The Side Room in the Church

This happen in lower Michigan. In the 1990's. I kept passing this pretty Church as I would drive to the store or home. One day I called and talked to a lady name Dottie, told her I was new in the area, and I would like to know what time the services were there. She told me and then told me about the Church that it was rather old but well kept up.

The Church was the kind that you would be likely to see on a Christmas card. I often thought of that when I went by the Church. All white with a big steeple on the top. Just by looking at it you could tell it was an old Church.

Dottie told me it has been many domination of religion since it was originality built over a hundred years ago. She told me that additions had been added in the years the Church was there on the same ground. I told her I liked how it looked inviting. She said I was welcome to come to services anytime. And about the pot luck they had there every 3rd Saturday, that may be a good time to come and to meet the people of the Church. Dottie gave me her phone number and told me when I felt comfortable to come she meet me at Church so I would not be going there and not know anyone. I told her thanks and left.

A couple of months went by and I did call Dottie and she said she would meet me out front and what time. I told her a time and she was right where she said she would be when I arrived. We went into the Church it was very old fashion with seats you would see at an old theater, that would pull out and once you got up they flipped back into place. It was plain but I felt a welcome feeling at the Church.

After Church services we went down to the basement where the fellowship was taking place. It was someone birthday and so there was a cake and drinks to munch on. Dottie introduced me to many people and they all welcomed me to the Church.

I went many times to this Church. Then one Sunday, Dottie said she had to put some food and non food stuff into the side room where people of the community could come and get when they needed the items. She asked if I like to help her. I said sure. We went down in the basement to the side room off the fellowship room. Soon as I entered the room it was very cold. I said "it's cold in here" she said "yeah it probably was". She open the door wide to let in the warmth that was in the fellowship room.

Soon Dottie told me she was warmed up "how about you?" I said I was still cold that I didn't feel good in this room. Dottie said "you will get use to it". I said "what do you mean" she just smiled at me as we unpacked the items and put in places they went to in the side room. Then it was like something was trying to take all the air out of me. I was trying to catch my breath and it felt like it was being sucked right out of me. Dottie notice and asked me "what was wrong?" I said "I got to get out of this room". As I was leaving the room I felt a presence glide by me, I left the room and sat in the fellowship room. Once I was out of the side room I felt okay.

Dottie came to me and said "You don't look so good are you not feeling well today?". I said I was feeling well until I went into that room. She just looked at me and I told her how I felt. She said she often felt cold in there even when it was very hot in the fellowship room. But she just figured it was because it was the basement and thought nothing of it. Dottie did state she never felt like the air was being sucked out of her when in that room.

Once I got used to the people in the Church I would ask different people about that room and no one seemed to care or know. Many looked at me as if I was having some kind of a satan thing, going on inside of me... After that many people acted as if I didn't belong there, they didn't want nothing to do with me. So I left that Church and have not been back there for about five years

Dottie went to rest with the Lord sometime ago. She was the only one after that happen that still continued to like to be with me. We never brought up the side room again. But I have the sense that she knew exactly what I was going through that day, as she went through it herself...