First Summers Mass (Open)

[Father Stanley Cupper]

Father Cupper smiled slightly to himself as the Sunday Mass began, the congregation wasn't quite as big as it could have been, but the half full chamber still warmed his hart in a much gentler heat than the summer sun outside, And I cannot bless that air conditioner enough for giving me space to know the difference He muses as he moves before the small, scattered crowd, "Good morning, beloved." He says, "And before we begin, I would like to thank each and every one of you for being present today, feeds my soul to see the faithful. That said, I do fear that today's sermon shall be a titch short, as I'm currently lacking many of the aids I aught be having for the proceedings, though if any of ye'd care to apply for positions like organist or otherwise, there is to be a small fellowship time after service in the back with a few sandwiches and the like. For now..." He clears his throat, and when he speaks again, his tone is much deeper, a voice used to projecting over a much wider area, but still not being loud to the point of deafening, "In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit..." He intones, beginning the Introductory Rites.

A short time later, he opens his bible, "A reading from the Letters to the Romans, chapter fourteen, verses one through four, Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
" He looks up as he concludes, "The word of the Lord... Beloved... this is one of many passages I love, because this reminds us of something that so many forget... that God, our Father, see's us all as one under Him. We are the children of One who has a perfect, unyielding love, One who is perfection incarnate, yet tolerates the filthy rags we each bring unto Him and claim as righteousness. So many these days seek to separate the faith, call false witness to the love of God by denouncing as sinful the meta, the homosexual, the faithless, the homeless, the addicted, and so many more.  In the gospel of Matthew, the word of the Lord tells us, Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Beloved, I surely say unto thee, that whosoever looks to his brother, and scorns him, is seen as filth in the eyes of the Lord. But he who looks upon his brother, and seeks to help him up, no matter his failings, is a true child of God."

Leaving the parishioners to mull on that, he carries on with the Mass, guiding through the Eucharist and Communion best he's able alone, and drawing to the concluding rites, "The Lord be with you." he intones, listening to the response from the crowd, "May almighty God keep you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen." He gives a soft smile, "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord." As people begin to file out, "Oh, and again, if any of you'd care to see about helping the church, the dining halls on the right, I'll be in presently." he says as he moves to duck into the vestry. 

[Deleted]

Brooke wasn’t exactly devout. Anyone who knew her personally, on a day to day basis would know that. But she did have religion. She did have some manner of faith which was slowly coming back to her now that she’d successfully graduated. Now that she was eighteen. Now that she wasn’t barred and chained to wishes and ideals of her parents congregation. That had, honestly, been the most difficult part of her transformation. Learning and re-learning how to trust int he words of their community, that the words they said weren’t just for show.

Brooke still wasn’t completely convinced. She still had those thoughts of self-depreciation. Religion did very little to help shield her from herself. In fact, the thought of it often made it seem worse. But then she’d work up the courage to go to a mass, partake of the communion, recite the Lord’s Prayer in chorus with the rest of the congregation, and she’d….feel better? No, not better. But comfortable. These practices, regardless if they served any meaning to her, were familiar and thus brought some level of comfort to the girl with the chaotic mind.

Since the Great Depression of 2013(that’s what she called if only for self-amusement), Brooke had skimped out on many services. It wasn’t until late winter, when she finally started stabilizing herself, that she started going to mass again. Not every week. She’s skip. She’d gotten her ashes done on Ash Wednesday. She participated in Lent as best she could. She’d skipped more than a few mid-week services, but definitely went to Easter Mass. Now that she was graduated and moved into her new shared apartment, Brooke was…well, she decided to try and make a commitment to show up more often. Brooke was just glad she didn’t have to go home for University.

Brooke listened to the sermon, smiling slightly up at Father Cupper, a man she hadn’t been introduced to yet as this was her first visit to this particular church. ”And also with you,” she said in response to his words. She lifted her right hand into the sign of the cross as he spoke his final words. ”Amen.”

And now…was time for the after-service meet and greet. She wondered if they had cookies. Brooke followed the small crowd out of the chapel and towards the dining suit with a small bounce in her step. Upon entering, Brooke made a beeline for the refreshments table, scooping herself up some punch and guzzling it down. She was thirsty!

[Father Stanley Cupper]

The snack line was... well... Cupper wasn't EMBARRASSED by it, but he certainly wished he could have done better. The snacks were mostly what he could get from a catering pack at the local Walmart, supplemented by Chips Ahoy, Oreo, and generous donations from Lays. The beverages, predictably, were the most varied of the lot, going from water, to juices, to teas to coffees, "And I'll be getting an aide before doing that much again." He muses behind a smile as he mingles with the parishioners. His eyes land on a young woman bull rushing the line as the latest family parts. Heaving a sigh, he moves over, "Bit peckish, are ye lass?" He asks, not sounding bothered, more concerned, "These are more meant as summat ta nibble around conversations than something to fill you up... and more pointedly they are for everyone in general."

