Do you know how many members of the Tate family who belong to your church? There is old man DicTate, who wants to run everything, while Uncle RoTate tries to change everything. Their sister AgiTate stirs up plenty of trouble, with help from her husband, IrriTate. Their son DebiliTate is often a bad influence on other children.
Whenever new projects are suggested, HesiTate, and his wife, VegeTate, want to wait until next year. DisorienTate has never quite figured out what is going on. Grandpa DisserTate will talk on and on about most any subject when given a chance. GesTate takes a long time to come to conclusions on new ideas. Then there is Aunt ImiTate, who wants our church to be like all the others. DevasTate provides the voice of doom. And of course, there are the black sheep of the family, FragmenTate seems to always be stirring up division, AposTate has formed his own following and AmpuTate has cut himself off from the Church!
But not all the members of the Tate family are bad. Brother FaciliTate is quite helpful in church matters. Uncle CapaciTate is always helping others. Cousins CogiTate and MediTate are always thinking things over and lend helpful, steady hands. AnnoTate helps keep the records for the church. The twins OrienTate and RehabiliTate are very good at ministering to new and struggling members.
Cousin TempTate doesn’t stay long in the church, just long enough to start trouble. Uncle PotenTate feels he has to run the congregation, single-handedly, his way but complains that no one gets involved. Need we neglect Uncle LamenTate, who complains incessantly about the sorry state of society and how things were better when “he” was a kid!
Original Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.
WIT & WISDOM – November 3, 1998