Amen

Sep 27, 1986

In the series pilot, Ernest Frye, a holier-than-thou deacon, is seeking a new minister for the First Community church.

Oct 4, 1986

After hearing a beautiful gospel singer sing at a wedding, Deacon Frye decides to woo her so she will join the church and sing in the choir. He flatters her, and wines her and dines her to compel her to come, but his plan backfires when all the attention she is receiving causes her to fall in love with Deacon Frye, and she thinks he wants to marry her. At his wits end, he decides to tell her the truth, unaware of the wrath of a scorned woman.

Oct 11, 1986

Thelma intoxicates Reverend Gregory with her wine-cooked dinner, and he intoxicates her with a kiss. But the next morning, he has to break the news to her that he is not romantically interested in her, it was the alcohol that affected him. However, Thelma doesn't take the bad news very well, and gives him some charm of her own. Reuben also faces a dliemna with secretarial overstaffing.

Nov 1, 1986

A wayward teen wants to be reinstated in the church choir after being away from it for a while. Pastor Gregory is anxious to reinstate her, until he finds out she is pregnant, and not married. Fearing that her example might be a bad one for other teens in the church, he asks her to leave the choir. But things come to a head when she goes into labor during a baby shower at Deacon Frye's house, and the deacon is the only one left to deliver the baby. Meanwhile, the gang is trying to learn to speak Italian.

Nov 8, 1986

Rolly has his eye on the waitress at the diner around the corner, but he is too shy to approach her. So he asks Deacon Frye to approach her on his behalf. Deacon Frye meets the waitress named Leona and finds out she doesn't even know who Rolly is. But since she's so attractive, he decides to ask her out himself. But while having a romantic get-together at her place, they are surprised by the unexpected return of her husband. Deacon Frye narrowly escapes without getting caught, but when he stops by to tell Rolly what happened, Rolly makes a date with the real waitress he's had his eye on, Hannah. Oddly enough, he doesn't even know who Leona is.

Nov 15, 1986

The church's planned retreat is not at all interesting to Deacon Frye, until he learns that a former client, whom he caused to spend 5 years in jail, is getting out, and blames him for his jail time. So now, Deacon Frye must join the rest of the church at the retreat so the angry former client can't find him.

Nov 22, 1986

Rev. Gregory is jailed for giving refugees sanctuary, and the Deacon, charged with contempt of court while trying to defend him, gets incarcerated for 1 day. While there, the Reverend realizes that it is the first Sunday he hadn't delivered the sermon in many years, and preaches a rousing sermon to the only person he has available to him, his cellmate Willie.

Nov 29, 1986

A woman bequeaths the church members her eatery (a French restaurant) — providing they continue its successful operation. But the church runs into trouble meeting it's next balloon mortgage payment, which is due immediately. So, in order to save the church, they decide to sell the restaurant, but the terms of the will state that as long as it is a success, they can never sell it. What will the church do in order to meet its obligation to the bank?

Dec 6, 1986

Rev. Gregory has a crisis of conscience when he is attracted to a widow who needs comforting in her time of grief. He wrestles with his conscience when she asks him to perform her wedding ceremony to another man, knowing that he wishes it was him.

Dec 13, 1986

Rolly falls at the bank and, after the Deacon finagles, is awarded a settlement—which he refuses.

Dec 20, 1986

The church is preparing to put on a Christmas pageant, when they find out that a TV crew is scheduled to come and broadcast the show on live TV. Everyone works feverishly long into the night to finish preparations for the event. But at the last minute, a heavy snowfall blankets Philadelphia in tons of snow. Now everybody is snowed-in, and no one shows up to watch the show, not even the film crew. Eventually, the kids in the show teach the congregation a lesson in faith & perseverence.

Jan 10, 1987

A fund-raiser at the church takes an unexpected turn when the church gets sued for making someone sick with tainted macaroni salad. During the trial, Deacon Frye takes matters into his own hands to win the case for the church.

Jan 17, 1987

The new man in Thelma's life seems like Mr. Right to everyone, especially Deacon Frye, who thinks he's the greatest. But as they head for the altar, the question becomes: Is Thelma's heart really for Larry, or is it still for Rev. Gregory?

