February 24, 2003
DOWN HOME:
Some are called to scrub dishes
___For a couple of days last week, I thought I was molting.
___You know how a snake sheds its skin? Well, the same thing seemed to be happening to my my hands. They didn't peel whole, like a snake's skin. But they shed their outer layer of epidermis, flake by dry flake.
___Then I remembered: We just finished Dinner Theater weekend at our church.
___The extravaganza raised a tub of money for our high school choir, Voice of Praise. The kids will to need it when they travel to California this summer to sing, conduct backyard Bible clubs, take onmissions projects and visit San Francisco, where they will "suffer for Jesus."
MARV KNOX
Editor
___The Dinner Theater also provided at least 600 people a fun and entertaining evening out on the town. (Well, at least a night out on the church.) They enjoyed a grilled-chicken meal, complete with salad, vegetables, hot bread and their choice of homemade dessert. They also took in a delightful musical variety show, featuring many of our church's best, not to mention most outrageous, musicians.
___The theme for this year's show was the Grammys. The musicians honored--or dishonored, according to their ability and intent--the songs that have been judged the best down through the years. Some were stirring, some romantic and some just plain silly. For example, I can't figure out how a disco tune like the BeeGee's "Stayin' Alive" ever got recorded, much less won a Grammy back when I was in college, the nadir of the pop music era.
___During the Dinner Theater, I had one theological thought. If God hands out new talents in heaven, I want to be able to sing. (Well, I had a second theological thought, doubting the Lord would grant my wish, because it would be completely ego-driven. I'd enjoy hearing cheers and applause way too much, even for heaven.)
___See, singers are the stars of Dinner Theater. They're the main reason--besides helping the choir, of course--people will fork over good money and give up a good evening to sit in the church's fellowship hall.
___Joanna and I had a great time both evenings. We hung out in the kitchen with friends from our Sunday School department. That chicken didn't hop on 600 plates all by itself, you know. Besides the musicians, the kitchen crew helps pull off Dinner Theater. Otherwise, it'd just be Theater.
___And the molting? Well, I found my calling--scrubbing pots and pans. Not much glory, but certainly no risk, like grilling chicken or hitting a high note on a disco anthem. All those soap suds made my hands flaky.
___The Apostle Paul compared the church to a body that needs all its parts. He could have compared it to a dinner theater. If everybody could sing like a Grammy winner, who'd wash the dishes?
Get printer-friendly version of this story
Send this story to a friend
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook
