A jokey story with truth in it:
Two old friends are out golfing on a Saturday morning in the spring. Everything about it is perfect—the temperature is warm with a cool, light breeze, the green has never looked so sharp, there are birds in the sky and both men are hitting about as well as they ever have. They remark to each other that this is the kind of golf experience that keeps them coming back week after week.
After the obligatory stop at the 19th celebrating their best scores in a long time, as they’re saying their goodbyes in the parking lot, one asks: “Wanna play again tomorrow morning?”
His friend replies: “Can’t!
It’s Sunday.”
“So?”
“I have to go to church!”
“Really, you still doing that?”
“Of course I am, it’s a very important part of my life.”
“Really,” the first responds,
“I didn’t know that.”
“We’ve known each other over 30 years, how could you not know about how important my faith is to me?”
“Well,” replies his friend, choosing his thoughts carefully. “It’s true we’ve known each other a long time. Over the years you’ve had us over for dinner, you’ve invited us to your kids’ weddings, we’ve even vacationed together, but you’ve never once invited me to your church, so I figured it wasn’t very important to you.” —told by Rev. Dan West, Runnymede, Toronto
A story that did happen:
The Christian minister and the Jewish contractor are discussing a church sanctuary restoration schedule.
The congregation will be worshipping in the Fellowship Hall while the restoration is underway.
As the sanctuary restoration nears its commencement, the minister asks the contractor: “So, you’re sure we can be back in the sanctuary for worship on Easter Sunday?”
The contractor assures the minister: “I will have you back in the sanctuary for Easter, Reverend.”
Weeks pass, and the restoration has morphed many times.
The concerned minister asks with more urgency: “Do you still think we will meet the restoration completion date, and be back in the sanctuary on Easter Sunday?”
The contractor again assures him: “Reverend, even if the restoration project is not 100 per cent completed, we can work around each other … you will be able to worship on Easter Sunday.”
As the restoration continues to develop, and time is marching on, the minister realizes the schedule is unrealistic, and suggests that a properly completed job is more important than a rushed job.
He therefore says to the contractor: “What do you say we forget about Easter?”
The Jewish contractor says: “Okay, but I never thought I would hear a Christian minister say that.” —told by Rev. Robert Royal, St. Andrew’s, Maple, Ont.
