Christmas Blessings!

   

     At this busy time of year, I hope everyone enjoyed wonderful presentations of worship around the Christmas theme whether it was through Musicals, Drama, Poetry, Cantatas, Dance, Caroling, or Non-traditional Tradition, and that those who were observing were blessed. I had the most amazing opportunity to direct a children's play that was a lot of fun for the kids as they learned how to present the Good News of Christ in a creative way. They also learned that excellence as an expectation does not mean to never make a mistake, but to put enough time and effort into what we do, so that no matter what happens, we know what to do when mistakes happens (so that no one else notices) :-)

    Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we will be back in 2016 with more insights about worshiping Christ through the arts!

Blessings... 

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...

On Repeat...

  

The beginning of wisdom:
Get wisdom! Get understanding before anything else. ~ Proverbs 4:7 (CEB)

The holiday season is upon us, along with a new year that brings new ideas, new goals and new energy...but somehow the same issues keep coming up over and over again. There are more praise ministries in the church than ever before, yet some of us seem to be quick with presentation without the preparation that goes on beforehand. All of these things I'm about to write have been read before, heard before, and said many times already, but for those who have never heard, it bears repeating:

IF you are going to dance to a song in church...especially if it is a popular one...please make sure you understand the song, the Biblical/spiritual meaning/who is speaking/to whom are they speaking/ and that your moves demonstrate the words of the song. it's not always about looking like a polished dancer, but you cannot beat your chest like Tarzan and jump around up in the front like a monkey and call it praise dance, dance ministry, mime, pantomime (they are not the same) drama, worship arts, human video, or any combination of the above.

   I recently saw a video in which the dancers were literally hopping around in a frenzy, doing the same movements alternately in the chorus of the song. It seemed as if they were sometimes attacking the audience instead of ministering to them, and at one point, it looked like a duel between the two  of the dancers when the lyrics were actually not about them, but about who God is. I'm sure that wasn't their intent, but that was the look. Now... it's one thing to do that in the privacy of your own space, but to present that in a worship service is something quite different. People may say "Amen...Go head...Werk!"...but in reality they are probably responding to the music, and not to whatever is going on in front of them . . . and while they may not know any better they deserve better. It's equivalent to a minster going into the pulpit and doing a lot of shouting, but never bringing a real message that anyone can actually use. Because he or she knows how to get the crowd's attention, people will respond emotionally, but spiritually, they received nothing because nothing was given to them.

   This is in no way meant to put anyone down, to be mean, or critical. When I have the time to watch dance ministry videos, I'm blessed by what I see, all ages and cultures of people who love to worship the Lord in movement, some are highly skilled, some have very simple movements, but it doesn't matter as long as they are offering their best worship to Him and have taken the time to think about what they are dancing about and to whom they are sharing the Good News of Christ with. Good dance/movement ministry always contains these elements:

(1)A song or music that is Biblically based; (2) Clear movements that express the message or essence of the song; (3) Connection to the music by all who are ministering - including facial expressions, and wholehearted participation (in other words, look like you really want to do it, and not like you did someone a favor to show up);and (4) Appropriate attire - does not mean expensive but should be modest and fit well (no body parts out of place on anyone, no cleavage on women); which brings us to the net point: A lot of us are eager to put on dance conferences and give workshops when we need to go and learn what to do before we try to teach someone else. If we don't, all we are doing is perpetuating slackness and mediocrity. All of us will not look like professional dancers, but all of us who God has called to minister publicly in any way, should do everything that we possibly can to be at our best.

   If you have a desire to start a dance/mime/step/flag/drama ministry, please be prayerful about it. The worship arts ministry has been exploited and misunderstood, and still does not receive the respect that it should have, mainly because people are unwilling to take the time and learn how to minister properly. Take time to seek out knowledge from seasoned ministers in your area. Avail yourself of DVD's and books that are worth the investment of time and money. It's not necessary to attend every conference and workshop that is given, but let God lead you to the one He would have you to attend. Otherwise, we will have to keep playing this same message on repeat...repeat...repeat...

