church membership

I changed my church membership yesterday. A slightly scary thing. I've only been the member of one church in my hometown, but after taking this part-time position at another church, I've felt the need to commit fully and transfer membership. It's more symbolic than anything else, as I continue to fight my distrust of working in a church setting. To give you an idea of how I was feeling...I think I was more nervous about going forward on Sunday than I was on opening night of Godspell.

But if I am going into church ministry, then this is something I'll have to get used to - committing to a church, but then moving on as the Spirit leads. So I did it. And the church members were very happy for me, which made me feel better about it. In fact, several didn't realize I wasn't a member yet. And we'll see what happens next...

In other news...as Godspell comes to a conclusion this weekend, I will be doing a lot of decompressing about the experience, some of which I hope to share on this blog. So stay tuned...

evening plans

Let's see...tonight is the second night of the New Baptist Covenant celebration, another Democratic debate, and the season premiere of Lost.

And where will I be? At the opening night of Godspell, of course! Yes, our intense month of rehearsals will be showcased in our opening performance tonight, the first of six. The fact that opening week has overlapped with the first week of the new semester has caused some slight stress problems, but we've all survived. Fortunately, my profs have decided to ease us all into the semester, so I haven't been overwhelmed with lots of work. Good thing, because my brain is pretty much mush now with anything that's not Godspell-related. I think it will be an awesome show...we're practically sold out on all the nights!

Maybe once this is all over I can get back to quasi-intelligent posts... :o)

asking for help

If you know me, I tend to be a pretty independent person, not asking for help. I don't want to bother people...and would they really want to help me? But I've been pleasantly surprised recently...

I've been trying to figure out how to convert a file to pdf so I can send it to my new friends in El Salvador. But everything I tried wouldn't work. So this morning, I put up a message on Facebook that I needed help - maybe 5 hours ago? And since then, I have received two messages and one phone call in response, offering me suggestions about software to download, etc.

It's a good feeling to know that people are watching out for me.

This play is another thing. I'm waaaay out of my comfort zone. Write a paper? No problem. Take a test? Sure. Translate some Hebrew? Bring it on. Act and sing on stage? ummmmm....

Yet it's something I want to do. And I'm trying hard. But I don't have the natural ability on stage that many others do. So I've gotten together with people, asking for help and suggestions about how to improve. And I've gotten nothing but encouragement and support. (Which I guess is fitting, since Godspell is centered around how Jesus brings a group of people together into this community, and how that community grows and reacts to everything that happens).

There really is something to this whole community thing. At camp, it was community that helped lift me up and respect myself again. And now, it is community that is helping me grow and improve, giving me the push and confidence that I need.

when wilt thou save the people...

I'm currently in the middle of rehearsals for Godspell, put on by my seminary. It's been a fun yet exhausting experience so far, especially for a theatre novice like myself.

The cool thing about our production is that we're doing it from the perspective of the homeless, a "rag-tag" version you might say. And it's a powerful version, where these nameless faces come together as a community, forever changed by God incarnate who lived and died among them. I'm still working on completely taking on the homeless persona and the back story that I've created for my character...that will take some time.

But my attitude towards the homeless I see around me has changed. After SA, I felt more compassion for those that I saw on the street, and could no longer ignore them. Now, I feel a sort of kinship with them. There is one woman in particular who always stands by a corner on my way home from work in the afternoon. I don't know her story, and I've never given her anything, but I make a point to try and look her in the eye and smile. A smile which she returns. I can't give her money or food (well, maybe I should), but I want to give her the respect she deserves as a person. As a child of God.

I don't know how to help these people. I don't know how to ease their pain or offer them a hand up. There is so much I don't understand about our society, about how people can just fall through the cracks like that. And how they can be treated so badly by others.

What is the answer?

When wilt thou save the people
Oh God of mercy, when?
The people, Lord, the people
Not thrones and crowns, but men
God save the people (save us)
For thine they are
Thy children as thy angels fair
God save the people from despair
God save the people...