Surprise Party was a real surprise

    I really didn't think I could pull it off.  After all having a surprise birthday party at the church for the pastor is no small feat because the more people that know the less chance one has to succeed.  I was fearful that someone would give it away at the last minute and that almost happened.  One of the little girls walked into the sanctuary carrying her present for the pastor but fortunately she was redirected to the fellowship hall without the preacher being the wiser. 
    I think the party came at the right moment because the preacher seemed a little down tonight and it was just the thing to cheer him up.  He was turning 60 and maybe that number was a little depressing.  As soon as the service was over I went to our out building and retrieved the wheel chair I had decorated with balloons while everyone else was whisked away into the fellowship hall.  I stepped back into the church and told the preacher I needed to see him outside.  He got a big kick out of the wheelchair and put on a little show for us.  I then asked hi to step into the fellowship hall which had been magically transformed.  There were two birthday cakes, one saying Happy and the other saying birthday.  I explained it took tow cakes because old peoples vision fades and we had to write real big so he could see. 
   We then gave him his presents, all gag gifts.  he received everdent, fixident, a denture brush, back ache pills, and other gifts related to growing old.  He received two pair of shorts, one red with white trim and the other green with bells on them.  Someone gave him a pocket watch which I explained by saying 'That's another timepiece the preacher can ignore ".  We then sang Happy birthday "really loud" to compensate for the reduced hearing people experience as they age.  I let the preacher cut his piece of cake then I sliced and served the rest of it. 
   It was a grand evening and the preacher was really surprised and it did cheer him up so. 
  I then cleaned up and helped take all the presents to the preacher vehicle, including the balloons and put away the wheelchair before locking up the church for the evening. 
   It was a special evening, not just the surprise birthday party but the service itself.  I have never been to a church where the members loved each other the way One Way Baptist does.  I believe we exhibit the kind of love for each other that would be pleasing to God.