[Deleted]

Brooke’s eyes flew up to the taller, tubbier bearded man, her lips still suckling in the juice from her dixie cup. She blinked exactly twice.

Upon removing the cup she brought her hand daintily to cover her mouth in astonishment. “Oh! I’m so sorry!” she said with a soft and genuinely remorseful voice. But then she turned again and refilled her cup with more juice, grabbed a handful of chips and started munching. Refacing Father Cupper, she smiled casually. “So…what do you want to converse about?” She took another, smaller, sip from her dixie cup.

[Father Stanley Cupper]

He cocks an eye at the girls display, but opts not to make an issue of it, "Could be anything or nothing." He shrugs, "I'm mostly interested in getting a feel of the community, seeing who all's needing or wanting the church here. Did you attend this place with my predecessor, or just spot us on a drive? If you dont mind me asking, of course, I know I get nosy."

[Deleted]

Aww, phooey, Brooke was hoping for a little bit more of a shock-what-is-this-girl-thinking response than what he gave her, but oh well. He was a priest, right? So maybe being chill was in the job description?

“I’m fine wit’cha asking,” she said with a shrug, popping in another chip. “I’m brand-spanking new to this congregation here. Guess I’m just kinda searching about, doing a bit’a window shopping, if you know what I mean?” A new life deserved a new church, after all!

[Father Stanley Cupper]

"I getcha." He nods, scratching his beard, "Lets see if I can guess... young, hungry, bit of an attention getter..." He squints, "Not a homeless or a runaway with that outfit..." He snaps his fingers, "Graduated, or close to graduating, and trying to figure out who you'll be as your own woman, without mommy and daddy supervising, shopping around for identity, in other words, am I close?"

[Deleted]

Brooke snapped her finger right into a point at the old man. “What gave me away?” she asked with a coy smile. “Oh I know! Betcher psychic, right?” Brooke giggled a little more as she helped herself to more food then proceeded to wash it down with more juice.

Though she didn’t really care how he knew. Or that he did at all. Wasn’t like she had any secrets, other than the meta thing, and this town was pretty meta-open considering the presence of the meta-school.

[Father Stanley Cupper]

The old priest gives a snort at that, "Thank heavens no, that'd be a blasted rude and terribly boring power to have." he shakes his head, "No, my powers a little less publicized, I just took rather obvious guesses. only fly in the ointment is that I rarely see one so young or... daft, theres a word for it... cavalier?" he looks thoughtful, then shrugged, "Sounds right to me... anyway, its a welcome rarity that you've chosen to give God a chance in your life so young."

[Deleted]

“Heeey, now! My best-friend-mentor is psychic and he’s the most boring person I know!” And Brooke said that with all the affection in the world towards Dr. Sean Neville. However it was somewhat comforting to hear that the Father was also a meta, and that he so openly admitted to it, without an ounce of shame. Brooke smiled at his phrasing. “Yup! Pretty soon you’ll be seein’ me riding six white horses when I come!”

Brooke giggled, amused with herself, then gave pause to the Father’s assumption that she was altogether new at this. Brooke shook her head. “Nope, I actually was raised pretty devout in the Catholic church,” she spoke seriously, for once. “It’s only that when I came here for schooling, I kind of got bombarded with a lot of life all at once and ended up falling pretty far off track.” Very far in fact. “But now that I’m gradumated, I’m wantin’ t’make a bangin’ fresh start!” Brooke rolled up her “sleeves” and pumped her fist with enthusiasm.

[Father Stanley Cupper]

"I can imagine." He sighs, "Most mind readers I've met in me time forget that the other person cant share the conversation they're just plucking from the ether."



Cupper gives a look of faux dismay at her statement regarding steeds, "Good Lord, lass, have a heart, just one horse would take me a week to clean up after, I'm glory bound in time, but I'd like that time to be a good way off."



His smile at her last proclamation is one of a man who's very proud of what he see's, but is trying to restrain himself for fear of seeming patronizing, "That's exactly what I'm talking about. Loads of folks start their lives getting their bottoms drug to church by their parents or grandparents, and just do the lip service needed not to seem an outsider. Leads to the problem they never have a connection to the church, so when hard times come, they set aside the Good Book and give it nary a wave goodbye as they move on. If you're looking for a church to be part of, then by all means, you're welcome here long as you care to. All I ask is..." He gives a slight pause as he plays up a long suffering sigh, "leave some blasted chips for the rest of the congregation, Lord above, lass, you aren't THAT skinny."

