Stepping Out of the Boat...
I was sitting in church this morning after a difficult night of wrestling with my thoughts. In those quiet moments of silent confession, examining my sins and seeking that peace that passes understanding, it struck me: I believe I am being called to continue growing alphabet theatre - but all of the doubts - all of the moments when I want to give up - those are moments when I'm trying to take control because I lack trust. Trust in God to give me strength, trust in God to provide for all that needs to happen, and trust in myself.
How easy it is to step out of the boat - how hard it is to believe that you won't drown. In one of the scenes in Cotton Patch Gospel, we see Jesus walking across the lake to his friends who are out in the boat. He makes it look easy. He cheerfully invites Rock to join him out on the water. Pressured/encouraged by his friends, Rock climbs out of the boat and begins to walk on water. Yet as he stands there, he loses his trust in his friend and teacher, and he begins to sink. Disappointed, but still loving, Jesus rescues him. It's a moment when we see again the patience of Jesus - and it makes me aware of how many times I've tried to cling to the sides of the boat when God wanted me to let go and walk with him on the water.
I know there are a great many people who were not thrilled when I chose Cotton Patch Gospel as our first musical. It's not a well known musical, and the genre - folk/bluegrass/country gospel - is not very popular in teen culture. It was written so long ago and it's really weird to think of 1960's civil rights having anything to do with the bible, much less telling it's stories. It's not full of big production numbers like Seussical, it doesn't have the flash of Phantom, or the following of well known gems by Rogers and Hammerstein, or the cutting edge of In The Heights. So WHY Cotton Patch?
First, a little history...
Cotton Patch was written by a man named Clarence Jordan - and if ever there was a person who got out of the boat and started walking on water, it was him. In the 1940's Clarence Jordan was a Baptist Preacher and a gifted theologian. He was a man who lived the counter culture beliefs taught by Jesus. From his practice of his beliefs there grew a farming community called Koinonia (from the greek work for communion and community). At Koinonia Jordan welcomed EVERYONE. Black or white, male or female. This enraged many people in the local community. During the 50's and 60's there were drive by shootings, cross burnings, bombings, and lootings because people believed that people with dark skin were not equal and should not be treated equally anywhere at anytime for any reason. Clarence Jordan thought that people really didn't understand the bible and that maybe, if it were put into modern perspective, people would understand the all encompassing love of their creator, and the beauty of the gospels. From this thought came the inspiration for The Cotton Patch Gospel of Matthew.
Clarence Jordans' Koinonia Farm wasn't just a Christian counter-cultural experiment. It was the birth place of another famous international organization - Habitat for Humanity. Clarence Jordan influenced many famous humanitarians from Millard Fuller to President Jimmy Carter. His Cotton Patch gospels are still studied today and continue to influence people around the world.
If you hadn't guessed by now, I feel that influence keenly. His translations of the Gospels of Matthew and John have informed my understanding of the Bible and his personal philosophy of community seems like one of the clearest expressions of Gods Kingdom that I have found. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I chose Cotton Patch Gospel as the first production for Alphabet Theatre. In a world of divisiveness and labels, I really wanted to express my belief that we are all children of God and persons of worth.
If I needed another reason to do Cotton Patch, you just have to look at the score. Harry Chapin is an unsung hero of social justice. Although his songs, mostly longer ballads, did not receive much air time on the radio, He has quite a cult following of those of us who love folk music. Chapin saw a straight production of the play "Cotton Patch Gospels" and said the only thing it was lacking was music. He then proceeded to contact the author and ask if he could write the music. And you couldn't ask for a better score. Poignant, rousing, foot stomping, hand clapping fun. It enhances the script perfectly.
So, now, we jump out of the boat, now we trust in God and in each other, now we come together, and maybe - just maybe - we see what could happen if a person tries to take their time on earth and prove before they die what one man's life could be worth...won't you join us?
