- Jerk boss.
Mediocre policies.
Should have known better.
I should have known better, should have known better.
What?
- Oh honey, I came as soon as I heard.
- How sweet of you.
Did you bring me--
- Comfort food?
I brought you cookies and wine.
- Cheep wine?
- Just like in college.
- Mm.
And he let me go.
- That ain't right.
- And he said it was layoffs.
- That ain't right.
- But I know it's just he didn't like me
because I stood up to him.
But you know what, Kat?
Greener pastures ahead.
- A agree.
You know what, you didn't need to work at the mall anyway.
You have a degree.
- In religion.
- Okay, so then work at a church.
- Work at a, churches are full of drama,
and you know I don't do drama.
- I just saw a position today at our church.
- For what?
- Executive pastor.
- Executive pastor?
- Mmhmm.
- Executive pastor.
- Hello, Pastor's office.
Yes.
No.
Is that it?
Okay.
Your 5:00 canceled.
Yes?
Mr. Sandro, I already told you,
once the pastor gets one free second,
he will investigate a new oven.
Until then you're just gonna have to make due.
Okay, bye.
- Sabrina, Sabrina,
you don't have to monitor my time like this.
Mr. Sandro's been waiting a long time
for me to fix that oven since February.
- I know, but you have your 2:00 and your 3:00
and then you have the deacon's meeting
and marriage counseling,
I just don't think you can fit him in.
- I always got time for stuff that's important.
- It is not important.
A new stove is not gonna help that man cook any better.
- What'd you say?
- Oh nothing.
- Grace Hightower, how are you dear?
- I'm fine, Pastor, just fine, and you?
- He's busy.
- Yes, I am, what can I do for you?
- Yesterday I heard that there was a job opening
here at the church, is that right?
- Yes.
We have an opening for executive pastor.
Pastor Frank quit and so we are in desperate need of help.
I mean we are in desperate need.
You know anybody that's interested?
- Yes, Pastor, myself.
- Excellent, I think you'd make a great candidate.
- Well you haven't seen this yet.
- Well, that's amazing, Pastor,
I didn't even think you would think
I was qualified to do it, but I'll tell you this,
I have great management experience,
as well as volunteer service here at the church
as well as college ministry.
- I know, I know.
Sabrina, you think we have time for an interview?
- Now?
Sir, I'm gonna have to advise against it.
You have a media team meeting in only 20 minutes.
- And like I can, but I'm not prepared.
I didn't even think you would take my application.
- Actually, we got time for a group interview.
- What?
- Yes, Sabrina, Grace,
you both applied for the same position
so let's step into my office and have a group session.
So, what makes you a good fit for this position?
- Well, I am intimately familiar with the duties
of both the pastor and the executive pastor
as I've worked for both of you for the past two years.
- Hm, Grace?
- Well, I worked in a department store for over eight years
so I have a lot of executive like duties
that I did over there.
- Like what?
- Managed people, inventory control, payroll,
I pretty much ran the entire
day-to-day activities over there.
- Hm, and what is your greatest weakness?
- Well, I have to say, my greatest weakness is
I'm too meticulous, focusing on tasks with perfection.
I mean, I just don't like to have
things fall through the cracks.
- Hm, that sounds good, Grace.
- That's good.
My greatest weakness would be um,
I care about people too much.
The last job that I was with,
it was a business about making money,
but people would come in, employees would come in
and they would ask for advances against their checks,
you know, and I would feel sorry for them, Pastor.
And so I think that's the reason why I got fired.
- Mm.
- Sir, is there anything that I can help you with?
After all, that is my job.
- I just got an email from Haiti
and I'm about to leave on an emergency right away.
- Right now?
- Yes.
And I'm gonna leave you two in charge.
- What?
- Good morning, Sabrina.
- Morning.
- Hm, up early.
- I always do, something the pastor really likes.
- Hm, did he make it okay yesterday?
- Uh, I haven't heard from him, but uh,
I will follow up when he should arrive at the orphanage.
- Okay, good.
Um, so um,
where do I sit?
- I was thinking the lobby.
- Shouldn't I have a desk?
- Well this is my desk
and the only other desk is the pastor's
and I really don't think it's appropriate for you to use it.
