Federated Church, he is met with
resistance, as church leaders cannot break from the chains of their ingrained
behaviors.
