7th Heaven: Season 1 - Episode 5: The Color of God

 

Catharine Hicks as Annie Camden

The family is eating breakfast when they see on TV that Reverend Morgan Hamilton (Dorian Harewood)'s church was burnt down. 

Simon: What are we gonna do?
Eric: I don't know...but something or I do something. 

The opening credits come up, and the theme song plays. 

Eric tells his congregation that Trinity Church (Hamilton's church) was burnt down in the middle of the night. He has invited Hamilton's church along with Hamilton, the guest pastor at Glenoak, this week. Reverend Hamilton tells them not to fight hate with hate. 

After church, the Hamiltons are at the Camdens' house. The older kids are all clearly uncomfortable talking to each other. Lucy apologizes for the third time, and then she and Mary leave to get changed. Matt soon follows. Simon plays with Nigel (David Netter) upstairs, and Ruthie plays with Lynn (Camille Winbush). Simon asks Nigel why he thinks they burned Trinity. (I love that the youngest kids have no problem playing together and talking about what happened). 

Nigel: 'Cause they're the bad guys. Bad guys have been burning black churches for a hundred years. They're just trying to scare us.
Simon: Well, if it hasn't worked in a hundred years, you'd think they'd give up.
Nigel: Yeah, you'd think so. 

The adults are making lunch in the kitchen. Eric suggests that Annie and Patricia (Olivia Brown) take a walk while he and Morgan finish getting lunch ready. Annie tells Lucy to clean up the living room, and Lucy is upset. Lucy complains, and Keesha (Gabrielle Union) tells her that life isn't fair. 

Lucy comes into the kitchen for the salt to do the salt/butter trick that Mary did on her (which Matt did to Mary) to Simon. After she leaves, Morgan tells Eric that the arsonists left a note that they'd be back. Eric invites them all to stay at the Camedens' house. 

Lucy successfully plays the salt/butter trick on Simon, breaking the kids' tension. 

Outside, Matt accuses John (Chaz Lamar Shepherd) of taking his anger out on Mary. John gets upset and walks away, and Mary tells Matt that John is upset about the church and to put himself in John's shoes. 

Annie and Patricia are discussing being ministers' wives. 

At lunch, Eric informs the Hamiltons that they are staying at the Camden's, but he and Morgan are returning to the Hamilton's house. Nigel prays, "Dear, please stop the fires." 

A week later, Morgan tells Eric he (Eric) is the worse cook but the best friend. (Eric's inability to cook well is a running gag, I've noticed). They are at the Hamilton's as planned. Eric's church donated some of its building funds to help Morgan's church get rebuilt. 

Keesha did Lucy's hair to look like an African hairstyle. Lucy mentions Rosa Parks, and Simon learns who Rosa Parks was. 

Annie tells Eric she is upset anyone would endanger the children's lives by burning down a church next to their house while they were sleeping. She lets him know that all the kids have been helping at home. 

At school, Simon and Nigel are outside playing with their class at recess. One of the kids calls Simon a "N***r lover." Simon punches the kid. After school, Matt asks Nigel where Simon is, and Mary says she'll go get him. A security officer (James Nardini) gives Matt a hard time because he sees Matt with the Hamiltons. 

Eric is proud of Simon, but Annie says, "fighting is not the answer." She says they have to punish him but then admits she is also a little proud of him. (I was rather proud of Simon too). 

Matt tells John that the security guard was a jerk, but John accuses Matt of being scared of him because of the color of his skin. Matt informs him that it's not John's skin color but his attitude that scares him. (At this point, John has been like a walking time bomb. Understandable, but still scary).

Upstairs, Simon has a tea party with Ruthie and Lynn because he wants to look good to his mother before getting punished. 

Patricia tells Annie that she (Patricia) and Morgan are grateful to Glenoak for their donation. Patricia tells her they are ready to go home, but Annie doesn't want her to leave before feeling safe. Patricia said that could take a while, but they must get on with their lives. 

Mary is doing homework while Lucy and Keesha dance. She gets annoyed and turns the music off. Keesha accuses Mary of not liking her, and Mary says she has a test to study for. (Way to be evasive). 

Annie asks Matt to get the butter in the kitchen. So Matt yells to Ruthie. 

Matt: Hey Ruthie, bring us the butter! (He notices the adults looking at him and has no clue). Please!
Eric: Thanks, Matt. 

Ruthie brings the butter and does the salt/butter trick on John, who falls for it. This causes everyone at the table to laugh. 

Morgan and Patricia decide that they are ready to go home. Annie and Eric convince them to stay one more night because they can play Twister. 

Morgan and Patricia are watching Ruthie and Lynn dance in the living room. He asks Patricia if she thinks she will feel safe in the house, and Patricia tells him "no." Then she says eventually she will. They dance as well.

In the kitchen, Annie and Eric are cleaning plates. And by cleaning, I mean they are also dancing. 

John and Matt are now friends. (Yay)!

Keesha asks Mary why she dislikes her. Mary tells her she feels like Keesha took over everything. They also become friends. (Yay)!

Eric offers to share his church with Morgan. Morgan says he will hold church on the property before the building is built. Reverend Hamilton wants to get back the "spirit of the church" more than the building itself. He says it's the best place to begin healing. 

The youngest girls hug Mary, Lucy, and Keesha goodnight.

Lucy asks Keesha why she thinks the church was burnt down. 

Keesha: Because we're black. They think if they destroy our church, they destroy our faith.
Mary: But that doesn't make any sense.
Keesha: I know. A roof just keeps the rain off your head. 

Annie asks Eric what his sermon will be about. He says he doesn't know, but then he is inspired. 

In the next scene, the Trinity choir is singing at the building site, while people from Eric's church and other religions also show up there. 

Morgan: I had no idea I had so many friends.
Eric: We just wanted you to know we stand by you, and we'll continue to stand by you.

Morgan starts his service with the words of Nigel's earlier prayer, "Please God, stop the fires." (And I am again crying). 

(This was a great episode. It's incredible how the older kids had to overcome their issues, such as Mary feeling like Keisha was taking over, and then through that, they worked together in the house and then as a community to help the Hamiltons).