- Okay so um, what am I supposed to do?
Just work on my phone?
- Huh, that works for me.
- I have an idea.
Why don't we switch.
Why don't you work here in the morning
and then I'll come in the afternoon
and I'll work here on the desk.
- Like I said, this is my desk.
I know where everything is.
It is organized with optimal efficiency
and ergonomics in mind.
For me to leave this desk,
would send this church into a downward spiral
of tragedy and disaster,
particularly when the pastor is gone.
- Mm.
- Actually, it would just be really awkward with you here.
- Mmhmm, yeah.
Awkward all right.
Oh God.
Listen, Sabrina, I understand that you feel like
you are more qualified than me, that's fine.
But the pastor put both of us in charge.
We've got to stay here and work together as a team.
- See, it would be nice if I needed the help,
but I have this all under control.
Personally, I think that the pastor felt sorry for you
because you got fired for being too nice.
- Mm, that was uncalled for.
- Just like you being here.
- This is a church.
We're supposed to be a team.
I'm not here for this bull--
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,
what in the Siegfried and Roy is going on in here?
- Oh, Deacon Thompson, I'm sorry, did she disturb you?
- Well, I'm having a prayer meeting over there.
I'm hearing all this bickering over here.
Now what's the problem?
- Oh, we just were having a bit of conflict
about a job opening.
- Oh, what job opening?
- Uh, the executive pastor position.
- Executive pastor position?
First time I'm hearing about this.
- Well, I heard about it from Kat.
- The wino's daughter?
Look, as head deacon, I should at least know about this.
- Well I am so sorry.
I forgot to post it on the church website,
but probably won't need it anyway.
- Well why is that?
- Well because the pastor has placed myself
and her-- - And me.
- In charge in his absence.
So you know,
I guess whoever does the best will get the position.
- Well what is this position pay?
- 60 grand, vision, health, retirement--
- And, we get what?
- The church house.
- Church house, you mean the two bedroom,
the two bath, garage, that grill and basic cable?
- You sound like a game show host.
- And a jacuzzi, right?
- Mmhmm.
- I could use that bump.
- Mmhmm.
- Well, hey, where's the pastor at anyway?
- Oh, he went to Haiti.
- Haiti?
- Yeah.
- When the pastor gets back,
I need to talk to him immediately.
You hear me, right?
- Loud and clear.
- Thank you.
Jacuzzi, oh yeah!
- S'cuse me, can I help you?
- Miss Grace, that you honey?
- Yes--
- How you doing?
- I'm fine, Miss. Pumpkin.
How can I help you today?
- No, I'm looking for Pastor.
- Oh well I'm here in his absence.
Is there something that I can do for you?
- Uh, I'll just talk to Sabrina--
- No, no, no, that's what I'm here for.
I'm here to help.
What can I do for you today?
- Okay, well,
I need to talk to the pastor about these choir robes.
- Uh huh.
- I mean, they're old and frayed and we keep altering 'em
instead of replacing 'em with new ones.
- Okay well then how much does it cost?
- I don't know, Sabrina does all of that.
- Okay, well let me help you.
Let me figure something out for you.
Okay, how many robes is it?
- 34.
- Okay, okay, wow, that's a lot.
I didn't know we had that many people in the choir.
- Well you know, it takes a lot to make
a joyful noise like us, you know what I mean?
- Yes, yes.
Okay, so, oh, I'm gonna find a price point for you
and I'll be in contact with you and let you know
how much it costs-- - No, look,
I'm just gonna deal with Sabrina 'cause
working with you is redundant,
but I really do appreciate you.
I mean, I really do.
- Miss Pumpkin, how are you?
- Hi.
Sabrina, my girl.
- Miss Grace.
- Yes, oh hi Mr. Sandros.
- I heard you talking about these robes.
- Uh huh, yeah, are you in the choir?
- No, I'm a cook and I came to see you about an oven,
a brand new gas, we've got to have a gas oven.
- I know and I heard that you're one of the best cooks here.
- Chicken and dumplings.
- Look, I need some money.
- Okay, but the thing is,
we don't have a budget right now for an oven,
we really don't.
- Should a budget be an issue
when I'm trying to stop serving these people burnt food?
