God Help Us All.

"It's lucky dip time. Come along and take your ticket to Bible Group!" Pastor Bruce was beaming at his flock of very assorted followers. The newly wed couple were only recently back from their honeymoon. They were praying to be in the same Bible Study Group, and the Good Lord heard their prayers.

"Group 4!" Braxton said, "What group are you in, honey?"

His bride, Adele, smiled, excited, saying, "Yah, we're both in Group 4."

They were such a fervent couple, they did a cuddle of thanks. They were looking forward to this golden stage of their marital bliss, sharing and developing their faith with some new friends in their congregation.

One by one, the believers took their lucky numbers, and clustered around the larger numbers on display. There Group 4 eyed each other off. Braxton looked slightly underwhelmed, but managed to plaster on a happy face. Group 4 consisted of a grey old widow, Lottie, as her name tag said. There was also Lenore, a spectacled college student, one of the choir girls. She was well known for her devout beliefs, and generally regarded as a bit too religious. The final members was Jamie.

"God help us all," Braxton muttered, as Jamie wandered up to the Group 4. Jamie was sort of middle-aged, quite good looking, but vaguely eccentric. His day job was breeding large American Bulldogs, as large as Scooby Doo. They took the place of any significant other in his home. Every surface where he lived was covered in pet fur, and crumbs. His backyard was a cesspool of giant dog poops, and a veil of flies.

Lottie asked, as she normally did, "What did you say?" Braxton and Adele rolled their eyes at each other. Lottie was not really Dottie, but her hearing was more than impaired. She often forgot her hearing aids. When she did wear them, the batteries malfunctioned.

'Setbacks are made to be overcome. Jesus walks before us," Lenore prayed aloud. Jamie had brought along one of his enormous hounds, with an assist jacket on. No Christian worshipper was brave enough to enquire who needed the assistance, Jamie or each individual dog.

The canine sat down in front of Lottie, and held up its right foot. Lottie felt nervous.

"He's a big lad. Who is a good boy?"

She hesitantly patted the fur friend on its head.

Jamie said, "Tiny's offering his paw."

"What did you say?" That was Lottie's conversation opener. Everyone was used to her. On the positive side of life, Lottie could make excellent cups of tea of coffee in snow white cups, and really know how to bake. Adele suggested that Group 4 focused on their allocated text, arrange a meeting, and there discuss their designated mission.

Pastor Bruce addressed all his believers. In the name of the Lord, he wished his flock of holier than thous, to advance outreach to spread the good word to what he described as Pagans around their humble church.

"God works in mysterious ways," Lenore intoned, as Tiny threatened to raise his leg on her best church slacks. Jamie hauled Tiny off to the holy garden setting to do his business, calling over his shoulder. "Let's meet at Lottie's!" he said. Due to Tiny, Jamie and Lottie had struck up an unlikely friendship.

Braxton nodded, the muffins and cookies would be good. Adele had not yet totally mastered sweet cuisine.

"Tomorrow night, seven pm." He told Jamie and the rest of Group 4. They shared addresses and mobile phone numbers when Jamie and Tiny returned to the church meeting centre. Even Lenore and Lottie had to communicate in the new fashioned way.

7 pm the next evening arrived soon enough. Lenore had multiple copies of Group 4's designated text for Bible Study focus. Unfortunately, she had a very fervid habit of highlighting and underlining what she considered the highlights and most vital elements of all pages of any Bible.

"She makes me feel unworthy," Braxton muttered to Adele, who clasped his hand nervously. This was because Tiny was attempting to hump her leg. Jamie tried to haul the giant hound away, saying, "This is not the time to make puppies."

Lenore commented, "Do we need that deviant? This ministry is important for our spiritual lens on our mission."

Lottie heard that, and sang slightly off tune, "All creatures great and small." Lenore appointed herself as team worship leader of this group of assorted believers. Braxton tried not to yawn, but aimed to respect the Pastor's goals, and his companions. Adele wanted to know if Tiny could sit in the yard, but Jamie disagreed.

Lenore introduced their classic text to study, the feeding of the multitude. It was very familiar, an established approach to admire in a miracle of the Lord. Lottie asked Lenore to lead a prayer for all the needy in their immediate and global community who did not have any means to buy adequate food. Their church did, indeed, regularly tithe the plate and giving baskets to prepare hampers and vouchers for the struggling. Even that was not solving the real world long-term poverty in their little corner of the world.

Lenore and Adele noted down some thoughts and suggestions. Their mission was to discuss solutions to share the ministry of looking after their neighbours. By supper time, Braxton was more than ready for a decent coffee and baked offerings.

"From little things, big things can bloom," he did say, while he was saying his spicy ginger cookies. Tiny too had a plate of good delights. His drool was not exactly appealing, as he slobbered a canine kiss on all the ladies. Braxton wondered aloud if their Group 4 could lead a church followers' walk round the shopping centre complex, handing any customer and shopper some free cookies, and a smile, introducing them to a church in action. They could spread the faith, in a low key way. Braxton's idea might yet come to pass.

Jamie was thought of an eccentric, as he sat there covered in dog fur and doggy aromas. But he was listening, "That's a great idea, we could ask for some funds from the Sunday plate, Lottie and recruits could bake cookies. I could walk TIny round to give his paw of friendship, a sign of peace. Lottie, you are going to be a star!"

"Church in action," Lenore said, as she wrote down some clear notes to be typed up for Pastor Bruce. The heading was, " Reaching our Neighbours, sharing good food." The actions were simple, the message needed to heard.

TIny, the size of a large human person, sat on the couch, and smooched Lenore right on the lips. Then his long pink tongue kissed Jamie. Was the a sign, for God to help all humans to find a path? Lottie beamed, she did believe in true love matches. She did not say that Lenore needed to get a life beyond her Bible Studies, Braxton leant into Adele's ear and ear, and said, "Maybe Tiny wants Jamie and Lenore to get a bedroom. God help us all...."