To Receive

the retired pharmaceutical baron
and his silver haired beautiful wife
helped to pass around the plate for the offering
and at christmas they'd sing silent night

in the 80s the church posed a question
would we let homosexuals preach?
would we let them say the vows at the wedding?
would we be the ones to turn the other cheek?
would we be the ones to turn the other cheek?
snow white jesus picture hanging on the wall
watching us all

the retired pharmaceutical baron
held the mortgage on all our parent's houses
and even though my dad had a good job
they went down as the powdered milk years
could the earth truly be inherited by the meek?
could we be the ones to turn the other cheek?
snow white jesus picture hanging on the wall
as we sipped grape juice communion
and the challenge of the union to receive
all the broken hearted such as these

and the beauty of a small-town
staying tight-lipped in the breakdown
as the church was coming apart at the seams

look down with pity at all the broken angels
we had our troubles and we decorate the tables
for all the pot luck dinners
and the fellowship of sinners to receive
to receive
and maybe if jesus could just send us a message
if he was serious about all of that redemption
we're still making judgements about who is really worthy
to receive

i sat with my mom and watched the tv
as we waited for the decision to come down
i don't remember if it was a landslide
but homosexuals would surely wear the gown
and so disgusted was the pharmaceutical baron
he announced that him and his wife were going to leave
they would be the ones that couldn't turn the cheek
so he built his own little church on the edge of his yard
somewhere more comfortable
just a little bit more comfortable to receive
a sermon with a message he could believe
i remember as a kid being blown away
that you could go and build your own church
and tell the truth in your own way

look down with pity at all the broken angels
we've had our troubles and we decorate the tables
for all the pot luck dinners
and the fellowship of sinners to receive
to receive
and maybe if jesus could just send us a message
if he was serious about all of that redemption
we're still making judgements about who is really worthy
to receive

look down with pity at all the broken angels
we've had our troubles and we decorate the tables
for all the pot luck dinners
and the fellowship of sinners to receive
to receive
and maybe if jesus could just send us a message
if he was serious about all of that redemption
we're still making judgements about who is really worthy
to receive