I'm outta here.
I'll holler at you later on.
I'm going for the help.
Sabrina, you up in here?
I need money, girl.
I got to have it.
Where you at?
Oh.
- Hey Miss Grace, looks like you could use a seat.
- Oh thank you, but no thank you.
And you, you're always working.
- Well you know they keep me working, Miss Grace.
- Yes, but you know, we have some new young congregates here
that could probably help you during the week.
- You know what, maybe I should talk to pastor about that.
That's a good idea.
- Oh, you didn't hear?
- Hm, hear what?
They going to Haiti, huh?
- Yes, he went to Haiti.
- Wow.
- I'm having like a really rough day today.
- What's going on with you?
- Well, I lost my job--
- I'm so sorry to hear that.
- And, thanks,
and so now I'm interviewing
for this new executive position here
in this crazy interview style contest against Sabrina.
- Executive?
I don't see you as an executive.
- What do you mean?
- Oh, no, no, not like that.
It's just you're too nice.
I see you more in the missionary work.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, I could see myself doing that.
Maybe one day I'll go out the country, you know?
- A cultured woman such as yourself
has never been out of the country?
I find that hard to believe.
- One day I will go though.
I will go out of the country.
- Yeah and uh, maybe I could tag along.
- There's no subtly with you, huh?
- I can be subtle sometimes.
- All right.
Well have a beautiful day, Mr. Troy.
- You do the same, Miss Grace.
- There's my girl, hi beautiful, how you doing?
- Hi Bessie Joe, it's so good to see you.
- Girl, it's good to see you too,
but usually ain't up here in this afternoon.
- I know, I'm here to help the pastor while he's away.
- Girl, you got a good heart.
That's why you love this church.
- Yes, yes, I do have a heart for this church.
- Because if you love the church and you love God,
you will be blessed.
- That's right.
- But you know I won the lottery.
I won $1,500.
- Today?
- Girl no, that was in 1993,
but if I keep the faith and believe in God, I'ma win again.
- Miss Bessie, you're a crazy fool.
- For loving the Lord?
- No, for wasting all your money on those lottery tickets.
- Really?
- You know, in the Bible it says you should not gamble.
- Well if I don't see it in the Bible,
until I do, I'm not gonna quit.
I'm gonna win this lottery, in the name of Jesus.
Girl, I'll see you later.
- See ya later.
Mm, amen.
- Crazy lady.
- Don't say that about her.
- Look, I got some news.
- What?
- Bad news.
Somebody's been dipping in the collection plate.
- Who?
- Deacon Thompson.
- Can't say that about somebody--
- I got proof and I wanna bust him out
in front of the congregation.
- Okay no, no, no, before you do that,
look, I have an idea, tell me the evidence that you have
and then I'll present it to the pastor.
- Sweetheart, you pretty, but you ain't that pretty.
You can't solve this problem.
- Usher Mike.
- Deacon Thompson.
- You know he's dipping in the collection plate?
And he smokes Marijuana cigarettes.
- Oh my God, what is wrong with these people?
- What do you mean?
- Back stabbing, betrayals, gossip,
this is why I left he corporate world.
- You know, a lot of people think
that working at a church is a bed of roses.
They forget about the thorns.
- Oh man, but what if the silver linings
of leaving the corporate world is avoiding politics
and boss butt kissing?
I've been here for almost one day
and everybody here's stressing me out.
- One day, Grace, one day.
This job is probably not for you.
This is probably a sign of what's to come.
- Oh don't fret yourself, honey.
- Mother Thomas, you always find a way to sneak up on us.
- That's how you hear all the good gossip, honey.
- She always does that.
I think, when she dies, she's gonna haunt us
and we're not gonna even know the difference.
- You got a funny way of saying things,
but I'm not sure what you're saying is good or bad.
- Mother Thomas, you know I love you.
- That-a-girl.
Look Grace darling, don't come in here
and get yourself caught up with all this nonsense
that goes along with our church.
It was here before Jesus was walking the Earth
and it'll be here after.
What matters is your heart
and whether you act or not on the love that Jesus put there.
Everything else is babbly nonsense.
Here, have a snack, baby.
- No, Mother Thomas,
I just don't understand why the church is so flawed.