2 Timothy 1:7!
Jill
I was sitting in church this morning after a difficult night of wrestling with my thoughts. In those quiet moments of silent confession, examining my sins and seeking that peace that passes understanding, it struck me: I believe I am being called to continue growing alphabet theatre - but all of the doubts - all of the moments when I want to give up - those are moments when I'm trying to take control because I lack trust. Trust in God to give me strength, trust in God to provide for all that needs to happen, and trust in myself.
How easy it is to step out of the boat - how hard it is to believe that you won't drown. In one of the scenes in Cotton Patch Gospel, we see Jesus walking across the lake to his friends who are out in the boat. He makes it look easy. He cheerfully invites Rock to join him out on the water. Pressured/encouraged by his friends, Rock climbs out of the boat and begins to walk on water. Yet as he stands there, he loses his trust in his friend and teacher, and he begins to sink. Disappointed, but still loving, Jesus rescues him. It's a moment when we see again the patience of Jesus - and it makes me aware of how many times I've tried to cling to the sides of the boat when God wanted me to let go and walk with him on the water.
I know there are a great many people who were not thrilled when I chose Cotton Patch Gospel as our first musical. It's not a well known musical, and the genre - folk/bluegrass/country gospel - is not very popular in teen culture. It was written so long ago and it's really weird to think of 1960's civil rights having anything to do with the bible, much less telling it's stories. It's not full of big production numbers like Seussical, it doesn't have the flash of Phantom, or the following of well known gems by Rogers and Hammerstein, or the cutting edge of In The Heights. So WHY Cotton Patch?
First, a little history...
Cotton Patch was written by a man named Clarence Jordan - and if ever there was a person who got out of the boat and started walking on water, it was him. In the 1940's Clarence Jordan was a Baptist Preacher and a gifted theologian. He was a man who lived the counter culture beliefs taught by Jesus. From his practice of his beliefs there grew a farming community called Koinonia (from the greek work for communion and community). At Koinonia Jordan welcomed EVERYONE. Black or white, male or female. This enraged many people in the local community. During the 50's and 60's there were drive by shootings, cross burnings, bombings, and lootings because people believed that people with dark skin were not equal and should not be treated equally anywhere at anytime for any reason. Clarence Jordan thought that people really didn't understand the bible and that maybe, if it were put into modern perspective, people would understand the all encompassing love of their creator, and the beauty of the gospels. From this thought came the inspiration for The Cotton Patch Gospel of Matthew.
Clarence Jordans' Koinonia Farm wasn't just a Christian counter-cultural experiment. It was the birth place of another famous international organization - Habitat for Humanity. Clarence Jordan influenced many famous humanitarians from Millard Fuller to President Jimmy Carter. His Cotton Patch gospels are still studied today and continue to influence people around the world.
If you hadn't guessed by now, I feel that influence keenly. His translations of the Gospels of Matthew and John have informed my understanding of the Bible and his personal philosophy of community seems like one of the clearest expressions of Gods Kingdom that I have found. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I chose Cotton Patch Gospel as the first production for Alphabet Theatre. In a world of divisiveness and labels, I really wanted to express my belief that we are all children of God and persons of worth.
If I needed another reason to do Cotton Patch, you just have to look at the score. Harry Chapin is an unsung hero of social justice. Although his songs, mostly longer ballads, did not receive much air time on the radio, He has quite a cult following of those of us who love folk music. Chapin saw a straight production of the play "Cotton Patch Gospels" and said the only thing it was lacking was music. He then proceeded to contact the author and ask if he could write the music. And you couldn't ask for a better score. Poignant, rousing, foot stomping, hand clapping fun. It enhances the script perfectly.
So, now, we jump out of the boat, now we trust in God and in each other, now we come together, and maybe - just maybe - we see what could happen if a person tries to take their time on earth and prove before they die what one man's life could be worth...won't you join us?
2 Timothy 1:7!
Jill
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