Giving Honor...Always!

              

I thank my God for all the memories I have of you. ~ Phil. 1:13 (GWT)

                      

     It's been awhile since I put up a new blog post, lots has been going on and my promise is still to only post when I have something real to say. Recently, a dear friend and fellow worshiping artist departed this life, and I had the opportunity to share some words at her repast after the service. She was a true gift from God and a friend in every definition. When we realize the power of friendship, we will hopefully learn to be more supportive of one another, more Christlike in our behavior, and more understanding of our differences. When that happens, there will be no room for competition...I believe that we wouldn't even want to compete with one another if we really realized the power of friendship. No, everyone will not be our friend, and we can't be friends with everyone. But, we can be kinder and treat others as Christ would treat them.

     Cynthia Manker was a prolific writer, actor, communicator, motivator, public relations and media specialist, and most of all, a true worshiper of Christ. She lived in the revelation of Ephesians 6:13 "...After having done all...Stand". Even when she could no longer physically stand, her spirit stood tall. She was a wonderful friend to me, and we worked together in the same drama ministry for six years. These are the words I had the opportunity to speak about her today:

     August 6, 1998 was not only my birthday, it was the day that God blessed me with one of the greatest gifts I would ever have, a friend named Cynthia. On stage and off, we were complete opposites in almost everything, in height, in taste, in animals: I loved cats, she thought they were sneaky, she watched TV, I got rid of mine.  She was the extrovert, I was the introvert, when I would stress out, she would see the bright side.   If there were a theme song for our friendship, it would be: "Count on Me" but I won’t sing. I called to cry on her shoulder many a night and she would listen and never once judge me, but wouldn’t hesitate to call me out if I was in the wrong.  Once, she talked me into being part of her clown act “Quacky & Company” at a church picnic, (she was Quacky, I was Company) and I went along, being the willing drama student that I was. It was my first and last time EVER being a clown but that’s another story. But for 17 years, we were in each other’s corner, at our best, and at our worst. We both loved the Lord, and watching The Hoarders because we were afraid of becoming pack rats. Our running joke was “Cynthia, find my show”. She was my friend, and I will miss her.

     Cynthia was a reader of my blog, and I'm glad we shared many ministry times together, as well as a great friendship. Today's blog is dedicated to her, to remind everyone to honor those who you work with in ministry, whether you sing together, dance together, mime, act, do music or visual art. You never know when you won't have those times again. So, love them, uplift them, and support them!

Blessings...

Speak Easy! Pt. 1 - Poetry

 

 

 

Poetry and Spoken Word are gaining increased popularity in churches, as did the resugence of dance in the 80's and 90's. But, what exactly, is poetry, and why is it being done in church?

Poetry is:

·           An art form that uses words in rhythm and verse to show emotions or tell a story

·        Poetry is a way of telling about life through words

·        Poetry can be about any subject

·        Poetry does not have to rhyme

·        Poetry puts things into words that are hard to say

·        Poetry expresses thoughts, feelings, opinions and dreams

·        Poetry can come from anywhere

·        Poetry is something everyone can create

·        Poetry makes the reader or hearer visualize something or feel a certain way

Poetry is a wonderful way of conveying thoughts and observations about life, using minimal words. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn't have to rhyme. In fact, some of the most interesting poems are written in free verse, meaning that the words just flow naturally, without rhyming. Poetry can explore opinions and alternative views of subjects that may be controversial, because the poetic form allows the writer to creatively express his or her message with a variety of words and dynamics that couldn't be accomplished in a regular speech or editorial. One of the reasons that Poetry and Spoken Word are becoming more popular in churches, is that it allows the Good News to be shared in a way that grabs the attention of those who might not otherwise hear what is being said in a traditional sermon, but that same content expressed poetically will probably not be hard to forget. 

 

 In our next blog, we will talk about some of the different styles of poetry, and share some tips on how to get started with writing and presenting your poems. In the meantime, please enjoy this poem by Poetri the Poet:

 

 

 



Passion!

Ths is a repost from April, 2010 as we prepare for Resurrection programs and presentations....