- That's the whole point.
The church is the one place that people can go,
be themselves and still be accepted none-the-less.
You, of all people, should know that, Grace.
- Ow.
Dammit.
I mean, shoot.
- See what I mean?
- Hey hi.
It's 5:00, see you tomorrow?
- Oh, I usually stay until 6:00.
- Oh, um--
- It's okay, you can go.
- Okay, it's just that
I have a dinner meeting with a friend.
- Like I said, you can go.
It's okay, I have everything under control.
- Okay.
- You're kind of an accessory right now anyway.
- Who made you so mean?
- My momma told me to go after what I want whole-heartedly,
so if that makes me mean, then you have to blame her,
but then again, you're talking about my momma
and you know what happens
when you talk about someone's momma.
- Mm mm mm, Mother Thomas was right about you,
but I'ma figure you out.
- Good.
- See you tomorrow.
- Hm.
- Dagnabit.
Dagnabit old house.
Yes.
- I am late.
Oh my God, I'm so late, oh.
Oh, is there a meeting?
- It's the weekly prayer meeting.
It's on the calendar.
- Oh, sorry to interrupt.
- Well ya did, but I accept your apology.
Oh God, come on, Deacon Thompson.
- Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Okay, come on, come on.
- Oh my God, what am I doing here?
- Looks like you're still sleeping.
- Troy, thank you.
- That was quite an entrance.
- Well, a girl has to make her entrance somehow.
Coffee you sweet elixir of life, I love you so much.
- Now you're talking to your beverages.
Man, you're really going through it.
- That's not even half of it.
- It's only the first day.
Keep the faith, baby girl.
- You know what?
I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
- I don't know what was going on out there,
but interrupting a prayer meeting
is just not professional, Grace.
Hey, hi Troy, how you doing?
- I'd be better if you were a little kinder to your church
brothers and sisters, Miss Sabrina.
- Oh Troy, you're such a man.
- Thanks Troy.
- Anytime, sweetie.
- Think I need a little bit more coffee.
What do you mean, Sabrina?
Troy was just joking with you.
I mean, but you could stand to be
a little bit nicer to people.
I mean I know I am a little rough around the edges,
but it's only been my second day.
Come in!
Eh, Ijitsu.
When am I gonna get that rap song, man?
- When the good Lord decides it's time.
Until then.
- Oh my goodness, why you holding my cup?
- Well we went to the church looking for the pastor
and he wasn't there
and seen your cup so I decided to bring it to you.
- Wait, you were looking for the pastor.
Is there something I can help you with?
- Oh well, this was my girlfriend, Casey,
but she's my finance now.
- Oh.
Oh, bling, bling, mm.
- We were hoping the pastor can marry us by next week.
- Oh, well I don't think the pastors gonna be here in time,
but I could marry you 'cause I'm an ordained minister.
- Really?
- Yes.
- Where'd you get your license?
- Church of the Internet dot com, you heard of it?
- No, but it doesn't seem that amazing,
but do you speak Spanish 'cause Casey only speaks Spanish.
- Of course I speak Spanish.
- Oh, um, okay.
Mi Espanol no es bueno.
It's all good.
- Well if the pastor's not here on time,
maybe you can marry us.
- Well I'ma work on some marriage verses for you.
- Yeah, well let me know.
We gotta go cake tasting so talk to you later.
- All right, get the butter cream, that's the best one.
Oh.
Hello?
Oops.
- Ah ha.
- Usher Mike, what in the Tom and Jerry are you doing here?
- You caught.
- Caught doing what?
- Deacon Thompson, I knew you was up to something.
This time I'm gonna bust you so hard
that the prison ministry is the only church members
you're gonna see.
- You have no idea what you're talking about.
What are you doing here?
- I forgot something.
- Yeah, you forgot something like the money you been taking
out of the offering plate.
- You're kidding.
- Do I look like I'm kidding?
- No, Usher Mike, you rarely look like you're kidding.
You've been dipping in the collection plate.
Everybody knows it.
- No sir, no sir.
Everyone knows you've been dipping in the offering plate.
- You got the wrong deacon.
- So what are you doing here?