*If you would like information on worship arts ministries, please click on the links under "Dance, Drama, & Literary Resources".

Please enjoy these ministry presentations by different groups. All have different stylistic elements and abilities but the one thing they have in common is that the Good News of Christ is very clean and clear, and done excellently!

Speak Easy Pt. 3 - Sharing Your Voice

     So...you have all of these wonderful poems written in yor journal, stored in your phone, iPad (TM) or computer and want to share them, right? Where do you go to read your poems? How do you find poetry venues?

     If you use social media such as Facebook or Google plus, you can always look up poetry groups for your area by typing in "poetry" "spoken word" or "open mic" in the taskbar, where several names will come up. There, you can read the posts and see if anything interests you. Once you find an event that you want to attend, you can go and listen for a few times if you are shy, but bring along a few of your favorite poems just in case you want to read. As you continue to go out, you'll meet people and find out about more events. There are also churches who have poetry nights, so you can always ask about those and get in touch with the sponsors. Be aware that there are different types of venues for different tastes, so pay attention to the information on flyers or posts before attending any event. If you want to read at an open mic, get there early enough to sign up on the list, for the best chance at a turn. Depending on the venue, you may have to go back several times before you even get a turn, but don't let that stop you. Keep going to different places and start with smaller crowds, until you get comfortable with larger audiences.

    There are also many open mic poetry shows on the internet where anyone can call in and read their work. This is very good for building confidence in sharing your poetry, because you can read from the comfort of your own surroundings. You can find these shows on Talkshoe.com, Blogtalkradio.com, and others.  Just call in and listen, or follow the prompts to go on the air!

    A word about open mic events: An open mic show is exactly what it is...a space where anyone with something to say can get up and say, sing, or otherwise communicate whatever is on their mind. Some people are of the opinion that Christians should not participate in open mics because the mic is open to every spirit, but I feel that it's a real opportunity to be salt and light in a place that may need what God has given me to offer the world.  I don't write my poetry specifically for the church, I write from my heart, as I'm inspired to write; and my prayer is that through my writing, God will reveal His light to someone who needs to see, in a way that they haven't seen Him before. So, know why you write, be convinced of your poetic voice, and never allow anyone to discourage you in your craft or tell you what you can or cannot write about.  Of course, some topics may be more appropriate for certain audiences or venues than others...more on that later.
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     In Part 4 of Speak Easy, we will talk about some technical aspects of reading and presenting what you write. In the meantime, keep being inspired!

     Enjoy The Number Poem by Poetri the Poet:

   

Speak Easy! Pt. 2 - Styles of Poetry

Poetry...A medium for telling the truth with utmost precision in the use of words incorporating distilled language and high speech with minimal word use and maximum impact.

~Anansi Workshop

 

     In continuing our discussion in learning about different types and styles of poetry, let's begin by stating that there are over 50 classifications of poems with new ones always being created! Some of the most popular types include:

· Acrostic poetry -poetry in which certain letters, usually the first in each line form a word or message when read in a sequence. Many of the Psalms and Proverbs are acrostic Hebrew poems.

· Haiku - Japanese poetry composed of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables, usually containing a season word. Americanized Haiku can be about any subject, but still has the same structure as Japanese Haiku.

· Lyric Poetry - Poetry that expresses the thoughts and feelings of the poet. Many songs are written using this type of writing.

· Rhyme Poetry - Poetry that has the repetition of the same or similar sounds of two or more words, often at the end of the line.

· Narrative Poetry - Poetry that tells a story.

· Free Verse Poetry – Poetry that does not rhyme, but flows freely. Spoken Word Poetry is usually done in Lyrical, Narrative, or Free Verse styles.

     Of all the above styles, Lyric, Rhyme, Narrative and Free Verse poems are the types that are most often written, read or spoken in poetry venues and churches because they are the among easiest to understand. Also, within these styles of poetry, there are several variations among them all!