ANGELS: Who do you seek in the tomb, O Christians?
MARYS: Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified, O heavenly ones.
ANGELS: He is not here. He is risen. Go and annound that He is risen from the tomb as foretold.
~ Quem quaritis - (Whom do you seek?) c.950
    
     This is the season when many churches are planning productions for  Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Resurrection Day (Easter). These presenations include drama, dance, pageantry, or a combination of all three. In larger churches, cast members may audition for these productions, or in smaller ministries everyone is invited to participate, making it an exciting time for teaching and learning.
     Liturgical drama as we know it, evolved from a four-lined 10th century scene known as a trope. The trope was a short musical interlude in the church service that was used to teach the Bible to those who could not read Latin. The earliest and best known trope was the Quem quaritis - "Whom do you seek", performed during the Easter service. Over time, the dramas became more complex, involving more detail with costumes, props, and characters. The most popular form of liturgical drama was the Passion Play, depicting the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and has taken on many variations through the years. It is amazing that the elaborate church productions that we enjoy today originated from only four lines!
     Whatever type of production you are doing this year, there are some basic things to remember:
(1) If you have never been in a production before, have fun, and don't be afraid to ask questions. We are all here to tell a story that someone else needs to know.
(2) If you are experienced, don't look down on those who are less skilled than you are, and be available to share your knowledge with others -- but remember that there is only one director.
(3) Be on time! in professional theatre, the saying is: "If you are on time, you're late", meaning, if a rehearsal starts at 7:00, be there at 6:45, ready to work at 7:00 and please don't drag in at 7:15. (That goes for directors too)!
(4) Study your character, understand their motivation. Even if you are part of a crowd that yells: "Crucify Him!" know why you are saying it, and to whom you are talking.  Who are you? a shopkeeper, a farmer, or a elderly person? What did He say or do that caused you to want Him dead? Where are you? When does this take place? Why are you part of the crowd?
(5) Don't talk during rehearsals. If you are waiting for your scene to come up, listen to what others are saying and doing and don't be a distraction. You might miss important information that the director will get tired of repeating.
(6) Mark your script with any notes and cues that are given to you with a highlighter and a pencil, and remember them.
(7) Know your lines and the ones before and after yours, just in case someone misses a cue and you have to keep going. You would be surprised how often this happens, even in professional theatre. Remember, this is live, so there are no retakes.
(8) Speak clearly. There is something actors are taught to do on stage, which is called "popping consonants". It means to pronounce the beginning and ending of each word, so much that even though it sounds exaggerated to you, the people in the audience will hear the words normally.
 (9) Project your voice - speak so the people on the back row and in the balcony can hear you. This does not mean to yell your lines, but it does mean that you have to use your diaphragm to speak. If you are not familiar with this, your director will be able to teach you.
(10) To combat stage fright, stay focused on what you are doing, and remember that people in the audience want you to do well. If you make a mistake, don't show it, even if you have to make something up to get back on track. It has happened to everyone.

    Last of all, be excited about going on stage for Christ, and don't forget your Passion for Him!

Ministry or Performance? Pt. 2

     In our last discussion, we learned from Webster's Dictionary that the word performance refers to a public presentation, and also explored some of the controversy surrounding the use of that word in the Worship Arts Community. Performance has often been confused with entertainment, which is to amuse, or divert. Worship Artists always present an aspect of God's Word to their audience through their art-form, which transcends entertainment So, the goal of a worship artist is never to entertain, but to leave something of God with the audience when they perform, which is equivalent to ministry. Let's look further at some of the roots of this misunderstanding.
     The article entitled The Prejudice Against Theatre by Debra Bruch, Ph.D., states that many of the beliefs that Christians have about arts in the church came from theatre practices during the Roman Empire. At that time, theatre was used to persecute Christians and even massacre them in horrendous ways, which was very entertaining to the Romans who would commit all kinds of indecent acts while watching the Christians being tortured. Entertainment was not just a simple diversion to them, but a means of genocide. Because of this, the early Church leaders discouraged Christians from attending the theatre, and actors who did not leave acting were not allowed to take communion, and could not be buried on church grounds. During the Reformation, actors and dancers continued to be looked down upon among the lowest class members of society. Since Christians historically associated entertainment with death and destruction, it is easy to understand why any reference to it would be rejected. But God's Word commands us: "Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do, and whatever else you do, develop good judgment" (Proverbs 4:7). It is too easy to believe and repeat what we hear others say, without knowing why we are saying it, or where the saying comes from. Words can take on different meanings over time, but can still hinder or harm others who have been uniquely gifted by God. Let's think before we speak, and not put others in bondage regardless of what words we use to describe what they do.