- If I tell you, Usher Mike,
you've got to promise me you're not gonna tell a soul.
- It depends.
- Have you ever heard of an Air B & B?
- Why did you bring me to the old missionary house?
- We ain't had a missionary for the past three years.
You know who this house is for?
- Who?
- Frank.
- Thought he had a house on the West Side.
- Exactly, this house has just been sitting here
and those young'uns are about to take it
and they don't deserve it.
- Who, Grace and Sabrina?
- Yeah, I got this place booked for the next four months
for $150 a night.
- Deacon Thompson, you know you can get in a lot of trouble
for using the church property for your own personal gains.
- Hello?
No, no, it's not today, it's tomorrow.
What day is it?
- Oh no, Troy, we can't do that.
- We have you written down on the calendar incorrectly.
- Don't go, Troy.
- Okay Miss Johnson, we'll see you this afternoon.
Have you heard from the pastor?
- No.
- Mm, that's weird.
It's been like almost a week.
Like I'm wondering, is he still alive?
- Don't say that.
- I'm just saying, is like a big old storm happening
in Haiti, communications is down,
I'm exasperated, it's almost a week and I'm just like.
- Like I've been saying--
- Maybe this isn't the job for you.
- Okay, sleepyhead.
- Foreclosure.
- What are you talking about?
- On the church.
Grace, they're gonna foreclose on the church.
- What?
How is that possible?
- Oh, it's quite possible.
- Who are you?
- I'm the executer on that account.
Kelly Burns.
FRS Properties.
- What is FRS Properties?
- Well as of next Monday, we'll be the fine owners
of this lovely church building and the surrounds.
- What, how?
- Well it is hearsay, but apparently
your executive pastor has been keeping the mortgage checks
for himself for years.
- Oh!
- Is he here today?
- He quit two weeks ago.
- Sneaky bastard.
He made off with over $1,000,000,
leaving you with a massive debt.
FRS specializes in foreclosures,
in particular, inner city churches.
- Who specializes in that?
- A smart company.
Now it's nothing personal,
we only see the color green.
Bank lives do matter, don't they?
Any who, the paperwork should go through within the week
so you'll wanna talk to your church
and let everybody know and start packing as well.
The details are included there,
minus the dirty details I included as hearsay.
I do look forward to working with you.
Toodles.
Let's go make America great again.
- My God, what are we gonna do?
- I don't know about you,
but I'm going to look for another job.
Monster.com, Indeed.com, woo,
I am so glad I updated my LinkedIn account.
- Hey, how you ladies doing?
- I was surprised.
Next thing you know, right before she leaves,
she's like bye, toodles, let's make America great again.
It was like the she-devil took over.
- I can't believe it.
Frank was always quiet, but this?
This church has been home to so many people.
How could someone take that from them?
I think we need to find Frank and we need to--
- What?
What, get somebody to put him in concrete boots
and throw him in the river?
No.
I think we need to tell the church.
- Tell the church what?
- That we lost it.
- Lost it how?
- We're in foreclosure.
Frank stole the money.
- We need to tell Pastor.
- We need to find Frank.
- We need to find another job.
- I think we need to pray.
- Let's pray.
- Lord, we come to you at a time of despair,
confusion, potential loss.
- Yes, Lord.
- We don't know what's going on,
why this happened or what to do now,
but one thing we do know is that you are with us.
- Yes Lord. - Yes, yes.
- You said you would never leave us,
nor forsake us and so in our time of need,
we cling to that promise because building or no building,
we are your church.
- Yes Lord, yes, yes.
- And we will stick together.
- Yes.
- With you as our leader, our head,
we will find the strength to make it through.
- Yes.
- We pray for clarity,
the knowledge to act when appropriate
and most of all, unity.
- Yes.
- In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen.
- Amen.
- What do we do, God?
What do I do?
Lord help me.
That's it!
That's it, yes!
Hello, Sabrina?
I know it's early in the morning.
I am so excited.
We're going to save the church.
Call an emergency meeting.
I'm on my way.
Oh, I need you, Lord.
Help me, Lord, give me ideas.
Show me the way, Lord.
- Yes, yes yes yes, that would be wonderful Pastor Scott.
I will see you tomorrow at 10:00.