Jan 24, 1987

Frye befriends a computer whiz who picks sports winners.

Feb 7, 1987

While testifying in the church, Lorenzo admits to having an affair with an unnamed sister in the church, which starts the congregation speculating and gossipping, and turns member against member. In order for the church to get back to normal, and for people to stop speculating, the woman must come forward and also confess her illicit affair with Lorenzo. However, in an uncharactistic move, the congretation gels when the guilty party stands before them.

Feb 14, 1987

After attending the christening of Lynnette and Jerome's child, the Hetebrinks break down and cry because they believe they're too old to have any children of their own. But after the Reverend recommends that they consider adoption, they engage deacon Frye's legal services to adopt a baby son. And with the deacon's usual effectiveness, he arranges a super-quick adoption for a son for the Hetebrinks. But the child turns out to be an 18-year-old. Now the sisters must decide to send the child back or to dig deep and find the love in their hearts to provide a home for their new son Ricky.

Feb 21, 1987

A date with Frye lands Reuben's aunt in jail.

Feb 28, 1987

A forlorn woman comes to Deacon Frye's office seeking a divorce from her husband who she suspects is cheating on her. Frye sends his undercover detective to follow the man, and is informed that the husband is definitely cheating. However, after being misinformed, Frye tells the woman that her husband is unfaithful. Meanwhile, the church board votes in a new chairman to replace the deacon.

Mar 7, 1987

Deacon Frye hires a new attractive Sunday school teacher for the church, and Reuben falls for her, angering Thelma.

Mar 14, 1987

Aspiring magician Frye auditions for a children's show.

Mar 21, 1987

Inept Thelma tries her hand at real estate.

Apr 4, 1987

The Deacon turns over a new leaf in an effort to be the church's nominee for a humanitarian award, which could win him and Thelma a trip to the Holy Land.

Oct 3, 1987

Reuben contemplates accepting a new job in Los Angeles.

Oct 17, 1987

A rivalry is renewed when Deacon Frye is pitted against an old law-school classmate, in defending a palimony suit. Deacon Frye decides to settle their rivalry in court.

Oct 24, 1987

Amelia's gambling habit resurfaces.

Oct 31, 1987

Rev. Johnny returns to give a sermon at the church.

Nov 7, 1987

As Thelma's high school reunion approaches, Thelma dreads coming to the reunion because of the way her life has turned out, and especially because of her old friend, Darlene Moore who she grew up with, and with whom she feels she could never match up. Meanwhile, the Reverend asks Thelma to go with him to her reunion, but then she finds out her father set it up. Meanwhile Cassietta is being audited by the IRS.

Nov 14, 1987

The Deacon is left to his own devices when a teen-hotline caller threatens suicide.

Nov 21, 1987

Romance blooms between Frye's aunt and Rolly.

Nov 28, 1987

On the verge of marriage, Rolly gets cold feet.

Dec 5, 1987

Deacon Frye slips and falls while shovelling snow, and hurts his back. The doctor treating the Deacon's back becomes romantically interested in Thelma, and competes with Rev. Gregory for her attention, on her birthday.

Dec 12, 1987

Thelma becomes a foster parent to a precocious nine-year-old girl.

Dec 19, 1987

The choir fights over which carol to sing in a competition.

Jan 2, 1988

After the Deacon runs out of the church in mortal terror, the Reverend discovers that his panic was due to a fake rubber snake someone had left behind. And because of that incident, the Deacon has been the object of ridicule with the congregation. So, to help conquer his fear of snakes, the Deacon visits a therapist, who begins treating him for his phobia. Part of the treatment includes him staying in a room alone with a large boa constrictor.

Jan 16, 1988

Frye tries to erase Thelma's angry phone message.

Jan 23, 1988

After money from the collection plate comes up missing, the Reverend and the Hetebrinks believe that Jeanette may have stolen it. And when Jeanette buys Thelma an expensive gift, they become more than convinced that she is the theif. At their accusations, the deacon is infuriated that they would suspect his precious granddaughter, and threatens to quit his position in the church. In the end, a lesson is learned by all, that what may appear to be true is not necessarily true, and that suspicion and lack of trust has no place in the church.

