In her journal, Charlotte described her pastoral concerns for her parishioners.

Ansel Richards
Here he's brought his family up to Almond Springs to get away from the suburban life. And now he worries that Louis and the others are going to bring that life to Almond Springs. So much of his identity is tied up in being an environmentalist hippie.

He has no idea how long he and Louis have been sparring with each other. During the church's visioning process in August, Louis kept correcting him. They both hoped that the congregation could minister to the community -- but they had diametrically opposed views of what the future should be. Louis wanted economic prosperity and Ansel wanted environmental purity. And Ansel was so intent on his own viewpoint that he assumed Louis actually agreed with him. These next few months are going to be hard on Ansel.

Louis Walsh
I still don't know what to make of Louis. He is such a town father. He wants what's best for the people of Almond Springs -- and, indeed he thinks he knows what is best for them even when they say differently. He dismisses Ansel whenever Ansel disagrees with him. Perhaps I can get Doc Davis to get Louis to let up on Ansel.

The Almond Glen development will make Louis very wealthy. I think he believes he deserves it. I keep thinking of Vic's deathbed comment, about how the two them "started out" doing the highway project for all the right reasons. The implication is that somehow they lost their way.

Doc Davis
Doc may be the key to solving this whole dilemma. He is the only one in town who does not have a financial stake in the development project. I think he supports the project because he wants the town to prosper. I just don't know if Ansel can separate Louis's motives from Doc's.

Laura Webber

My friend really is stuck in the middle -- between two things that she values. She wants the town to grow and prosper but she does not want to lose the things about Almond Springs that made her stay when everyone else left. This town has protected her in some significant ways and I think she feels an obligation to protect them in return.

She has just the right personality to be in this situation. By nature, she is a mediator and reconciler -- someone who brings people and solutions together when others thought it impossible. That's what she did last summer with the visioning process at the church and that's why the school promoted her out of her home-economics position.

I also know that my credibility and hers are closely linked because we are the only prominent women in town. She would not have been appointed to the council if I had not come along. Doc Davis said so. This community is still getting used to have a woman as a public leader. That can work for Laura and for me. And it can work against us.

I will have to trust Laura and work closely with her if we are going to help this community deal with this crisis. We have to be a team on this one.

Morris Marle
He is such a wild-card. He is the only member of the Town Council who is not a member of my church. He does not have the personal loyalties that others have to this town because he has been such a free spirit. I am still not sure how he got elected to the Council in the first place.

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The more I think about this whole Almond Glen project, the more I think I should simply stay out of it. That would be the wise thing for a new pastor to do.

But as soon as I say that I realize I can't. How can we talk about "HOPE FOR THE FUTURE" on Sundays and pretend it has nothing to do with the economic and ecological well-being of the town. I guess I can't disengage myself. But I can step slowly. I'm just not sure who to trust besides Laura and Doc.