Use the arts, and whatever you have..

     Last year at our church we used our talents to come up with a special way of conveying the true themes of Easter in a 20th century vernacular.  For some it could have been seen as unholy, and totally out of place.  Traditional it was not, but scripturally and thematically it was on target.  What we did was to use the old Ed Sullivan show as a vehicle that people could easily relate to in our modern age.  Yet within the confines of what was staged as a live one hour live variety show, we used each skit or act, as preforming a chapter in the overall message of Easter.
     We took a great risk, because it could have been not just a flop, but very offensive to the more religiously minded.  I am glad to say that our risk was anything but a flop.  We preformed to a packed house that Easter service with many new people attending.  Some of the more uninitiated to church even commented as to how they had never had so much fun in church before, and that Easter took on a whole new meaning to them now.
     I don't say any of this to pat ourselves on the back, as much as to encourage all of us to take risks when you have it in your heart to do what you feel is right.  You make not be successful in your actions, but you will never know the joy of what could have been unless you try!

     So, I am sharing with you two clips from the show.  Please excuse the quality of the video, we did our best with what we had to work with at the time.  We are a small church.  But if you take the few minutes to watch the clips and hear the words , I know that you will not only get a glimpse of what was shared that Easter morning.  You will hear the songs that are sung for all mankind.