What is a Saint? What is an "Aint"?

At a very young age, I believe I was about 7 or 8, I asked my father why did we always have to go to church. I grew up in the generation Steve Harvey mentioned in the movie "The Original Kings of Comedy." Church about 4-5 days out of the week. 


My aunt at EVERY afternoon service would ALWAYS get up and testify. No song, but she gave the SAME testimony each and everyone!

See,  I grew up AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church and the AME church I grew up in went by every letter of the Discipline (the AME rulebook) and did every item in the Order of Service. So while our service started at 11:00 sometimes (especially on 1st Sunday Holy Communion) we would not get out until 1:30 or 2:00. Then that afternoon we had to go to another church to support the "Pastor" (aka the Reverend) preach or sing at a choir anniversary.  Then there was Tuesday night choir rehearsal, Wednesday night bible study, Thursday night Usher Board meeting, Friday night YPD meeting (Young People's Department), and Saturday Community Youth choir rehearsal.

When I told my father that I was tired of constantly going to church all the time, he made me look and then memorize Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (KJV).

"So, what does this verse mean?" my father asked (after having me recite it 5 times).
"That wherever I'm going, when I get there I won't leave?" I said.  Hey! Don't laugh - I was only 7 or 8!

But now that I am not 8, I understood why my father had me go to church all the time: He knew I was going to write a novel about church folks and he wanted me to have LOTS of stories to go from!  (just kidding!) 

The lessons and beliefs that I learned when I was young have indeed stayed with me as an adult and that while I may have fell I knew to get up and I knew where to go to get redirection which just goes to affirm the statement that God's Word NEVER returns back void.

But oh! The stories will stay with me. As well as the people. My home church, Crooning* (*name has been changed) was a large church and we had a diverse dynamic of personalities. My aunt like to break them up into two categories: SAINTS and AINTS. 

You see the SAINTS were the people (according to my aunt) on fire for God. Came to church every Sunday. Fasted, prayed, and read their word. Gave their Tithes and Offerings. Participated in the choir, bible study, and other church auxiliaries, and tried each day to live as righteously as they could. 

Now the AINTS were the ones who did everything the SAINTS did EXCEPT live as righteously as they could. The AINTS did only what they thought would make them look good in front of the congregations and the Pastor's eyes and made sure they had their ear in everyone's business so they could make sure to rebuke when necessary so that their "SAVEDNESS" would be that evermore evident.

"Church Saints and Church Aints" is set primarily in a church that is on the rise (membership and popularity wise) when their leader is suddenly struck down. With the leader  gone, it becomes apparent that the congregation of New Summit UWC is at a crossroads. What group will emerge as the majority: The SAINTS
 or the AINTS?


I loved my church secretary; she was so professional. But the announcements they would have her read were EXACTLY like this!

You tell me......What is your definition of a SAINT and an AINT? Comment your reply!