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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2003-04-16, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2003. Passion play was 20 years in making A work of passion Vader family James Douglas practises his passion play about the last week in the life of Jesus. He will be performing at the Blyth United Church on April 18. (Mary Simmons photo) Bluevale WI to disband greets for Melville service April 8 Bluevale Women’s Institute held its combined annual and regular meeting at the home of Mary Peacock, with 11 members present. No officers were installed because the Institute is disbanding in June. Jodi Jerome from the Wingham museum was the guest speaker. She gave some information about the activities of the museum. Plans are being made to have the WI Tweedsmuir books put onto microfilm. Ms Jerome answered questions and concerns that the members had about this. The books Alone on stage Blyth resident Tom Bailey presented his one-man play, WWYD, in two performances this past weekend at The Garage Theatre. (Vicky Bremner photo) will be donated to the museum in June. The rest of the meeting was spent making plans for the 100th anniversary. It will be held June 11 at 8 p.m. in the Bluevale Hall. The public is invited to come out and help celebrate this memorable event. There will be a meeting May 14 at Shirley Skelton’s home to complete the plans for the anniversary party. Five members plan on attending Fordwich’s 100th anniversary April 17. By Mary Simmons Student writer James Douglas is an actor with many years of experience, but he has never performed in Blyth. That will all change on Good Friday when he comes to Blyth United Church on April 18 at 7:30 p.m. to perform a passion play. The one-man show has been 20 years in the making, the idea coming with the help of Rev. Eugen Bannerman. When Douglas started out in his acting career in London, England, he worked with a man by the name of Alec McGowan, he said, whom he later saw in a one-man show entitled The Gospel of Mark. Douglas was impressed with the performance and mentioned it to Rev. Bannerman, who suggested he write and perform a one-man passion play about the last week in the life of Jesus. He also provided Douglas with a copy of The Synoptic Gospels, which portrays Celebrating Palm Sunday, the greeters at Melville were Mike and Lori Vader with their children. Rev. Cathrine Campbell led the Call to Worship and the children’s hymn Tell Me the Stories of Jesus preceded their special time. Rev. Cathrine told them the story of the donkey who was chosen to carry Jesus into the city. The children learned that just as that donkey was especially chosen, we are all special to God. Scripture reading was Isaiah 51:1- 8, Philippians 2: 5-11; and John 12: 12-19 with Kate Aitchison assisting as reader. The sermon entitled What was that? was of Jesus entering Jerusalem on the back of the donkey with the crowds shouting praise as they waved palm branches. Congregants were reminded how very changeable crowds can be, as certainly this was the same crowd shouting against him when later Christ was held in captivity. The offering was taken by Bill Aitchison, Frank Schimanski, Jeff Cardiff and Maurice Douma. The organist was Crystal McLellan. The joint meeting of the Women’s Women Today gets funding Huron County residents dealing with domestic violence may have a few more services at their disposal after it was announced provincial grant monies would come to a local support organization. Women Today of Huron will receive $26,120 this year, a portion of the $1.1 million being distributed across the province. The funding is part of the domestic Violence Strategy grant project initiated last September. The three-year program will help strengthen local victim services and improve delivery. the life of Jesus in parallel columns from each of the gospels. It wasn’t until two years ago that Douglas performed the passion play for the first time at the Belfountain Village Church. He also performed it there last Easter. Douglas said when he was writing the play, he realized some of the gospels have very little dialogue. “I went to the most theatrical scenes,” he said, using the example 6f the death of Jesus. In one of the gospels, it simply states that he sighed and gave up the spirit, while another account has him crying out the words ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ As Douglas cried out the words in anguish from his chair in Rev. Bannerman’s office, it was clear to see why that was the scene he chose to portray. Scenes with Douglas portraying everyone from Jesus to Pontius Pilate and even the handmaidens will be interspersed with musical selections. Douglas said the 45-minute play Guild and the WMS is to be held in the church parlour on Tuesday evening. Planning and preparation are underway for the springtime supper on April 27 with tickets now on sale from any Guild member. All are welcome. Sunday school baking orders are now being taken until April 27. Order sheets are in the church or see Elaine Armstrong or Julia Mitchell. There are many special services taking place in all the Brussels churches this Holy Week. Melville is holding a Good Friday service at 11 a.m.; and all are welcome. On Easter Sunday at 8:30 a.m. a special sunrise service with Easter breakfast is being held at Jim and Dona Knight’s home. The church members are still collecting tulips to decorate the sanctuary on Easter morning. Those who wish to place an arrangement in memory or in honour of someone may contact Tammy King (887- 9649). On Thursday evening both junior and senior choirs will be having their final practice for special Easter music at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively. Maundy Thursday April 17 7:30 p.m. Ecumenical Communion Service at St. John's, Brussels Good Friday April 18 9:30 a.m. Trinity, Blyth - Prayer Service 11:15 am St. John's, Brussels - Prayer Service Easter Day Holy Eucharist with Baptisms, Special Music and an Easter Egg Hunt for children 11 and under after the Service in each community 9:30 a.m. - Trinity Anglican Church, Blyth , 11:15 a.m. - St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church, Brussels will have to be performed in a less theatrical manner at the Blyth United Church, since there is no lighting avadable. His wife and stage manager, Myfanwy, who usually handles the lighting and music, will have a slightly easier job this time around, since there will be no lighting to work with. “It will make it difficult,” he admitted. “Now it’s just me. I will have to try to indicate as much as I can through my actions.” Working on this play has given Douglas a new interest in biblical studies. He has spent many hours reading and studying and has accumulated a library of books. “This is an incredible story,” he said. “I don’t think you have to be religious to be swept away by this story.” One Solitary Life He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city. He never travelled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen centuries have come and have gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on earth as much as the One Solitary Life. Anonymous