FRANKLIN, TN — An area man who intended only to confirm receipt of a church-wide volunteer email has somehow been appointed Creative Director of Cornerstone Community Church’s Easter Spectacular, sources confirmed Monday, after his reply of “Sounds great, happy to help however I can” was interpreted as a binding commitment.

Derek Hollis, 41, says he was eating lunch when the email arrived and answered it “the way you answer a text from your mom.” Within 72 hours, he had been added to four group chats, assigned a budget spreadsheet, and cc’d on a permit application for the donkeys.

“I thought I was maybe signing up to hand out programs,” Hollis said, staring at a production timeline that runs through Palm Sunday. “There are now fourteen people who refer to me as their point of contact. I don’t know what that means. I’m an accountant.”

“Derek has such a servant’s heart. You can really tell this was God’s plan for him.”

Pastor of Ministries Carolyn Vance, 58, praised the development as “exactly the kind of Spirit-led spontaneity” the church had been praying for. She confirmed the fog machine is non-negotiable and the donkeys have already been named.

Hollis has since reviewed seven scripts, attended two Sunday planning sessions, and learned more about theatrical lighting than he expected to know before he dies.

At press time, Hollis had been forwarded a second email about the church’s Christmas pageant and was sitting very still with his hands in his lap.