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Thank you for the fb "Happy Birthday"

Birthdays. They come every year. While birthdays can be different or feel the same (cause those are the only options) there is one thing that I have found consistent these last ten years...the Facebook Happy Birthdays. It's comforting to know in these days of social media that I won't be forgotten. At least one person will type in (even if with autofill) that obligatory Happy Birthday. I do it all the time for most of my "friends" (whether I am close to them or not. All that matter is remebeing).

This year I turned **(cough) and I found myself looking at who posted. It wasn't all 300 friends. So who? Why these "friends"? I know some of these "friends" of mine aren't using facebook all that much or don't know how (Daddy). But of those who do post Happy Birthday there's some I haven't talked to in a year or more. It is nice to know I made an impression on them for them to think of me after so much time.

Some people who posted are friends with my parents, my sister, or church. Some are my relatives. There's also a few people who I have done work with before, whether we worked well together or not (with some there was drama). As I look at the scope I think about how many ways I have made friends and I am in awe.

Then there are some people I met through a significant other who is now this person's ex or met on coffee meets begal. That's a little awkward. Yet endearing that people, despite awkward and potentially scaring encounters still take the time to post Happy Birthday (even if with autofill).

Then there's those who go above and beyond, those who write in more than the obligatory Happy Birthday, who write a full sentence or even two. I find this brave since anything written online lasts forever, which is why I usually don't do it. Instead I write a blog. For some reason that is less scary. Somehow talking with that one audience member (at the least) on a day like their birthday seems scary. I don't want to say something that may be taken wrong. "What do you mean I should have a good day. Maybe I don't want to." Yeah, I know it's unlikely someone (anyone but me) would say something like that, let alone type it into Facebook (cause again these posts stay forever). But it also sounds cookie cutter. And why type in more strokes and reach the same result as the Happy Birthday (which autofill helps with). It strikes me, (because this is why I might do it) that maybe there is something special about the person to add the extra strokes, put in the extra time(which none of us have enough of). Maybe these people feel safe or know me well enough to put in something special. I say yes! This year there were many who wrote much more than the Happy Birthday someone who texted instead of writing on fb. And these things were special, a video, a thank you, gratitude for me. It warms my heart.

Whether you posted Happy Birthday or something more thank you all who posted. Many of my school friends who know me well including a very cool professor made me very happy to hear from. I hope you all enjoyed this post. It is for you. Thank you all for making my average existence seem a wonder this one day.

And write a comment so I have a comment from someone other than a missionary who serves in India and keeps begging me to come as if we've never talked about it before. (Sadly I doubt he even has a mission.) With lots of love, Julia.

Finding Your Tribe: Why go to a Church?

“It’s about belonging,” Jeff Hoffmeyer, my Senior Pastor, explained as he welcomed new members one Sunday morning. He spoke about how welcoming new members to our church is about declaring that these people belong with us. They are part of us. They are our partners.[i]

Church should be about belonging, partnership, finding that place where you can be you but also with others.

Sadly, church isn’t always about this.

Like many, I have had my fair share of experiences of church being a place where I felt outcast. As a young adult, I’ve gone to many churches to visit, trying to find people that I could relate to or at the least talk with about my life. I noticed many churches, especially ones with a lot of young people, people are so busy thinking of themselves they don’t stop to think about their visitors (sorry, you’re my peeps, but not infallible). It’s not that I wasn’t greeted or they didn’t have people to hand me a bulletin (bulletins are really big in my tradition), it's once they’d said hello, good morning, or simply welcome…once that bulletin was in my hand, they moved onto the next person. At my seat, surrounded by people (if people troubled themselves to sit next to someone they didn’t know), I was invisible. Would anyone have noticed if I hadn’t been there? Sadly, probably not. So why come back when you don’t feel like you belong?

And this doesn’t even deal with what’s being taught in church. Some churches teach shame rather than love.  As a Seminary grad, I say, if whenever you go to church you feel unrelenting overwhelming shame—run. They're not sharing the God I know.

But does the fact that churches fail to be welcoming or to teach God’s love mean we shouldn’t bother with church? Does that mean that church isn’t important? Perhaps a private faith is better?

Janet Hagberg and Pastor Robert Guelich spent extensive time studying faith development, talking to people, listening to the stories of how people navigate faith. They wrote the book on faith development. In their book The Critical Journey, they state that community, being a part of a group worshiping together (whether part of an institutional church or not) is essential to move from the first stage of faith to the second (this is out of six stages), “This stage [stage two] is best characterized as a time of learning and belonging.”[ii] There’s that word again, “belonging.”

Like My Pastor, Jeff, said, a faith community is about belonging, partnership with each other. Church is about finding that tribe that welcomes you into their existence, invites you to be among them and represent them in the world. Norman E. Thomas in his short story ”What is your Name?” reveals the value of a tribe best;

Norman was serving in Zimbabwe back when it was called Southern Rhodesia. When asked by a Zimbabwean, Zita renyu uripi, “What is your name?” the Zimbabwean was crushed to find out Norman had no clan name. I’ll continue in Norman’s words;

“Then their leader, “sub-chief Chimbadzwa, responded, “Young man, we’re glad that you have come to live and work among us, and we’re sorry that you have no [clan] name. But from today my name shall be your name. Your name will be shumba [lion] of the royal clan of Chief Mutasa of Manicaland.”[iii]

Norman knew this name was a gift. It was more than just a label; it was a people that had accepted him as one of theirs. Even as an outsider, having entered the country as a missionary just two weeks before, they’d accepted him. They called him “one that belongs.” This is what Church does for us (if we’re doing church right). It’s a place that welcomes us and gives us their name, saying we belong.

