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Where Did Everybody Go? by Doug Bartlett

24/9/2021

 
John approached the pulpit to give his first sermon to his new congregation. He was young and nervous. He looked up and saw the church was packed. He thought it was because of him.

The date was September 16, 2001. You see, it wasn’t just his church that was packed. Every church in America was bulging at the seams. America had just been attacked a few days earlier.

People no longer looked at themselves as young or old, conservative or liberal, Republican or Democrat. No, they looked at themselves as Americans. They were also looking for God and thought they could find him at church. This caused a huge problem as many Americans could not find a seat in church.

When John discovered his church wasn’t crowded because of him it did deflate his ego. But he soon realized the reason for it was much bigger and better than him.

Now, twenty years later, when John gets up to preach his sermon and looks across the sanctuary, he realizes we no longer have that problem.
Jim link
24/9/2021 03:53:04 pm

Guess we both decided to write about a sanctuary of sorts. ;-)
Nicely done.
Jim

Doug
24/9/2021 05:11:12 pm

Thanks for your comments Jim. I appreciate it.

Mike B
25/9/2021 01:11:05 am

Great story Doug!! Brought back lots of memories of a United Country. Patriotism was at an all time high as well, l remember it was difficult to find an American flag to purchase. Makes me wonder what it will take to reunite us as a nation once more..,

Doug
25/9/2021 01:19:13 am

Thanks for those comments Mike. Yes, how soon we forget.

Sue Clayton
25/9/2021 05:18:21 am

The milk of human kindness always seems to go sour.

Doug
25/9/2021 07:09:13 am

Well put Sue. Good to hear from you. Thanks for th comment.

Chuck J Anderson
25/9/2021 11:21:39 pm

It seems our current government and general population are trying to hasten the end of America as it was founded.

Doug
26/9/2021 02:07:57 am

Yes, they are wanting to re-create a new America.


Comments are closed.

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    Friday Flash Fiction is primarily a site for stories of 100 words or fewer, and our authors are expected to take on that challenge if they possibly can. Most stories of under 150 words can be trimmed and we do not accept submissions of 101-150 words.


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    ​Please note that we tend to post longer flash fiction exactly as we find it – wrong spacing, everything.

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