I'll bring my resume.
All right, bye.
Uh, do you think it's gonna work?
- I guess you don't.
- Well my momma told me that when it comes to work
to C-Y-A, cover your ass.
- You ready?
- Is everyone here?
- Yes.
- Thank you, everyone.
Thank you for coming to this emergency church meeting,
concerning the church health.
- What's that all about, Deacon?
- Yeah.
- I'm missing my program.
I got to know, find out what happened to Diane Kreeger
and her mistress.
- Have you heard of a DVR, Bessie Jo?
- Boy, I don't mess with that nonsense.
You know the man is watching us.
Don't you know that?
- Calm down, I called this meeting
because I have some unfortunate news from yesterday.
It seems our executive pastor
was taking money from the church for the past three years.
- How much money?
- Well how bad is it?
- We're gonna lose the building.
Calm down, calm down, calm down.
- We gotta find that man and string him up.
- That's what I'm talking about.
- Perhaps, maybe someday, but not right now.
Right now, we only have one week left in this building,
a building that we've called home for the past 88 years.
I've watched most of you grow up here.
That is, unless our own Grace Hightower can help us.
- All right Grace.
- Oh well, she pretty, but that's about it.
- I'll believe it when I see it.
- Well she's assured me she has a plan.
So let's hear the lady talk.
Come on Grace.
- Hello all, hello.
- Praise the Lord.
- I fell asleep reading the foreclosure papers last night.
And while sleeping, I had a dream
that I was there when Jesus fed
the 5,000 people in Matthew 14.
And you were all there too.
- Hallelujah.
- Except for Bessie Joe,
she was off somewhere gambling fish.
- Hallelujah.
- That's Bessie Joe.
- In this dream, a little boy showed up
with five loaves of bread and two fish
and everybody laughed at him and they sneered
and they started packing up to leave,
but then Jesus showed up.
With his eyes deep
with the confidence of the good shepard.
The apostles, they were scared.
But Jesus was confident.
- Don't play.
- Oh my God, he just started passing fish.
Fish all around.
I was way in the back in the dream.
The fish was going to get to me, guys.
There were people behind me, people beside me.
I thought they were just gonna fight to get to the fish,
but they didn't have to.
We all got fish, including you guys.
- We all got food off'a the fish.
And that's when I realized,
our God is an abundant God.
He makes a way out of no way.
And I believe God showed me that dream
to represent this church.
I believe our miracle is found in this here document.
- That's right, what does it say?
- It says that if we can get this debt paid off
before their next meeting,
the church is ours to keep.
- Well how we gonna do that?
- And how much do we owe, three, $400,000?
- 1.2 million.
- 1.2 million?
- Oh man, that's just plain crazy.
- Listen people,
there was nothing that's impossible for God.
- Okay, okay.
- Come on, guys, he turned two fish into a million.
What could he do with the money in our pockets?
- What kind of miracle are you expecting, Grace?
- Here's what I'm proposing,
I propose that we give today, give.
- Where your money is, there the heart will be also.
- Yes, where your money is, there is your heart.
Right now.
Let's give today, everybody, out of our pockets.
Let's make it happen, let's give.
- 99,
100, that's $100,000.
- Plus $40,000 online.
- That's only 1/10th of what we owe.
- I have an idea.
Have you ever heard of Air B & B?
We have a missionary house that we can rent out
for say, $200.00 a night.
- Brilliant, excellent idea, Usher Mike.
- That is a good idea, but I don't think we would make
enough money, maybe more like $200 an hour.
- Hm, $200.00 an hour, that's a great idea.
Great idea.
- Maybe not.
That's for luck.
- There's no such thing as luck.
- I told you.
- Good speech, Gracie.
- It's okay everyone,
we still have a few days left.
Keep the faith.
There's always the second chance drawing.
- Oh, everyone, everyone listen.
I have an announcement to make.
- Oh snap, she about to give her inheritance to the church.
- Shut up, fool.
I ain't got no inheritance, just wisdom.
And I'm so proud of little Gracie here
and I'm proud of all y'all too.
I mean, do you know, in one hour,
we just raised over $100,000.
That's impressive.
Now the Bible says, when you really wanna see God,
you need to fast and pray.
