All new

The next part of the notebook had some sketchy information about the Church of The New Word, but Adam got the distinct impression that his gran hadn't been able to find out much about the organisation.

Apparently there was a website (he didn't know his gran knew the internet existed) suggesting the church was originally American: but it was long on evangelism, short on detail.

One of the facts that was underlined in his gran's notes was the church's central belief. This was, it seemed, The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves.

After he'd finished reading, he looked up, puzzled. "So, they're one of those fundamental kind of churches, yeah? A bit earnest, but so what?"

"Well," replied Alice, "for one thing, Edith here can find no connection with any church anywhere in America, can you Edith. And she knows a thing or two about religion, believe me."

The other woman shook her head in confirmation, added "and there's another funny thing too. That motto - 'The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves'? Don't you think it's odd, for a church that's supposed to see the Bible as literal truth, to use a quotation that isn't actually from it?"



Story starts here.