Marge notices that church parishioners sleep during Reverend Lovejoy’s detached and less-than-inspirational sermons. As she exits the church, Marge tells Lovejoy she cannot fathom how his message applies to his parishioner’s everyday problems. She volunteers her time to help make a difference. After the service concludes, Homer, Bart and Lisa change their clothes and head off for a day of rummaging at the local dump. There Homer discovers a small box covered with Japanese writing sticking out from the trash heap. It features a picture of Homer’s smiling face. Homer is both horrified and mystified. Meanwhile, Marge begins answering the church’s telephone. She notices that Lovejoy is anything but helpful when members of his congregation call in seeking advice. Lovejoy explains that years of trifling phone calls from Ned Flanders soured his enthusiasm for the job. He turns the responsibility over to Marge.

Soon after, townspeople throughout Springfield phone Marge seeking advice, and she gains a loyal following amongst the congregation. Lovejoy laments aloud that he is a “shepherd without a flock.” In Lovejoy’s mind, the Saints depicted on stained-glass windows spring to life. During a conversation with the imaginary Saints, Lovejoy realizes he has become detached from his parishioner’s needs. Meanwhile, Homer contacts the Japanese firm that manufactures the dish soap. Company officials mail him a promotional videotape. At the conclusion of the tape, two company logos meld together, creating the company mascot, Mr. Sparkle (which, by shear coincidence, looks exactly like Homer).

Flanders telephones Marge when Jimbo, Dolph and Kearney menace him at the Leftorium store. Marge tells Flanders to show the teenagers who is boss. But shortly thereafter, the three punks chase Flanders out of the store and into the Springfield Zoo. Flanders eludes his pursuers by hiding in a baboon exhibit, where ferocious animals slowly close in on their prey. Suddenly, Reverend Lovejoy springs into action, saving Flanders from harm. Later, the rejuvenated Lovejoy delivers a fiery sermon to his rapt parishioners.