My first Sunday as the Pastor ... and I use the term loosely ... of Bar Church at Benny's Tybee Tavern, it was Cupcake who let me inside.
Gospel music's blasting from the computer generated Jukebox and she's dancing with a mop in the cleaning up the beer stained Bar. Spying me, she runs over, gives me a hug, orders me to sit down and listen ... to something that's incredibly meaningful to her ... but not so much to me.
When the song was over, she hugs me, crying wetly in my ear, "This is gonna be great!"
That's all I remember about the first time I was the minister-of-the-day.
In the coming weeks, it's the same.
I burst in lugging equipment to set up the stage, Cupcake's mopping, dancing and singing to some Gospel song blasting from everywhere.
A cigarette dangles from her mouth.
"Listen to this," she admonishes, and I do though I'm not a Gospel song sort of minister, and the she hugs me and tells me it's gonna be great.
I'm not so sure how great it was.
The band's me on an acoustic guitar and Davy pounding away on a full drum kit.
A month or so later, Davy's work takes him to Florida for weeks on end and some Sunday's it's just me.
Lona Crask feels sorry for me so grabs her guitar to join me.
John Iacovini follows suit and for the better part of a year, it's the three of us ... four when Davy's on island.
Somewhere in these early days, I'm summoned to meet with the owner of the Benny's to work out the arrangement for Church to be in his Bar.
It's intense, because Benny's all business and he and Sam Adams, the founder of Bar Church had worked everything else, but Sam's gone and I'm sitting there as he lets me know what's what.
But here's what happened.
As Benny tells me he's ready for me to come in, Cupcake leaves her broom at the bar, rushes over asking if she can come too.
Surprised, Benny says it's okay.
Throughout the meeting, Benny's giving it to me ... and I'm intense back ... Cupcake sits beside me, praying with her hands held to her chin ... whimpering and silently talking to God ... and making grunts and sounds.
Occasionally we can hear her call Jesus by name.
Benny's telling me how things are going to be, or I challenge some point and Cupcake, still praying with hands held, makes guttural noises ... "Ummmph!" ... "Ooohhh!"
As we get louder, she uses words ... "Jesus!" ... Lord Almighty!"
She completes one sentence ... "Dear God please don't strike us with lightning."
As Benny and I struggle, it's impossible to not stop whatever it is we're saying to watch Cupcake.
She's all prayer ... sweating ... crying ... moaning ... with an occasional cuss word thrown in.
We continue to play point/counter point.
Finally, Cupcake explodes.
"JESUS!" she exclaims standing up with tears streaming down her face, "I love you Benny and I love you Micheal and I love Bar Church and this is all going to work out!"
Benny stammers, "I love you too."
I remain silent.
"Can we pray?" Debbie says, standing from her chair to kneel on the floor between Benny and me.
Placing one hand on his knee and the other on mine, she prays.
"Lord Jesus, make this work out. Thank you. Amen."
And she leaves.
Benny looks at me.
I look at Benny.
"Well, there you go," he says.
And it works out.
One year later, Cupcake dies and Bar Church hosts it's first funeral and it was one Hell of an affair!
Sam Adams returns ... Benny throws a party ... we throw rose pedals in the Ocean off the 17th Street Crosswalk ... while everyone acknowledges, while God may have blessed Bar Church ... it was through Cupcake that he did so ... every bit as solid as the Angel Gabriel telling Mary she's pregnant.
Afterwards musicians came from everywhere and Bar Church began the evolution to what it is today.
Without Cupcake, the strange mixture of Church and Benny's eventually comes to an end.
I still see her there, crying, dancing, singing and smoking while dancing with a mop, cleaning away the stains and sins of the night before so the new day starts clean and fresh.
And now Bar Church is off to a clean and fresh new start, I can hear Cupcake praying on our behalf, "Lord Jesus, make this all work out. Amen."
Thanks Cupcake!
Happy New Year Everyone!
Enjoy your New Beginning!
