This was the second and last day of the talent show, but before our final rehearsal of the opening and closing songs and pep talk from our director, I met with the journal writing group. I shared with them what I wrote last night about yesterday’s performance and our church service. The leader of our group has been a devout Catholic and at least one other member was brought up as a Catholic and even went to Catholic school but has turned against the church, as many have and now considers himself an agnostic I believe. I think he still has a basic belief in God, but not the way the church has presented Him. Both of them were interested in my experience with the church and commented about that.
Today we had more people at the performance and a much more enthusiastic crowd. There were more men too. A couple of our people were not able to make it, one for her own health reason and the other because her husband is very ill. Some singers forgot some words of there songs again, but most did better. A problem we had yesterday with a CD jumping from the early part to almost the end of the song and causing the dancer to have to start over, did not happen today. I had left my CD there, so I knew it was ready and wasn’t about to panic like yesterday, so I think I performed better. The enthusiasm of the audience makes a big difference too. We also had people taking our pictures today.
Before we began the dress rehearsal, we did have individual pictures taken. They were enlarged enough to fit the middle of a flowered paper plate, which they were pasted on. Those were hung on the curtains of the room. There was a flowered trellis with flower lights strung on it, flowered garlands draped over the top of the black back curtain and four pots of artificial flowers on the stage. The piano had green construction paper on the back and construction paper flowers and our reserved seats on the sides of the room had construction paper flowers as well. They were also on green folders the backup singers had. It was the garden we sang about in our opening number. The theme of the show was “Joy, Joy, Joy”.
We alternated being on stage and being in the side chairs between the first and second acts except for a few of us who came on stage from the back. Almost all of the first act people had seats on the stage and the second act people (which I was one of) came into the room from the outer room and went to the side seats after we did the opening song. At intermission, the second act people were on stage and the first act people were on the side chairs, except for those few exceptions. I was one because I had to put on my costume during intermission and we didn’t want to audience to see it before I came on. Did I mention that I did a belly dance? I surprised a lot of people, who had no idea that I would be so daring.
I returned my DVD’s after the show and came home so I had a chance to eat a little and relax some before going to church tonight for the second of our anniversary services. Besides our speaker there were a couple of other ministers there tonight and two were on the platform with our pastor when then came in. I like the way the church stands to welcome the pastor when he enters or goes to the pulpit and stands for the Bible reading and prayer. Too many churches do not show that respect anymore. Also, our people believe in wearing your best clothes when you go to God’s house. Not that we turn people away because they may not be well dressed when they come in, they are welcome to come as they are. But, then they are encouraged to show their respect for God by dressing well and modestly if they continue to come.
Our “Sunshine” (the young children) and Youth Choirs (12 and older) sang together tonight. They sponsored the evening. One of the ministers sang and the Praise Team from one of the guest churches sang. The minister spoke from Acts 4:31 about how Jesus’ followers were gathered together and after they prayed the place they were in was shaken, they were filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke God’s Word with boldness. He described the power we can have if we are united in prayer. No one responded to the invitation to be baptized before dismissal, but last night pastor said someone did after we had gone down for the refreshments, and that man was there tonight too. Maybe there was another such late baptism tonight.
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE! 