The directors of the play “Jesus, the Liberator” hosted a post-production meeting to assess how things went and make some decisions concerning the future.

We rejoiced in how over 600 men, women and children were touched by this play. We talked about some successes and opportunities for improvement.

But I was a bit surprised by one element of the agenda into which our executive producer launched.

Each person had to verbalize why we support and promote this event. What I have here is a summary of all the comments. I think it is the answer to the title of this article.

Participation in a theatrical production that brings awareness of the intensity of the passion of Christ brings satisfaction to those supporting the operation of participation in the proclamation of the Good News.

When the small children are seen reacting throughout the play (laughter in the triumphal entry, concern with the scourging, joy in the resurrection), we know we have made an impact that will open conversation opportunities.

It is our prayer that the parents and grandparents promote that conversation or find someone who can promote it and provide some answers to guide our younger members of the audience.

To bring the children closer to Jesus gives us such joy and hopes that the future of the church is indeed blessed with bright faces.

Holy week is an especially difficult time for many, for the irony of the week guides one through the depths of pain and grief to the pinnacle of joy on Easter morning.

Reading the scriptures and participating in worship services help one to respect the passion of Christ, but involvement in the play makes it that much more realistic and experiential, so that some experience more of a participation in the passion elements.

This sets the scene so much more strongly for the joy of the Easter morning resurrection celebration. Helping people to draw closer to Jesus in this kind of activity is a prayer fulfi lled.

Working with a diverse crowd of amateurs with various gifts and talents is a challenge, but also a great blessing.

There is no doubt that we can participate in the explosions of joy that are detonated by God in peoples’ hearts in this production. The performance of the play is both a mission and a witness that brings the satisfaction that we have done what we can to touch the lives of those who care enough to share it with us.

And as we learn through our experiences of the past to improve and change the ways it can be presented in the future to keep the same, ages-old greatest story ever told to be fresh each time, the greater opportunity we will have to touch even more souls as word-ofmouth publicity will bring even more in future years.

There was much hard work and plenty of stress in trying to get all the sets put together, find appropriate costumes for the variety of participants, and locate adequate staffing and support crews.

Thankfully, the hand of the Lord was upon it all, giving those who worked so hard the assurance that we were not in this alone, and that the seeds we plant will not go unwatered nor the mature plants unharvested.

Just think. Our little congregation at Lake Palestine United Methodist Church is small; we have an average attendance of just over 80. We are sometimes blessed to have two or three guest families come through in a month’s time.

We so desire to teach and tell the story, and the play is a setting in which many are given an opportunity to deepen the meaning of their faith or even receive the joy of salvation for the first time.

Visit passionjesus.com or lakepalestineumc.com.