     So, what if you feel that God is leading you to write poetry? How do you get started? One way to start writing poetry is to keep a journal and "free write" for five minutes about whatever you are feeling at that moment. Even if it doesn't make sense, you may get the beginnings of a poem from what you have written. Another way of getting started is to write what is called an "I Am" poem, which is a series of statements and declarations about yourself to get in touch with what inspires or motivates you to write. Remember to write out complete thoughts, and remember not to judge anything that you write, especially while you are in the midst of writing! It's best to write and put your journal away, and read it later from an objective standpoint. Never discard anything that you write, because several weeks, months or years from the time you wrote, you may find something of value that you didn't see at first!

     Now that you know how to get started, what are you waiting for? Set aside a time when you can concentrate, and write from your heart. In our next blog, we will learn more about how and where to present your poems.

   Please enjoy this narrative poem by Jackie Hill of P4CM Poets...

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References:    1.http://www.poemofquotes.com/articles/poetry_forms.php

               
                       2 http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/iampoem.htm
               
             

Mime, Anyone?

     What is mime? We know it's a popular artform in ministry, but what is it, exactly? There are a lot of people doing it, and many don't understand it, are afraid of it, or see it as evil.

• Where did mime come from?
• Why do people wear "mime" make-up?
• What is the difference between pantomime and mime? Aren't they the same thing?   

     Pantomime is a very old art form that dates back to the Grecian Theatre, when the first recorded pantomime actor Telestes stepped out of the chorus of Seven Against Thebes in 467 B.C. to interpret through movement and gestures, the actions that the chorus sang.  This also shaped the beginnings of Western Theatre. (1)   

     There is a difference between pantomime and mime. Paul Curtis, Founder/Director of The American Mime Theatre, uses the following definitions: Pantomime is the art of creating the illusion of reality by dealing with imaginary objects or situations. Its art rests on the ability to imply weight, texture, line, rhythm and force to the air around them. Mime, on the other hand, is the art of acting silently through various kinds of theatrical movement.



     American mime is a unique combination of playwriting, acting, and moving that is quite different from the familiar French school of mime exemplified by  Marcel Marceau. "He is a pantomimist," Curtis explains, "and pantomime and mime are not the same thing. Pantomime is the handling of imaginary objects or situations. Mime encompasses any form of silent performance. It's a broader term. When a pantomimist is performing, you don't have to believe it or empathize the way you do with speaking theatre. You just see it and are entertained by it. But American mime is more like a play, in that if you don't believe the characters up there, then it's nothing. In American mime, everything has to be motivated; it has to be me. And of course we don't wear white face." American mime actors perform symbolic acdons and express the feelings of their characters honestly through motivated movement they call "form." (2)

     As you can see, there is much more to mime than a lot of people know. One of the main objections to mime ministry is the fact that during the times of the Roman persecution of Christians, mime was used to mock Christianity. It is true that the Roman theatre was the most efficient tool used against Christians (3). But remember that if you don't want mime in the church, there should also be no drama or dance ministries, because according to history, the mimes were part of origins of the theatre, which also eventually included dance as we know it today!  Also, in those days, mimes did not wear "white face", which started in France during the 19th century with the Pierrot pantomimes as pantomime blanche with Gaspard Deburau.

    The mime ministry can be very effective in communicating the Good News of Christ. So, if you are called to minister in this way, learn all that you can about it, don't just put on mime face and a robe, and step out in front of an audience. Know why you do what you are doing, and be able to answer the questions that you may be asked!

     Please enjoy this mime/dance presentation by Dancing For His Glory of Kileen, Texas. Watch their expressions, with and without mime make-up. They are powerful!



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Footnotes:

(1)Lust, Annette: The Origins and Development of the Art of Mime, www.mime.info/history-lust.html 

(2)Curtis, Paul, The American Mime Theatre, http://www.americanmime.org/ 

(3)Bruch, Debra, Ph.D.: The Prejudice Against Theatre, www.rtjournal.org/vol_3/no_1/bruch.html