All God's World Is a Stage
Dear Friends,
​
I did it! Everything was fine until the day actually arrived. I started second guessing myself. I walked down to the theater and the butterflies came floating in. My stomach was churning. I asked myself, "Why am I doing this?" I walked up to the door. At the last minute, I almost turned around. What would I find inside? Would I be welcomed? Would I know anyone in the room?
Despite the confidence that I often show in public, I am really pretty shy in social settings, especially when I don't know anyone. It wasn't until my junior year in high school that I started to come out of my shell. It was that year, fifty years ago, that I auditioned for a school play. My friends convinced me that I would be perfect for a small part in the Cole Porter musical, Kiss Me Kate.
My friend, Leon, and I tried out for the parts of the two gangsters. Being a musical, I had to stand up and sing in front of a small group of people I didn’t know. Last Monday night I relived that moment at the Granite Theater, here in Westerly. I walked through that door and entered a time machine. I was greeted and then ushered into the back room while the auditions took place.
For some reason the song, "I Hope I Get It" from the musical A Chorus Line kept playing in my head. The supreme confidence that I had displayed all week evaporated. I was feeling like that shy sixteen-year-old again, trying out for my first stage production. It didn't matter that I am behind the pulpit every Sunday or that I had been in a dozen or more stage productions over the years. It was a whole new experience.
As I sat in the green room waiting for my turn to take center stage at the audition, I looked around at the dozen or so who had come that night. We were twelve strangers. A few of them knew each other. Some were very talkative and outgoing. Others, like me, kept to themselves. One by one, we were called to put ourselves out there and take a chance.
I don't know if I will get the part or not. I can tell you from past experience that those twelve strangers will soon become known to each other in a way they never thought possible. They may even become like family. That has been my experience in community theater over the years. Once you step onto the stage, you join a community that is committed to bringing a script, a story, to life.
What’s this have to do with Holy Week? Well for one thing, the story of Christ's passion, his death and resurrection, is being told once again. Maybe you haven't been to church in a while. The thought of walking through those doors has you feeling a little unsettled. You are thinking, "Will I be welcome? Will I see a familiar face in the crowd?" Don't let that stop you. Go for it. Join the cast of those who have answered the call. Before long, that group of strangers will feel like family if you do.
In the Easter story, God is writing a tale of redemption and new life. He is looking for people like you and me to live out His narrative. He has cast us in the greatest story ever told. You don't have to worry whether you'll get a part. There is a role that only you can play. It all begins by trusting God and taking that first step. Go ahead and enter the doors of His church. Believe me. You will never regret it. You will not only be blessed in doing so, but you will be a blessing to others as well.
By the way, you may be wondering if I got a part in the show. You will have to wait and see. The play opens on July 11th.
Happy Easter! God bless! See you in church!
Pastor Cal