Reverend Ref +

ROUNDABOUT

Okay, not a Styx song, but this Yes song has been running through my head lately. It all started on two . . . wait, that's "Alice's Restaurant."

First Verse: I'm doing my first marriage counseling/prep session. They are looking to get married on 11/27 at St. P's. No big deal, normally. But this is small town life, so nothing is "normal." First, a little bit about who is allowed to perform marriages in Montana. According to the government official I talked with at the county courthouse, "Anyone who thinks they have the authority to perform marriges can do so." Wow. Okay, so I think I have that authority based on all of those over-priced pieces of paper hanging on my office walls. So, I'm doing a wedding.

Here's where it gets weird though. This couple had been seeing Fr. Ed (whom everyone in town calls "Fred") for some marriage prep sessions. They really didn't like the way things were going with him, so they decided to come see me. Fred is the RC priest in town. He's also my neighbor. Our side of the street looks like this: EC church, EC parish hall, EC rectory, RC rectory, RC church. I REALLY didn't like the way this was turning out. Session one was an information session: When do you want to get married, what have you done up to this point, I'm-not-going-to-promise-anything-about-this-until-I've-talked-with-Fr. Ed type of stuff. The last thing I need is to have people find out that I'm letting them do an end-around their own clergy. Hence the Roundabout song.

Fred and I had a good long discussion. He was okay with it, and even gave me their Prepare & Enrich results to use during the prep sessions. Tied in with the outline that I have, it's been going very well. We had our third session last night and they seem to be getting what I want them to get out of it. This bodes well for future couples.

Second Verse: The couple and his parents showed up at St. P's this past Sunday. I'd like to think that they were simply checking out the parish and the dude who would be doing the service. Not quite. Turns out that they might be church shopping and that they were sufficiently impressed with the service that they might come back. I know, that's alot of "mights," but I worry about things like that -- especially since the parents have been long-time RC members. Which means that, if they decide to make a switch, it affects my neighbor.

I really do love it here, and I really do love Sheridan and the Ruby Valley; but man, when people go church shopping here there's nowhere to hide. If this switch thing gets serious, I need to have another talk with Fred.