So I'm asking everybody that's here today,
we all starting a fast tomorrow.
Even the deacons.
Now I know, I just know
that if we trust God on this,
he will bless us with the money to keep the house
and if it's not his will to bless us with the money,
then he'll give us a new house
and if not, he's gonna come with something else.
- Home or no home, we are still a church.
- Amen, sister.
- Amen.
- That was really great up there, Grace.
- Thank you, Sabrina.
- I really just wanna apologize to you
because I know that I've been pretty harsh with you.
- You sure have and you got that right.
- You know, I just get caught up sometimes.
- You know what, God is working on all of us.
- He is, he is,
but I still think that I will be
the better executive pastor,
but lead pastor, you got me beat by miles.
- I'll take that.
- Troy wanted to take you out.
- Hm, well,
if he wants to take me out this week,
unless he wants to feed me water and crackers,
'cause we're fasting this week.
- Oh, oh yeah, that's right.
- Yeah. - That's right,
but I really think he likes you.
- Hm, well you know, I kinda like him too.
Yeah, it's kinda cool.
- Cool.
- Time to go, ladies, time to go.
- Time to go.
Well good to see you, thank you.
Same you, all right.
For the fast.
I'll work on it.
- What are you doing?
Where are the guests?
- Our guests are still at the airport.
- What?
- Frank, he's in there, he's in there!
- What?
- Hold on, we don't want him to see you.
You're gonna spook him.
- You don't think leaving him in the car
isn't gonna spook him enough?
- He didn't recognize me, man, he didn't recognize me
because of the shades.
He just jumped in my car like I was
some kind of Uber or taxi.
- What are we gonna do?
- I don't know, but we just can't let him go.
- Get this thing off my head.
What's going on?
What's the meaning of this?
Listen, listen, I was going to pay the money back.
- When, after your two week trip to the Dominican Republic?
- Maybe.
- Sabrina, come on
Pastor, you're back!
- Good morning, Grace.
- Good morning, when did you get back?
- This morning.
- You must be exhausted.
- Yes, I heard about pastor Frank.
- Pastor, tomorrow we lose the church
unless we come up with $500,000.
- And that's exactly what I wanna talk to you about.
My church.
- Hey.
- Good morning, church.
What a beautiful day it is.
It goes without saying that it's been a tumultuous week
and I play a big part in that
and I wish to apologize to you all, first and foremost.
As you may or may not know,
I'm part of our denominational missions board
and there was a major tragedy in Haiti.
They needed me as soon as possible
and still need people.
If you feel God's tug on your heart
to serve our brothers and sisters in another country,
as a result, I was MIA for the past couple of weeks.
Though I feel those who stepped up
to lead this church in my absence did a spectacular job,
particularly Grace and Sabrina,
I sincerely thank you both,
which leads me to my next announcement.
As you know, our executive pastor, Mr. Frank,
quit a few weeks ago and moved out of the state
and with him, he took our mortgage
that he stole over the past couple of years,
leaving us unexpectedly with a massive debt.
The litigations will begin shortly, I assure you,
but that doesn't negate the issues we face as a church.
How can we keep this building?
How can we keep our home of over 80 years?
I understand Miss Grace Hightower
managed to muster up about 60% of what we need,
which is an amazing feat in itself,
but there is still a deficit and a large one at that,
so what do we do?
We find ourselves in a valley, a dark valley
and not from our own doing this time.
Someone pushed us, but this shouldn't be a surprise
for God assures us that this life is filled with
both valleys and peaks.
But what would a peak look like
without experiencing the valley?
Furthermore, the one who caused us the fall,
what should we say about him?
Do we condemn him or forgive?
As our Lord, I'm sure already has.
I would argue that the first step
towards escaping this valley is forgiveness
and so I urge all of you to find your own way
to let go of this sin and once we have forgiven again,
follow in the footsteps of the one we claim to follow.
Once we have, with his help,
moved past the offense, the next step is to simply look up.
Though it be dark in the valley,
the sun will yet rise and though it will take time
for the blessed rays to strive our darkest faces, they will
and when they do, the path of the darkness will be revealed
and we can step forward.
I am very happy to stand here today and say that.
Your prayers have been answered.