Okay, quick note…to those who know that belonging to a church can be a burden, you’re right. Whether it’s a large church, a small church, or just a group of people, there’s service expected. Do we have to help with Sunday school, work with the youth, or worse...as a leader? We’re already overwhelmed. How can we do one more thing?

I get it. We have only so much capacity. That’s why it’s so important to find a place you belong, with your gifts, and who you are. Say “no” when you need to, only deal with people who accept your “no”, and think about when you’d say “yes”. Service is stage 3 in The Critical Journey, so it's okay to stay in stage 2 for a while. Just don't think faith is complete there.

I’ll leave you with this quote from David Dark, “Without the burden of belonging in some way to other people, we have no way of experiencing ourselves as gifts to others.”[iv]

---

[i] Jeff Hoffmeyer serves at LA Canada Presbyterian Church in La Canada, California. I was hesitant to mention the name of the church because I truly believe there are many good churches and denominations. Any church can be a place of belonging with good people willing to be accepting of others. But if you don’t have a church and are located in the Los Angeles area, you can check out La Canada Press, LCPC, at https://www.lacanadapc.org/  

[ii] From, Hagberg, Janet, and Robert A Guelich. The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith. 2nd Ed. ed. Salem, Wis.: Sheffield Pub, 2005. p53.

[iii] From Using all the Colors, a collection of stories from Monte Vista Grove Homes’ residents, a home for retired Presbyterian Pastors and Missionaries, p98.

[iv] From Life’s too Short to Pretend You’re not Religious, InterVarsity Press, 2017, p74.

Blessings and Misery (James 5:1-6)

Reading James 5:1-6 this morning made me realize how blessed we are in the U.S to have the luxuries we do. Yet it also made me feel uncomfortable, for James 5:1-6 warns those with luxuries, the rich, that they will experience misery. As I looked through the passage I found myself realizing it wasn’t because of the riches, but how they were gained, through injustice. As God brings the world into a world of justice, we are going to have to give up the luxuries gained through injustice. I know many of our products in the U.S. are gained through injustice. Or are they? This is something I’m not good at accepting. Insulated from those that bring us our goods we are not aware of the injustice we’re a part of. We question, is there injustice? Are people who make our clothes, bring us the beans for our coffee treated like chattel? Where can we turn to not be a part of it? Can we? That’s hard, it will take sacrifice, which will bring misery. Sometimes it's easier to just ignore it as if it's not true. But we can't, or can we? James is right, misery will come. Yet the next verses are about patience in suffering (NRSV heading) I have a feeling there’s something positive in there for us assuring us God is with us.

Comments welcome. Any thoughts about how you deal with injustice when it comes to buying products. Any thoughts, confessions. In responses be kind to each other.

Writing Update...Introducing my sitcom Planet X

This last year I have been working on writing a sitcom. The premise is "how do we live the Christian life?" or simply "How do we live loving lives?" cause honestly there's so much information out there it's confusing. The show follows four neighbors who are young adult Christians and the observations of their atheist neighbor. The Christians mess up and learn from it...sort of. Welcome to...

In the Planet X pilot, Elizabeth the WASP protestant, who's fashionable and always "good" is forced to face that she might not be as compassionate as she believes. It discusses the Parable of the Good Samaritan...one interpretation of it;

While Elizabeth struggles to be kind to her new neighbor Jenny, the atheist who showed horrible manners as a guest at dinner, Lydia, Elizabeth's roommate struggles with having left her Conservative Fundamentalist parents.

The pilot is filled with hilarity...relationship faux pas, swearing, drug references, and a Netflix binge session. Cause that's what young adults do.

Come meet Skylar the Christian Player...what's that now? Elizabeth the "perfect" Protestant, Jack the nerdy Catholic, and Lydia, the nieve Fundamentalist. And hear all about these crazy Christians from Jenny, the sassy atheist New Yorker.

There will be a Summary Stage Reading of the pilot May 17th 2018 at Fuller Theological Seminary's Travis Auditorium 6:30pm. All the Fuller Theology and Arts Thesis projects will be presented.
 
Leave Comments or questions. I'd love to talk more about it if anyone is interested.

S6 E13 “Love conquers all” Haven Rewrites

S6 E13 “Love conquers all” An attempt to defeat Mavis once and for all leads to the death of someone dearly loved and inspires Audrey to take dramatic action. But Audrey will need the entire town of Haven to follow her crazy plan.

Previously on Haven;

With Mavis trapping the troubled in Haven and causing havoc, Audrey has agreed to go back in the barn to end the troubles and stop Mavis’s magic. Nathan and Danielle will go with her. On her way she finds out that Daniel, Dwight, and James have decided to kill Mavis, so she’s refused to go inside as a jet is over Haven, ready to bomb the town. Vince and Dave watch the church group pull up to the high school gym, where the wounded are being cared for, and a sonic boom spreads from the location covering the town. Hit by the sonic boom everyone falls unconscious, even Audrey, James, and the witches.