Feb 6, 1988

An attractive church benefactor eyes Reuben.

Feb 20, 1988

At a church retreat in the mountains, the Deacon has a spiritual reawakening after almost freezing to death during a blizzard. Thanks to Amelia, who took quick action to help save his life.

Feb 27, 1988

Deacon Frye takes a personal interest in the divorce of a church couple, when he finds out the husband of the distraught woman is a millionaire.

Mar 5, 1988

Thelma daydreams about a honeymoon with the Reverend, but the Deacon has his own vision of being with someone special, and where having the minister as a son-in-law creates lots of problems for him.

Mar 12, 1988

Rev. Gregory is upset when the first couple he ever married accuses him of malpractice and negligent counseling. He is represented at his trial by attorney Frye, with surprising results. Meanwhile, Deacon Frye tries to turn the church into a wedding chapel, Las Vegas style.

Apr 30, 1988

When an attractive & glamorous woman comes to Deacon Frye for help in the murder of her husband, Deacon Frye defends her in court, and falls for charms.

May 7, 1988

Deacon Frye has now defended Roxanne in court and she has been found not to have murdered her husband. Now, there is nothing to stand in the way of his romantic passions for her. After a brief romantic interlude, they decide to get married, even though Thelma strongly disapproves. At the wedding ceremony, Thelma does everything she can to interrupt the proceedings, but undaunted, Deacon Frye presses ahead with the ceremony. Not even a fire in the church could stop him from marrying the woman of his Dreams.

Oct 8, 1988

While stuck on a discount flight to the Bahamas, with the gang, Thelma has to overcome her extreme phobia of flying. Little does she know that the pilot has turned green from eating a tuna sandwich, and is out cold. Who will fly the plane? Who will land the plane before they run out of fuel? Will Thelma's worst fears be realized? Will the Reverend be able to say anything to Thelma to make her not afraid?

Oct 22, 1988

Frye pushes Thelma to give Reuben an ultimatum.

Oct 29, 1988

Frye campaigns against an imprisoned state senator.

Nov 5, 1988

The Deacon can't keep his mind on church business when a comely legal assistant (Loretta Divine) is brought in by Rev Gregory to assist him on an insurance case. The church needs to win the court case against the insurance company in order to get a new boiler for heat in the church, during the coldest winter on record. The Deacon is so completely smitten by his new assistant that he may be in danger of losing the case.

Nov 12, 1988

To get a recommendation from the church board, the Deacon has to take a scout troop on a camping trip.

Nov 19, 1988

Thelma tries to snare Rev. Gregory in matrimony, but the lavish church banquet she arranges to lure him turns into a washout thanks to the Deacon's faulty plumbing repairs.

Nov 26, 1988

Thelma moves in with Rev. Gregory, creating a church scandal that threatens to defrock the minister.

Dec 3, 1988

Thelma, at age 34, finds herself in a situation where she has to dissuade a 19-year-old admirer from chasing after her. And because everyone thinks they are having an affair, she tries to halt rumors linking her to the young handyman. The scandalous rumors have not set well with the Reverend, or the young man's girlfriend.

Dec 10, 1988

The animals in the congregation's live Nativity scene include a goat that sends Rev. Gregory up a tree and an ailing donkey that finds a place in the Deacon's heart.

Jan 7, 1989

A rich widower is willing to make a substantial donation to the church, if the Deacon can match him up with a devout woman to be his bride. When the deacon invites him to a social at his house to introduce him to the eligible women in the church, he spots Thelma, and decides she is the one for him.

Jan 14, 1989

Certain he is dying, Deacon Frye begins to reminisce about the love he had for Thelma's mother, and how she used to take care of him. He begins to tell Thelma about her late mother, about the day Thelma was brought home from the hospital, and about the day he had to tell her that her mother had died.

Jan 28, 1989

Thelma cares for Rev. Gregory, who's felled by the measles, and copes with the Deacon, who has appointed himself the new minister.

Feb 4, 1989

The Deacon's Swedish housekeeper will be deported unless she finds an American citizen willing to marry her. When her husband-to-be drops out at the last minute, Deacon Frye volunteers to stage a marriage ceremony to fool immigration.

