Mistaken Identity: A Thaddeus Taite Series

DAVID TADLOCK

Copyright © 2016 David Tadlock

Smashwords Edition

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Mistaken Identity – a Thaddeus Taite Novel

David Tadlock

AtL Publishing Co.

Copyright December 2016

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

About the Author

Connect with David

A Thaddeus Taite Series

Book #1

Reverend Thaddeus Taite knew it was time he needed some help at the First Faith Community Church of Sprague Junction. As he prayed, in walks Adam Teppo, fresh out of seminary school and full of fresh ideas; he is eager to start a pastoral internship under the senior minister.

But it doesn’t take long for the young apprentice minister to realize that being mentored under the aging minister is more of a challenge than he anticipated. It seems the senior minister has the tendency to be at the wrong place at the wrong time… Or maybe they were at the right place at the right time. You decide.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Chapter 1

The chapel was quiet as Thaddeus knelt at the altar of the First Faith Community Church of Sprague Junction, a habit he had done bright and early every morning for the past twenty years as minister of the church. Saturday morning was no different; he had been praying for quite some time for some help or an assistant of some kind to help him with the growing flock. He was getting older and he felt like he couldn’t keep up at times with all the demands of being senior pastor. He had even contemplated stepping aside a year or so ago and let a younger minister come in and take his place.

Thaddeus had always been a gangly man since he was in his late teens. He was rather short as a youngster and then in the summer of his sixteenth birthday he shot up like a bean sprout. Kneeling at the altar didn’t do justice to his actual height of six-foot-two and even if he were soaking wet and had his pockets full of rocks he wouldn’t weigh two hundred pounds. When he was younger his peers would pick on him, calling him Ichabod Crane because they thought he resembled the old schoolmaster in the story of ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ so much.

Lord, I know I’ve asked this before and I know I’ve asked on multiple occasions. Lord I know you are always an on-time God and you have always come through at the right time. But Lord I feel like the time now is right and I really could use some help here if you’d be obliged to send me some. Thaddeus always humbled himself in his prayers no matter what he was praying for; sometimes he would bow his head with clasped hands and at other times he would clasp his hands together and look up at the ceiling as though he was looking toward heaven. But Lord it’s not my will but thine. Blessed be thy name. As he silently meditated at the altar, he heard the front door creak open. He turned his head to glance over his shoulder to see who it was.

Hello? Reverend Taite? The young man was short and slightly stocky with jet-black hair that didn’t have a single strand of gray anywhere in it. He had a darker complexion, as one of an Indian or Hispanic descent. He wore black shoes that looked freshly polished, black slacks with a short-sleeve black shirt, black jacket and a white clerical collar. Reverend Taite? He called out again.

Thaddeus stood up from the altar and turned to face the young man. When the young man saw him he asked him, Are you Reverend Thaddeus Taite?

That I am son, and who may you be if I should ask?

The young man walked more confidently toward the front of the church to where the senior minister stood and extended his hand out. Hi Reverend Taite. I’m Reverend Adam Teppo. But everyone just calls me Adam; whichever you prefer sir. I was sent here to work under you as an internship.

You were? Thaddeus couldn’t believe what he was hearing as he raised his eyebrows in surprise; it was an answer to his prayers. Adam didn’t know that he was the very thing Thaddeus had been praying for the past few months or even the last few minutes. The thought came to him that God never ceases to amaze him as to his perfect timing.

Yes sir. You did get the letter didn’t you, from the counsel? It was sent about a month ago.

Not that I can recollect. Thaddeus said as he was still in a sense of surprise. Or at least I don’t remember seeing a letter from the counsel pertaining to this.

You should have gotten the letter. Adam began to feel a little nervous, wondering if he would be wanted or accepted by the elder minister. I mean if that’s a problem or if this is a bad time then I can go and find out what the mix up is. Maybe I’m at the wrong church, but how can I be at the wrong church when I’ve got the right minister. Apparently they must have given me the wrong name of the minister for the church that I’m supposed to be at. Adam shrugged his shoulders as he began to get more nervous and his hands began to slightly tremble. 'Just out of seminary school and I’m already messing things up for myself,' he thought.

Adam felt the call of the ministry on his life just a few short years ago, right after he went to an outdoor prayer meeting. He wasn’t active in any church when he graduated high school but he would go with a friend every once in awhile to a church service. Up until the Lord called him into the ministry he had always been rather quite and bashful. The night he felt the call of the Lord on his life, the youth of a church in his hometown had a big bonfire and worship service in the middle of an open field. He wasn’t going to go but a couple of his friends encouraged him to go with them. They told him it was going to be like the old high school pep rallies with the only difference that this pep rally was for the glory and worship of the Lord.

Adam reached out and touched Thaddeus on the forearm. I’m so sorry if there’s a mix up; I’ll go back and see if we can hash this thing out. You have a good day, Reverend. The young minister turned to leave so he wouldn’t take up any more of the elder minister’s time and Thaddeus caught him by the arm.

Wait a minute, son. I think if you’ve got the right minister then obviously you’ve got the right church. I’m sure the letter may have gotten lost in the mail or something or maybe I just misplaced it. Either way you are here now and until the counsel sends for you again I think you should stay. Thaddeus smiled at his newly appointed young apprentice.

Do you have a place to stay? He asked, giving him reassurance to stay.

No sir, not right now. I was going to get a room at a motel for the week while I looked for an apartment or something.

Nonsense; I’ll have nothing of it, young reverend. Come on son, I’ll show you where your room is, or at least where you can stay while you are here. The young minister followed his new leader through the back corridors of the old large church as Thaddeus asked him if he had any suitcases or bags.

No sir, this is the only suitcase I brought with me for now. He held the large, hard suitcase up. I figured that once I got settled wherever I was going, then I would send for all of my other personal belongings that were at my parent’s home in New Mexico. Adam talked extensively while they walked through the back part of the church. Thaddeus could tell he was still very nervous by the way he talked. He could hear it in his voice.

Thaddeus asked him how long he had been out of seminary school; did he have any brothers or sisters? He tried to make him feel calmer as he made conversation with him by telling Adam a little bit about himself, even some humorous moments during his ministry that would help ease any tension that Adam may have still felt.

Thaddeus showed Adam the small quant room in the back of the church, complete with a full bathroom; down the hall he showed him the kitchen and dining area, the study and a small library with a wide assortment of books and study Bibles. Adam was impressed at the size of the church and all of its amenities. He thought within himself that he was sent to the perfect location to work toward advancing his studies even more in the ministry. The last room Thaddeus showed him was his own personal bedroom and bathroom where he had been living ever since he had been pastor there. Thaddeus went on to explain to him why he never bought a house or anything else. He told him about a couple of love interests he had in times past, but for one reason or another they always fell through and would never blossom into a true love like he had hoped. Thaddeus determined that it must be the Lord’s will that he should be like the Apostle Paul and remain single while doing the work for the Lord. He figured that when it was time for him to get married, then the Lord would provide him with a bride.

When I first got here right at twenty years ago there was a very small congregation with a very big debt. I knew they couldn’t afford a lot for me as far as living arrangements go, so I agreed to stay right here at the church until better financial conditions could be met. When the church started growing and the financial needs of the church were looking better, instead of finding something else I had already made this my home. He turned to Adam. "You know back in my day of growing up in church, it was pretty common for the pastor and his family to stay in a church