Teaser

          In the dead of night Audrey lays in the field where the barn was, the indentation marks still there. She lays next to Jordon, Nathan, and Daniel. Danielle is also asleep in her carrier.

          A strange figure comes up and lifts them one at a time placing them into his truck neither Jordon, Audrey, Daniel, Nathan, nor baby Danielle awaken. But Audrey dreams. She remembers back to the 1700s. She stands in the dirt streets of Haven there’s blood on the walls of the houses. People scream afraid. Pre-teen Audrey rushes around worried.

Daniel searches for her. Seeing her, he grabs her afraid, “Angel, I told you to stay at home.”

          She pounds on her father’s chest, “You can’t kill her. You can’t. I won’t let you.”

          Daniel grabs her and drags her to a shed, locking her inside.

          “Father, please don’t kill her. You have to save her.”

          Daniel pressing his cheek against the locked door says, “Angel, sometimes people can’t be saved.”

          Pre-teen Audrey is upset, tears streaming down her cheeks.

          Audrey remembers back to standing in the field with the barn flickering in and out. She recalls their plan of entering the barn to end the troubles and stop her mother from using magic.

          She stands in front of the barn, with Nathan, baby Danielle in a carrier. She confronts her father about how he’s going to kill her mother. And again he says, “Angel, sometimes people can’t be saved.”

          Audrey objects to this, saying “no,” “no” as she lies unconscious with Nathan, Daniel, and baby Danielle in the carrier beside them. A figure closes the back of the truck all of them inside.

Act I

Audrey wakes up in the gymnasium hospital. Sam looking over her, “She’s waking up again.” She says as Audrey’s sight becomes clearer. Audrey looks around to see Jordon, Nathan, Daniel, James, Kirk, Dwight, and guard men all asleep in beds around her.

“You are in the temporary hospital,” Sam tells her.

Audrey pops up in bed asking, “What happened?”

“You need to rest,” Susie tells her and Audrey as she tries to sit up becomes light-headed. She sits back down.

“What happened?” Audrey demands saddened and worried she looks to Nathan and James, “Are they alright?”

“We’re taking the best care of them,” Susie assures her.

“Danielle?” Audrey says worried.

“She’s fine.” Sam says, and turns to Susie, “Have Dave and Vince bring Danielle.”

Susie nods and heads out.

Audrey turns to Sam pleading, “What happened?”

Sam assures her, “Rest, you’ve been in and out of consciousness for weeks.”

“Weeks?” Audrey asks concerned. “The air-strike? The witches?”

Sam explains, “Do you remember Patrick Dennard?”

Audrey flashes back to when she was Sarah in the 1950s she ran into a young teen who looked scared and concerned. In the present Audrey says, “Yeah.”

“He’s former Director of the FBI.”

“He put his trouble to use.” Audrey smiles.

Sam smiles, “Yes, he did. Nice man too. It’s a little unnerving being willed to tell the truth, but he has the president’s ear, got him to call off the airstrike and the soldiers around Haven. Even admitted he helped with James’ mysterious death.”

“I’ll have to send him a thank you.” Audrey says and turns to Sam serious, “He didn’t have anything to do with this. What happened?”

Sam presses her lips together and begins to smile with her eyes and a smile burst through her lips, “The Church-group, they came to the school with food for everyone, troubled and non-troubled.” Sam crying, tears of joy declares, “It’s love. The people here are feeding, caring for everyone. We haven’t seen the witches since then. They can’t be here.”

“The barrier is still up?” Audrey asks curious.

“We had a vote, people agreed we need to stop Mavis. This is our chance. We were waiting for you to wake up or the food ran out whatever came first.”

“But how did this happen?” Audrey asks.

Sam explains again, “You remember the explosion when Duke wouldn’t leave me in the troubling circle.”

Sam sees a look on Audrey’s face suggesting she remembers.

“The people here became that force, but it was bigger and more powerful.”

Bill McShaw comes up to Sam, “Login and I set up bunks in the classrooms. We’re going to head out to get some more curtain rods.”

Sam nods, “Thanks, Bill.” Bill leaves with Login.

“Bill McShaw and Login Driscoll working together?” Audrey asks surprised.

Sam nods, “The troubled, all the troubled you’ve helped have pitched in to help. Rickety got you from the field. His super strength has come in handy. Niki has been giving orders to gather medical supplies, Mrs. Braddock has been working with the Benson sisters, even the Novellis and Keegan’s are helping together.”

Just then Mrs. Braddock and Frankie Benson enter calling out to Sam, “Sam, we need to talk to you?”

Sam turns to heads over to talk to Mrs. Braddock and Frankie.

Audrey looks up to Sam smiling, “You’re in charge here?”

Sam walking backward to Mrs. Braddock nods, “Someone had to be. When all of you were out.”

Audrey smiles, “I can think of no one better.”

Audrey looking over to Sam, Mrs. Braddock and Frankie Benson talking, slowly gets out of bed and walks over to Nathan and James, in beds next to each other. She places her hand on each of theirs worried about them.

Mrs. Braddock tells Sam, “No matter how much rationing we do, we can’t last much longer.”

Frankie adds, “Our food reserves will be gone in about a week.”

