An ultimatum between church and family
The meeting concluded with a brutal ultimatum that sealed my fate. The Pastor stood up and drew a definitive line in the sand.
My father could either maintain his esteemed role as a deacon or attend my wedding. He could not have both.
Attending the ceremony would be seen as a public endorsement of a sinful union. He had to choose between his prestige within the church walls and his own flesh and blood.