[Deleted]

"Really?" Brooke questioned with a tilt of the head. "My mentor is actually quite good at conversation. He likes to teach about privacy and autonomy and all that jazz. After all, it'snot polite to be diggin' around in someone else's noggin without they're say so, right?" Brooke knew that Sean felt very strongly about that fact.

Brooke giggled at his response to her silliness. "You're the one who said I should be cavalier." Wasn't her fault that horses came into the equation.

Brooke lowered her head at his words. They pretty much hit the mark, though Brooke always liked to think she was a believer. It's what made her fall out of the church so distressing. It's hard to keep faith when you believe that God had you cursed for the sake of some plan you never asked to be a part of. So she didn't say anything back, but just listened with a smile. And helped herself to more chips. Her silly grin returned with his next complaint. "Heh heh heh, nope! I'm hungry!" Brooke pointedly took yet another chip to her teeth and munched.

[Father Stanley Cupper]

"Must be a strong'n then." Stan muses, "Most I've met can't help but glean a little off the top weather they feel against it or not."

"I didn't say you SHOULD be cavalier, I said you SEEM cavalier." He grumps, "And horses are only part of the swashbu-..." He blinks, and considers, then gives a bit of a wan smile, "Actually... with that thought... stick to the horses. Please."

"If you're actually hungry, I'll drive you to a Cracker Barrel or something after the church clears up." He chuckles, "Eating nothing but five pounds of chips, plus such a flagrant display of Gluttony in a church, is a good way to tummy aches." He looks over the bags and the rest of the people milling about, many leaving to get on with their days, "Though..." He says with a chuckle, resting his hands against the table and shifting weight to his right leg, "It is nice to see that folks did care to stick around and get to know one another after the service. Church works best as a community rather than a bunch of souls trying to dodge the pit." He shakes his head, "Sorry, probably a bit downer that thought."

[Deleted]

Brooke shook her head. “Nah, he says that he can’t help to hear it, but he dusn’t do it on porpoise and that the best thingie to do is just keep yer opinions to yerself ‘cause if they didn’t tell ya outright, then it should be respected as not a topic open for conversation.” She nodded sharply and smartly. Brooke, however, had gotten used to having Dr. Neville bring up topics and answer questions she was thinking about already without speaking out loud because after years of therapy with the psychiatrist, they’d developed an understanding of what he was allowed to explore in her head.

Brooke smile crept ever wider as she heard him stop mid-sentence over a word that would have undoubtedly made things worse. Hee hee hee. “Thank you,” she said brightly.

“That’s what you think, but I’ll have you know I can proudly say that I live on a diet of chips and milk. And juice.” And a variety of other things, but Brooke loved her junk food. And meat. Lots of meat, but they didn’t have any of that here.

The Father’s statement was a little bit of a downer, but Brooke had to appreciate the humor he was able to have on the subject. Far too often she’d met men-of-god who were all serious 24/7, as if the denial of fun and humor was what would send them straight to hell. It was those kind of people that always made her self conscious about herself, even when she wasn’t doing anything wrong. “It’s no biggie,” she assured him, chomping another chip.

[Father Stanley Cupper]

"Di'nae mean to offend." He says, raising his hands at her tone, "Just commenting tha' either way, tis a dread thing to have, nigh as I can tell." He blinks, realizing he's let his accent bleed through, clearing his throat, "Plus," He says, tone a bit more measured, "Im a paranoid old lout, I get iffy if anyone knows what my car looks like, let alone whats rattling between my ears. Take my words with a grain of salt unless they come from the Scriptures."

The elder chuckles at her dietary recounting and pats his belly, "Oh, Im not one to judge on that, though I do warn you, it may seem a long way off, but one day, that teen metabolism will go away and one day bring you around to my physique."

"Thanks." He says, rubbing the back of his head, "Aught not speak poorly of others, speaks poorly of myself. Only one gets to judge, and He's a fair height above any rank I could ever get to. Speaking of judging, and feel free to ignore this if its a sensitive thing to ye, but a psychic 'mentor' and a bit of relief on your face when I was talking of me own abilities, might I be so bold as to ask after your own gifts? I'm trying to get a bit of a feel on the local meta community, how they're treated, what all kin be done, and so on. Nothing nefarious, I promise, just want to start getting the locals more comfortable around the students and everyone's standings in the eyes of God."