Sam nods, “Noted. Duke just woke up he’s talking to the FBI.”

“What about Mavis?” Frankie asks.

Audrey overhearing is surprised, “Duke woke up. He was out, like me?”

Sam turns to Audrey as Frankie and Mrs. Braddock leave her be, “A couple days ago.”

“Was he with James and Dwight?”

Sam nods sullen, “Yeah.”

Audrey is upset says, “He tried to kill my mother.”

Sam patiently pleads, “Audrey, he knows he made a mistake. The truth is we don’t know what to do about Mavis and the witches.” She pauses for a breath, “I want to save them too I just don’t know how.”

Audrey nods, “I’ll get back to you.”

Inside a cave, in the forest, the witches hide sitting at a table they shake in pain sweating. Zara complains, “We can’t take this anymore.”

“We have to strike back at them.” Kat insists.

Mavis glaring using all her strength to stand determined says, “We will.”

Out in the school’s quad, Duke stands with his cell phone to his ear, “Thanks, Parker.” He relays.

Audrey, pushing a baby carrier approaches him. “What was that about?”

“Parker’s using fancy satellite equipment to measure how fast the barrier is shrinking.”

“Shrinking?” Audrey says alarmed.

“Harriot can’t keep this up forever.” Duke says, “We don’t have much time.”

“You were part of the group going to kill Mavis.” Audrey states rather than asking, hurt by the truth.

Duke can see the hurt all over her face, and he holds his head low, “I um thought it was the right thing.”

Audrey nods tears stream down her cheeks, “Thought” She says with hope, “What do you think now?”

“I’m with you Audrey, whatever you decide. We need to do something quickly. This is our chance. The town has done so much because they believe in you. They’re at peace despite what’s going on. It’s like Sam says, “peace is not the absence of suffering but the presence of God.”

Audrey nods sighing, “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to fix things this time.”

Duke takes her in a hug. As they embrace Dave comes out of the gymnasium and says, “They’re awake. They’re waking up.”

Act II

In the gymnasium, Dwight, James, Daniel, Kirk, and guard members are getting up. Susie, Sam, Duke, and Audrey (with baby Danielle in a stroller) approach them. Audrey is not pleased. She looks to Dwight and her father, “You had no right.” She says irritated. Sam and Susie watch on observing confused.

Dwight annoyed yells, “If you had just gone in the barn than it would be done!”

Audrey shakes her head annoyed, “You promised me, you told me that you wouldn’t kill her and then you went off to do just that.” Audrey begins to yell.

Susie is shocked and appalled at Dwight, “You tried to kill Mavis?”

“We were doing what we had to do,” Dwight argues for his side.

Daniel approaches Audrey, “You can’t see clearly when it comes to your mother.” He is insistent.

Nathan steps between them, “Audrey’s love for her mother powers the barn! You can’t plot to kill her once she’s inside, then she won’t go in!” Nathan yells.

“So we kept it from you!” James yells, “How selfish can you be!” James spouts towards Audrey, and everyone else is silent as she glares at him.

“Selfish. You think I’m being selfish. I have risked my life to help these people. Maybe if you loved her, we wouldn’t be here.” Audrey accuses Daniel.

“All you really care about is having your mommy.” James accuses her in an ugly tone.

Audrey scoffs, “You’re one to talk.” Audrey says calmly, “You found Lucy because all you wanted was your mommy.”

“I don’t remember any of that,” James argues denying he’s that person.

“And why is that?” Audrey declares, “Because you selfishly decided to forget. Poor you having a wife that was psycho.” She points to her father, “He had a wife who was I had a mother who was, but we learned to deal with it not hide.”

James runs out upset. Everyone looks to Audrey shocked by her hurtful words.

Daniel approaches her, “You shouldn’t have said that.”

“You shouldn’t have gone behind my back.” Audrey glares at him annoyed.

“You could have put an end to things!” Kirk whines yelling and everyone begins to yell again, accusing each other of letting the other down.

Suddenly Sam whistles, “Stop it!” She yells, “You all feel betrayed. I get it, things have gone wrong, but we need to focus now on what we can do. We don’t have the barn what do we have?”

Everyone breaths deeply and looks hopeless.

“We have love.” Sam declares, “The church group that used to kill the troubled are feeding them from their own pantries when we don’t know when we’ll get a shipment of food to Haven!” she declares with vigor.

Calmly she continues walking around looking at each of them, “You all have worked together to fights the troubles. You’d been a model for them. Don’t let it all fall apart. You’ve each been through worse.”

She looks to everyone, “Vince and Dave have lied to each of you for years.”

She looks to Dwight, “The death of your daughter caused by the guard lead by Vince. You blamed Kirk, but you’re working together now.”

She then looks to Nathan, “Audrey shoot you in the head.”

Then she looks to Audrey, “And your Father leaving you with your mother where she tortured you and trying to kill her before.”

Looking at them all Sam says, “We’ve gotten past all these things because we care about each other, about having each other in our lives. Don’t give up on that. We need each other now more than ever. Come up with ideas and work it out.”

Everyone looks down knowing they should, “I’ll check out what happened since?” Kirk says and takes his men with him.

Daniel approaches Audrey as she says, “I should talk to James.”