Feb 11, 1989

The Deacon and Thelma seek advice from a client whose psychic powers came from a bump on the head.

Feb 18, 1989

Rev. Gregory looks for a way to convince Thelma that Tanya's prediction is bunk, while Thelma goes on an eating binge and Tanya dons a wedding gown. (Part 2 of 2)

Feb 25, 1989

The congregation thinks the Deacon must be punch-drunk for agreeing to manage boxer Windmill Pearson—until Windmill gets into the ring with a contender.

Mar 4, 1989

Rev. Gregory's mother comes to town for a visit, and is smitten by the deacon's charms. So much so, that they get caught in a compromising situation with her taking the deacon's pants off. On the other hand, she disapproves of Thelma because of her large bone structure.

Mar 18, 1989

Tired of waiting for Rev. Gregory to marry her, Thelma decides to embark on a marketing career.

Apr 1, 1989

Church members perform in a charity show. Songs include ""Triplets,"" ""Sonny Boy,"" ""I Remember It Well,"" ""Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,"" ""Livin' in America,"" and ""Amen."" Easter Seals poster child Joy Hall appears.

Apr 8, 1989

While trying to cook a fancy dinner to impress the head of the church council, Thelma refuses the help of the Hetebrink sisters and decides to cook the meal by herself. After she feeds some of her food to the neighbor's pet hamster, and it dies, Thelma fears she served the church board poisoned food, and they all must rush to the hospital.

Apr 15, 1989

A record producer wants to make a star out of Amelia, so the Deacon appoints himself her manager and books her in a club, so the producer can hear her sing. But not being an experienced manager, deacon Frye never checked out the kind of club he booked her into. It turns out the club is a dive that features strippers and women mud wrestlers.

Apr 22, 1989

The Reverend, Dea Frye, and Rollie try to talk a young man into going to college, and try to give him examples of what their lives would have been like had they not gone to college themselves.

Sep 23, 1989

Nobody in the First Community Church can keep a secret. When word gets out that Ruben is about to propose marriage to Thelma, the whole congregation drops what they were doing, and shows up at the church to witness the blessed event. But when the deadline comes and goes, and Rev Gregory doesnt make his move, everyone wonders if it will ever happen.

Sep 30, 1989

The Deacon's estranged father-in-law, who once disowned the Fryes, lies on his deathbed and tries to reconcile with the Deacon by leaving him an inheritance. But all bets are off when Grandpa Tillman begins to recover.

Oct 14, 1989

Everyone thinks Thelma needs help holding on to her man when the svelte ex-fiance of the Reverend's, Maxine Varnay, comes to Philadelphia and makes a beeline for the Reverend, intending to rekindle a love affair.

Oct 21, 1989

After tripping and falling during a fishing trip, Thelma looses her memory and can't remember who she is. She can't remeber that the Deacon is her father, and she forgets that she is in love with Ruben. To compensate, she takes on new personality and begins dating another man.

Oct 28, 1989

Frye gets his first big murder case.

Nov 4, 1989

As the congregation prepares for a TV appearance showcasing Sunday services, a street gang terrorizes the neighborhood and threatens to stop Rev. Gregory from delivering his sermon.

Nov 11, 1989

Thelma goes overboard at her bridal shower to impress her high school nemesis with reports that she's living the good life.

Nov 18, 1989

Everything goes wrong that could possibly go wrong on Thelma's wedding day; the wrong wedding dress is delivered to the house and Rev. Gregory comes down with wedding-day jitters.

Nov 25, 1989

Thelma joins the Army, intending to become one lean, mean fighting machine. (Part 1 of 2)

Dec 2, 1989

Rev. Gregory and the Deacon pay a visit to the Army base after a tough drill sergeant denies misguided private Thelma a weekend pass.

Dec 9, 1989

Fearing he's lost Thelma to Sgt. Burke, Rev. Gregory puts up a fight when she comes home on a weekend pass with the sergeant in tow.

Dec 16, 1989

Thelma is home on a weekend pass for the Christmas holiday, which affords her the perfect opportunity to be the perfect hostess, the perfect cook and the perfect wife-to-be for Rev. Gregory.