It seems that while I was in Haiti,
a fellow missionary, who I have never met,
approached me.
He is from a church about our size in Illinois,
one that has done great work worldwide
and domestically, even here in Los Angeles.
This man approached me and said
he felt a tug on his heart about three months ago
to raise a significant amount of money
for an unknown congregation
somewhere in Southern California,
one he felt was located none other than the city of Angels
and as it turns out,
this man's church managed to raise exactly
a half million dollars, an incredible amount of money
for an unknown cause.
Am I right?
Now before you all start looking for jobs in Illinois,
some of you may know that despite your valent efforts
in fund raising,
we are short exactly a half million dollars,
plus a few cents, which is why it was 100% God's doing
when this man approached me and offered all of the money
he had to give to us, to our church.
Hallelujah.
Let's let this celebration begin.
♪ Amen
♪ Amen amen, hallelujah
♪ Amen
♪ Hallelujah
♪ Amen
♪ Hallelujah
♪ Amen amen amen
- A little louder.
♪ Amen
We can't hear ya.
♪ Amen
Let it happen. ♪ Amen amen amen
♪ Woo, hallelujah
- Believe in our God, good people.
Hallelujah.
Thank you Lord, thank you Lord.
Everybody, settle down, settle down, settle down.
Settle down.
Yeah, open up your Bibles to Genesis, chapter four
and we're gonna start with the scripture.
Amen?
- Amen.
- Amen, church.
'Cause we all know we need a healing right now
and that's what we're going to get
with the blessings of the Lord.
- Pastor I've got some news!
- Pastor, yes sir, Pastor, yes sir.
- S'cuse us, Pastor.
Little bit of respect.
- Oh yeah.
- Now ain't that something?
He done got caught.
- God is so good.
- Yes, he is.
- Now we need to talk about that job position.
- Pastor, Grace has really been doing a good job
under pressure.
- I knew she would.
- Thank you, Sabrina.
Man, Pastor, I have been drowning in water.
This woman here, was swimming like a dolphin.
She is definitely more qualified than me.
- You know what, I'm glad you said that, Grace,
'cause you got the job.
- Oh my God, Pastor, thank you, thank you!
Oh. - Oh my God.
- And Grace?
I'm creating a new position for you,
associate pastor.
- What? - Yes.
- Congratulations.
- Oh my God, what does that entail?
- Missionary work.
- Is something wrong?
- God is so good, it's something that I prayed for
and I hoped for.
- So is that a yes?
- Yes, yes!
- Congratulations.
- Thank you.
- Actually, I have some questions about my--
- Okay, all right, all right.
- Congratulations associate pastor.
- Thank you, Troy.
Now you can call me Reverend Hightower.
- Is that right?
- Yes, and I will be able to point out all your sins.
- Hm, well is it a sin for a pastor to go out on a date?
- Uh, I guess if she lets him.
- Hm, well let's go break this fast.
- Let's break this fast.
♪ Yeah, you get the highest praise
♪ Lord your worthy
♪ Let's go
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you're worthy of my praise.
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise
♪ You get the highest praise
♪ You are the highest name, name
♪ Won't use your name in vain, vain
♪ Your blood runs through my veins, yes
♪ Because of you I've changed, changed
♪ No longer I remain
♪ Oh yes I'm born to gain
♪ You've broken every chain
♪ Yes Lord, you resurrected, your love, the world rejected
♪ Your love I can't neglect it
♪ Your life was such perfection, yes
♪ You give me much protection, yes
♪ You keep me clear from harm, but when I go through it
♪ You got me from the storm
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you're worthy of my praise
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise
♪ I was born a sinner, guilty
♪ You helped me remember that I'm now a member
♪ Of your holy winner's chants
♪ No longer a beginner
♪ Lord, you searched my inner and I'm thankful for it
♪ Oh yes, I'm delivered, I'm delivered
♪ I see the bigger picture, my soul is now clean
♪ Your spirit shines brighter than any diamond ring
♪ My woes don't mean a thing, nothing
♪ If I don't ask you, my life is nothing, Jesus, no
♪ If I don't have you
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise.
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you're worthy of my praise
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah
♪ Hallelujah, you get the highest praise