Nathan goes to Audrey, Daniel holds her back, “I’ll talk to him.” Audrey looks back to him forlorn, and Daniel continues, “What you said, it wasn’t entirely untrue. James did do it to hide.”

“I shouldn’t have said it like that.” Audrey declares. Nathan takes her hand. Audrey takes his hand and forces a smile.

Daniel finds James in the quad. Approaching him James sees him and speaks before Daniel gets a chance, “We shouldn’t have tried to kill Mavis.” James declares.

Daniel sighs looking to James, “You agreed?” he questions why he did.

“I thought you knew better but I…I don’t know anymore.” He says shaking.

Daniel watches him worried, concerned about them.

“I don’t even know who I am,” James whispers shaking.

“I do.” Daniel places his hands on James’ arm in comfort.

“You know she’s right, I did it to hide, or you would have said something.” James declares rather than arguing.

“I think she was right about me too,” Daniel says sitting down on a bench. He places his head in his hands, “I never did love, Mavis. I never really even tried.”

“She’s a murderer she’s killed so many people,” James argues trying to vindicate Daniel from what he feels guilty for.

“But Audrey,” Daniel says, “She always loved her, even when she disagreed with what her mother was doing. She found a way. If I had maybe things would be different.” Daniel stands up and sighs turning to James he says, “Michael said that you can remember if you wish. What you lost. You don’t have to be the one that hides if you don’t want to be.” Daniel says calmly.

James nods. Daniel leaves as if in a hurry. But he runs into Audrey.

“I’m sorry.” She says, “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. Either of you.” She says looking to James. “I know you’ve always just tried to protect me, and I’m grateful for that.”

Daniel hugs her, “I’m grateful for you.” He says hugging her, “I want to get home take a shower.” He says.

She nods.

As he leaves, he turns back and says, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Daniel goes to his place, above the Gull Restaurant. Church people use the Gull to cook. He goes up to his place above the Gull and begins to write a letter.

In the gymnasium Susie is upset with Dwight, “You tried to kill Mavis, when Audrey asked you not to.”

“It was the right thing to do,” Dwight argues.

“Obviously not,” Susie says.

Dwight goes to her eagerly, “Susie I…”

She shoos him away, “Stop…I know you think you did what was right. But you betrayed a friend. Was that right?”

Susie leaves with boxes.

Dwight stands there hurt and upset.

Audrey, standing on the high school roof, anxiously looks at all the people. Nathan comes up the stairs behind her, “Want to make out?” he asks, “Or did you sneak out here for a smoke?” He says playfully.

Audrey turns to him and smiles. Her face is burdened with what is to come. She must give them answers but doesn’t have any. “I want to go home.”

Nathan nods, “Sam says it’s still within the barrier.”

Audrey nods leaning against him.

In their bedroom, Audrey crawls into bed with Nathan. They sleep.

In the darkness of night, Daniel finishes his letter. Drafts crumpled up on the floor. He quietly sneaks into Audrey and Nathan’s place as if Nathan and Audrey are sleeping. On the counter, he leaves the letter with Audrey’s name on the envelope.

In the darkness of the night, up in the forest Mavis, Zara, Jeremy, and Kat take injections for the pain. They are still suffering. “We will go into town.” Mavis says as if she’s drunk she’s so discombobulated, “And we will turn this into a nightmare.”

Suddenly they see a car approaching, “Mavis.” Daniel calls out and approaches her.

Act III

In the darkness of night, Mavis stands with her witches. Daniel approaches. His hands up he says, “I’m here alone. I want to talk to you, my wife.” He says approaching her tears begin to swell in his eyes as he begins to reveal his shame, “I have done you a disservice, Mavis. I never really loved you.”

“This is a trick,” Mavis says not trusting it.

Daniel shakes his head, tears in his eyes, “No, I’m alone, have your witches check.”

The witches run around in a blur, around the forest and quickly return. “He did come alone,” Kat says.

“Go inside,” Mavis tells them and looks to Daniel curiously.

James sleeping in his bed tosses and turns. He flashes back to when he was inside the barn.

The walls white as if they are glowing James sits leaning against a white wall struggles with his words, “She tried to kill mom.” He says with his grandfather, Daniel standing over him. James holds onto a wound by his side.

“You’ll be alright James” Daniel assures him.

“Arla, my wife tried to kill me.” He repeats as in shock.

“You’re certainly one of our family now.” Daniel jokes.

“Sweet Arla.” James says, “She murdered dozens of people, just to look like her old self.”

Daniel sits down next to James, “Sometimes people do awful things out of fear.”

James shakes his head, “She should have known I would have loved her no matter what?” James glances at Daniel. Daniel avoids eye contact.

James’s eyes are sad he looks off into the distance, “I still love her. I know all she’s done, but I still love her.” Suddenly James screams. Daniel startles. He moves towards him putting his arm around his neck holding him as James says, crying, “I just want to forget…about being murdered, my wife, everything.”

Michael appears to them saying, “That can be arranged.”

Daniel stands up, “Where is my daughter?” he demands to know.

Michael announces, “She has killed the man she loves to end the troubles. You will both rejoin her in the world. The question is separately or together?”

James wakes up in his bed startled.

In Audrey and Nathan’s bedroom, Audrey wakes up sleeping next to Nathan. She walks into the kitchen and lets out a heavy sigh. “How do I stop her?” Audrey asks allowed.