Jan 6, 1990

Jan 13, 1990

Deacon Frye is the subject of an honorary roast.

Jan 27, 1990

Frye entertains Reuben's mother in Atlantic City.

Feb 3, 1990

Thelma and Reuben are finally ready to tie the knot, but the minister isn't: a sedative puts him to sleep during the ceremony and there are no other ministers available to perform the ceremony.

Feb 10, 1990

Plans for a Hawaiian honeymoon sour like yesterday's poi when a man tries to jump from the ledge of Thelma and Reuben's hotel suite.

Feb 12, 1990

Feb 17, 1990

A lonely Deacon makes a pest of himself after the newlyweds return home from their honeymoon, and Thelma makes a huge mess when she tries to flambe' a chicken at her first dinner party.

Feb 24, 1990

The Deacon swears off defending sleazy clients after he falls for the new assistant minister, who thinks he is a perfect Christian man, and looks to him for inspiration. So much so, that she decides to make a drastic change in her life so she can be a help to her fellow man, just like the Deacon.

Mar 3, 1990

Mar 17, 1990

The Deacon and Amelia trade insults in and out of the courtroom after Amelia trips on the Deacon's steps and breaks her foot.

Apr 7, 1990

Nov 17, 1990

On her six-month anniversary, Thelma feels neglected because Reuben is teaching night school.

Dec 1, 1990

After a woman is car-jacked, with her baby still in the car with the theif, the thief drops the baby off on the doorsteps of the First Community Church. And since Thelma has no children of her own, whe makes plans to become the child's foster mother, against objections from the deacon and the Rev. Soon the child even begins to soften the deacon's stand. But in the end, Thelma is determined to hold onto the baby. . . until the child's mother shows up. Meanwhile, Deacon Frye is tax audited and owes Uncle Sam a large sum of money.

Dec 8, 1990

Frye establishes a day care center called ""Deaconland.""

Dec 15, 1990

Frye takes in a trouble-prone teen, a would-be rapper dubbed ""Clarence So Fine.""

Dec 22, 1990

Frye backs a man claiming to be Santa Claus. (Part 1 of 2)

Dec 22, 1990

Dec 29, 1990

Newly appointed to the bench, power-drunk Judge Frye aims to throw the book at all who come before him.

Jan 5, 1991

Reuben's visiting niece reveals she's leaving seminary school to become a singer, and Frye enters her in a gospelfest.

Jan 12, 1991

Frye sees publicity in a televised trial involving writer-comedian Steve Allen in a suit against a fried-chicken mogul.

Jan 19, 1991

Frye dates a beautiful and much younger environmentalist.

Feb 2, 1991

The deacon reassembles his '50s doo-wop group for a benefit.

Feb 9, 1991

Frye and Ruben both try to intervene when the Deacon's pro basketball player client, wants to marry Amelia and move to Italy. Will Love intervene instead and short-circuit the deacon's plans?

Feb 23, 1991

Rapper MC Hammer has a dual role as a flamboyant minister and as himself, busting a move to keep Clarence in school. Guard: Jacques Apollo Bolton. Clarence: Bumper Robinson. Rev. Gregory: Clifton Davis.

Mar 2, 1991

Mar 9, 1991

Mar 23, 1991

Thelma gets her own TV cooking show.

Mar 30, 1991

Judge Frye visits an old nemesis who tries to set him up in a sting operation. The judge is offered a large sum of money to alter the outcome of a certain case he presides over. And while everyone watches him on film, Judge Frye must make one of the toughest decisions of his life: whether to be honest and turn the money down, or enjoy the spice of life, with all that cash!

Apr 6, 1991

Apr 13, 1991

Deacon Frye dates a teacher Clarence likes, and the 2 begin to bump heads.

Apr 27, 1991

At an auction, an insufferable woman wins a date with Frye.

May 4, 1991

Frye and Clarence try raising church funds by dating wealthy Darla and her equally unattractive granddaughter Darletta.

May 11, 1991

Appearances by James Brown and Lloyd Price aren't the only surprises during a telethon to save the church: Thelma delivers a baby boy. (Part 2 of 2) Her delivery overdue, Thelma attends a telethon.