“Talking about Mavis,” Nathan says. Audrey startles. Nathan comes out of the hall. Audrey relaxes and nods.

“You don’t have to figure this out alone,” Nathan says. Just then James bursts in.

“James, what is it?” Audrey asks.

James excited says, “I remember, I remember my life with Arla.”

Nathan and Audrey stand there, “That’s great.” Audrey says wondering what that has to do with her.

James takes Audrey’s shoulders, “I get it. I understand what it is to love someone when you hate what they’ve done. I want you to save her.”

Nathan shakes his head trying to be delicate he says, “Arla’s gone.”

James shakes his head, “Not Arla. Mavis.”

Audrey looks to him surprised. She approaches the counter and places her hand on the edge about to open her mouth when her hand touches the letter Daniel left. She looks down at it curiously. Lifting it carefully.

“What is it?” James asks.

Nathan looks to her, his face relays the same question.

Audrey looks down at the envelope, “It’s Daniel’s handwriting.” She says and opens it worry all over her face.

Audrey reads the letter and cries, “No. He’s gone to see her.”

In the forest, Daniel stands in front of Mavis as she speaks, “I have never seen you this pathetic before.” She says.

“Yes, pathetic is what I am. I couldn’t love you. I should have as your husband.”

“I forced you into our marriage. It was magic that made you desire me when our daughter was conceived.” Mavis declares walking around him.

“I know. But love isn’t earned. No one deserves it. It’s an act of Faith. I should have had faith in something better. Our daughter taught me that. She loves you so much.”

Mavis turns to him shocked and speechless.

Daniel begins to tear up more, “I think now I want to love you too if you’ll have me.” Daniel says putting his hand on her cheek.

“Why?” Mavis asks trembling.

“Because when we were married, I grew to care about you. There were some good times. I saw you then. You are so wise, and you want to be loved, but you don’t think you’re worth it. You are Mavis. You’ve been hurt, let me help you.”

Mavis puts her hand on his head, caressing him. She begins to cry and shakes her head in pain she backs away. “If I give in I’ll have to give up magic.” She declares.

“You’ll have more, you’ll have love.” Holding his hand out asking for hers.

She takes his hand and kisses him deeply. As he kisses her, “I promise to love you.” He says deeply, meaning the words.

“I believe you,” Mavis says tears in her eyes. With a swift motion, she slits his throat. Daniel looks to her with the shock of her betrayal in his eyes, and she says, “And that’s the problem.”

As she stands over him with a knife dripping blood clutched in her hand, he falls to the ground dead.

Audrey, James, Dwight, Nathan, Duke, Sam, and Dave and Vince search for Daniel in the woods. Daniel narrates the letter, “My Angel,” Daniel says, “You’ve always had a knack for seeing the truth. You were right about me, not loving your mother. And I think you’re right about love being the key to saving her. I never wanted to accept that’s what I wanted. Married to her I saw there was good in her. She used to dance on her tippy toes even when there wasn’t music around. I thought it was wonderful. I never thought she could be saved, so I gave up. Considering all that we’ve been through, how could I think anything was impossible? I’ve gone to her and hope to bring her back. If I do, you’ll never see this letter. If I don’t, know that I love you and don’t ever stop loving. You put me back together with that love when you were three years old. Don’t give up on her.” Duke finally finds the body. Daniel is dead.

In front of the gym, Dwight pulls up in his truck. Audrey looks to see her father’s body and cries softly. The whole town is mourning with Audrey everyone watching her.

Act IV

At the cemetery, Sam leads a funeral service. And they slowly put the body into the ground, everyone is in attendance. Audrey, Nathan, and James lean on each other together. Everyone saddened for them.

People come up to her sorry for her loss.

By the ocean, Audrey sits on a rock pensive. Nathan is standing at a distance behind her. Sam comes up to him, “Have you talked to her?”

“No,” Nathan says shaking his head and looking down. He sighs knowing what Audrey must be going through.

Sam walks up to Audrey, “You mind?” Sam asks.

“Not if it’s you.” Audrey says, “Nathan doesn’t like dealing with grief.”

Sam smiles approaching Audrey slowly.

Audrey turns to Sam looking straight at her, “Thank you.” She says, “You came to Haven at a perfect time, when I really needed, the whole town needed you. You’ve always been a good friend.”

“Yeah well, I think I’m going to have to be a bitch for a second,” Sam says. Audrey is shocked looking at her surprised as Sam continues looking at the ground she says, “I’m sorry about your father, but the people are looking to you to lead them.”

Audrey sighs, “Yeah, I know.” She flips her hair out of her face and bites her lip as she continues while looking at the sand in front of her, “I know what it is I’m going to do. I’m going to need everyone’s help, and I don’t know if I can make them understand.” Audrey continues to tell Sam what her plan is but the audience doesn’t hear.

Sam and Audrey approach the high school field, where everyone is gathered, everyone she has helped throughout her time in Haven. As she passes Dwight, he joins her journey to the mike. She tells him, “Thank you for getting everyone together.”

Nathan hands her the mike as he, Duke, Sam, Dwight, Vince, Dave, and James stand behind her in support. Audrey gives the mike to Sam, ‘Since it is a Sunday, Audrey thought it would be appropriate if before she spoke, I gave a quick Word.” Sam pauses before she continues letting the audience adjust to the change of plans. They look on her with respect, though some are eager and confused.

Sam continues as she walks across the sidelines, “Though not all of you are Christians Jews or Muslims I think all of us can understand the importance of love now for us here.” She begins to preach saying, “love leads to freedom. Haven, for the last few hundred years like the Israelites in Egypt, have been slaves, slaves to the troubles. Anger, resentment, bitterness, and fear has flourished in our state of slavery. But we’ve been freed by Audrey, who has shown us the way to the promised land, through the power of love. It is love that freed us from the troubles these past few weeks. Like the Israelites in exile, our reorienting to this way of life involved an exile, a wandering. God lead the Israelites through the desert as a gesture of love, knowing it would be a difficult journey there was a destination worth that difficulty. I believe the same is true for our destination through the troubles. Like the Israelites, there has been difficulty and a great deal of whining. But we have reoriented our lives to the ways of love which has saved us. You have fed those we called enemies, cared for their wounds, and forgiven. Now we, myself, Audrey, Nathan, Dwight, James, Vince, and Dave ask you to love a few more. A little girl who was molested by her uncle, her mother knowing and did nothing to help her. This girl was Mavis! With our love, she will be peace. So we ask, can you love your enemies, a little girl was molested by her uncle or will you continue to be a slave to fear and the troubles?”

The crowd is not sure what they believe as they chatter amongst themselves.

“No.” Login says, “She can’t be saying this.”

“Hear them out.” Mrs. Braddock insists.

Audrey takes the microphone from Sam, as Sam is done, “I know I ask a lot of you. My father was the closest Christ-like person I knew. But he didn’t want to forgive Mavis, until the end. His death was the sacrifice he was willing to make to save her. Please do not let his death be in vain. We’ve all lost family to the witches, friends (she looks to Ben and to the man who likes Zara, Frank).

Someone from the crowd yells, “How do we know this will work?”

Audrey responds, “I do not know this will work.”

The crowd is irate, “Why should we do this if we’re going to die?”

Sam yells, “We are all going to die!” At this everyone is quiet and she continues to speak softly through the microphone, “It could be today or in 80 years. But all of us are going to die. Death is not a choice. It comes to everyone. What we can choose is how we live. And I choose to love!”

The group is not sure if they are going to buy it, there’s a lot of silence and uncertainty as they wait.

“If you are with us, meet us at dusk outside the Harold, and we’ll give you instructions.”

As Audrey, Nathan, James, Sam, and Duke sit in the Harold with Dave and Vince time seems to fly by slowly.

Dusk comes, and there are hundreds of people outside the door at dusk all on Audrey’s side. Audrey is touched.

Yet in the woods, Kirk leads a group of people to fight Mavis. “If Audrey’s not going to deal with this reasonably we’ll do it,” Kirk says, with Login on his side.

“I’m with you,” Dwight says holding a large gun.

Act V

          “It was a full moon that night, that the whole town approached Mavis.” Sam narrates describing what the scene shows, people walking through the forest, “They were led by Audrey and Nathan with James.”

          “They were heading out with love.” A little girl says.

          “Yes, they were.” Sam reiterates, “But not everyone wanted to love Mavis.”

         

          In another part of the forest, Dwight and Kurt head out with their guns, and an army of soldiers ready to fight a war.

          The group with Audrey and Nathan head forward, Nathan and Audrey holding hands, “I love you.” Audrey declares.

          “I love you, Audrey.” Nathan declares to her, “No matter what happens.”

          James beside them, “I love you guys.” He says to them happily.

         

         

Mavis looks out to those in front of her and says, “You’ve come to kill me?” her witches are behind her ready to attack.

Audrey, with her followers behind her, shakes her head, “No. We’ve come to tell you we love you. We want you to be part of Haven.”

“What?” Mavis asks shocked.

The witches begin to tremble in pain, “Mavis.” Zara calls out afraid.

Sam steps out of the crowd, “You can all come back be part of the town.” She says and looks to her sister Kat with pleading eyes.

Mavis looks to them confused and touched.

Suddenly they’re shot at. It’s Kurt and Dwight’s people.

“You lie!” Mavis declares. And all of them head for cover.

“No.” Audrey shakes her head, “This isn’t us.”

Susie sees Dwight in the distance, “Dwight, stop this!”

Sam and Duke head over to Kat, who is having trouble fighting the men. They join her in the fight, protecting her. Duke manages to pull a gun from one of the guys.

“Why are you helping me?” Kat asks.

“I love you, little sis. Kat in the hat.” Sam pleads with her to understand.

Kat pauses her back to Sam as they fight.

Duke looks to Kat and says, “We both do.”

Kat looks to Sam. Tears stream down Kat’s cheeks as she shakes, “After everything I’ve done. How?”

“Because,” Sam says touching Kat’s hair as only a sister can. “Love has no reason. You’re my sister.” Sam exclaims and hugs her. Duke fights hand to hand. He protects them both.

Kat embraces her sister and screams a black cloud comes from her mouth, and she falls to her knees.

“What was that?” Duke asks

Kat responds, “My magic is gone.” She reaches over and takes Sam’s hand, “Thank you.”

Ben protects his son Jeremy, Vince and Dave with him “Son” he pleads with him between punches, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

Jeremy stands firmly against his father, “I don’t need your help.”

“Jeremy.” Vince pleads. “Your father cares deeply for you.”

 “Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.” Dave presses as he knocks someone down with a log in his hand.

Jeremy looks to his father.

“I love you son.” Ben urges.

Jeremy exhales a dark cloud.

James heads over to Zara who is having trouble fighting two men. He helps her out, knocking one of the guys out. Frank is with him.

“Why are you helping us?” Zara asks.

Frank, who stole jewels for her in an earlier episode declares, “I love you, Zara. I think you’re a fabulous doctor and beautiful person. I see how afraid you are.”

Sam continued to narrate as Frank flashes back, “Frank remembered how he’d seen her cry after coming home from surgery.

“I’m afraid too,” Frank says to her.

Zara shakes her head, “You don’t know.”

Frank nods, “I know you saw too many people die on your operating table. You wanted to control something. It’s not your fault Zara, people die.” He says putting out his hand, “come with me, we can find peace together.”

Zara trembling takes his hand and exhales a dark cloud.

Audrey slowly makes her way to Mavis.

Mavis looks to Audrey, “What are you doing?” She asks afraid shaking in pain, “You’re killing me? If you really love me stop!” Mavis yells.

Audrey shakes her head, “No, you’re feeling the pain because you won’t let us in. Let us love you mother.”

Dwight shooting his way up to Mavis stands face to face with Audrey. Nathan comes to her aid. Nathan and Audrey stand in the way of his getting to Mavis.

“Get out of my way?” Dwight insists.

“No.” Audrey declares without a weapon she can do nothing.

Suddenly Mavis falls to the ground, a large cloud emulates from behind Audrey, where Mavis is. Dwight looks down and lowers his weapon to see a little girl laying on the ground.

“Daddy?” She says holding her legs like a scared child.

Dwight flashes back to Lizzie, his little girl, “I’m here.” He says to Mavis, “No one will ever hurt you.” He tells young Mavis lifting her up in his arms.

Everyone stops and watches.

“What happened then?” A little girl asks, “Did she trick them?”

“No.” Sam declares looking at a little girl in bed.

Tag

In the bedroom, the little girl asks an elderly Sam, “What happened after Dwight picked up Mavis? Why did Dwight pick her up? He was shooting at her.”

Sam, at an elderly age, watches the little girl happily, “Yes, but when Mavis turned into a little girl Dwight was reminded of his own little girl who he had lost. He vowed to protect her.”

 “Is Mavis still here in Haven?” The little girl asks.

“She was.” Sam declares, “Dwight and Susie raised her like she was their own.”

Susie in the house she shares with Dwight kisses young Mavis as she goes off to school. Susie watches as Dwight takes her and two other children in the truck, their lunches in hand.

“But then she went away.” Dwight and Susie say goodbye to an adult Mavis. “She went to find others like her, witches who needed to be brought back into love.”

“She remembers who she is? What she’d done?” the little girl asks.

“Yes, she did.” A flashback of Mavis saying she remembers like it was a bad dream plays. Dwight and Susie sooth her.

Sam flashes back to the night when the witches were defeated, “No one forgot that night. When the witches were defeated.” The witches all come back to Haven, Kat with Sam, Zara with Frank, and Jeremy with Ben. “Defeated with love. Things slowly got back to normal. A new normal, where people loved each other.” Sam says and recalls Mrs. Braddock helping Zara, dressed in a wedding gown as she marries Frank. Jeremy sits with his father at the wedding.

“The police department was rebuilt, just as Nathan said it would be. Just like it once was.” As Sam narrates the scene shows it, “Nathan continued to heal the troubled who came in.”

“Vince and Dave were given a hero’s funeral, they died together inside the Harold, bickering.”

“You and grandpa had daddy?” The girl declares excited.

Sam recalls coming from the church meeting Duke a three-year-old girl in his arms and an eight-year-old boy stands in front of him. Kat is beside them, “And Kat was a loving Aunt.”

Sam smiles at her granddaughter and declares, “And if anyone ever runs into anything mysterious near Haven main, there’s still a young woman there that can help them.”

“Mommy!” The little girl declares happily.

Duke, at an elderly age, enters, “I thought you were supposed to be getting her to sleep.”

“It’s time,” Sam says putting the covers over her and kissing her on the head.

That night, a man, shaking, walks into the police station. The cop at the desk notice immediately, “Detective Warnous this one is for you.” 

A young man in his 20s, carries two cups of coffee and in a friendly manner says, “I’m detective Crocker, follow me I’ll take you to Warnous.”

He leads him into Audrey and Nathan’s old office where Danielle sits at her father’s old desk. Detective Crocker hands her a coffee, matching wedding bands on their hands.

Danielle offers the shaking man a seat and asks him like her mother did so many times, “Tell me what happened?”

An elderly Nathan pokes his head in, “Need any help?”

“I got this,” Danielle assures him annoyed.

“Your mom and I are a phone call away.”

“I got this,” Danielle assures him.

Nathan nods and exits to lets her talk to the witness.

“You're going to think I'm crazy but I saw it. a monster in the forest.” The man says scared.

Danielle and Detective Crocker look on. They are not shocked but listening intently.

End of Episode – End of Series