Great Job and Merry Christmas

Join me in applauding Butch and Shelley and our media team for their outstanding work in the Christmas Eve services! Merry Christmas, everyone!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to my amazing team! I am so grateful for all of you!

"One of Jesus' names is Immanuel. It means God is with us. It's no wonder the angels told the shepherds,'Do not be afraid!' You lose your fear when God is near. God's presence trumps our panic."
Rick Warren, The Purpose of Christmas

Let's Celebrate!

Hello Drama Team Family!

What a weekend we had with an amazing sermon to remind us of the true spirit of this season, building memories with your family. Let's build memories tomorrow night at our annual Christmas party (6:30-8:30pm in the Great Room)! Please bring your family, a dish to share and a favorite memory from serving this year. We will also take a few minutes to make some cameos in a media Ben is creating for Christmas Eve! Can't wait to celebrate the beautiful simplicity of Christmas with some of my best friends and the most talented people I know! See you then!

"When the members of a family are filled with love and compassion and a spirit of service to one anoher that family has reason to celebrate!" Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

Creating Chaos is Fun!

Great job, everyone!

Miss the Meeting? Here's the 411 . . .

1.) Introductions for our two newest members (see pics and info. below on a previous post) Greg Teghtmeyer and Kelly Geisel. What awesome new additions to the team!

2.) We watched scenes from the kids drama team. First up, Ryan Lutz and Josh Hoeft did a great job playing off of each other as they played two guys from an ad agency who break into a colleagues office. Next Sierra Arredondo and Jacob Callender (yes, talent runs in the family) made us laugh as Sierra's soap over-dramatic opera star acting was juxtaposed with Jacob's dry frustration as her director. Last but not least, Sammy Petersen and Hannah Brooks were hysterical in their scene about an exchange gone wrong (we'll actually be doing this scene at the January first wed.). Their reactions to each other and they way they mocked each other was fun to watch. The adult team provided great specific feedback and helpful suggestions for their final performances at the January meeting when they will be off book (memorized).

3.) We talked a bit about some things coming up: Christmas Chaos on Dec. 1st wed., A Midsummer Night's Dream (They're having trouble finding enough people, since this is a new theatre, so auditions for this have been extended to Friday at 4pm and next Monday at 7pm -see below for info. on location). Christmas Eve services will include a great comedic performance by Butch and some great though-provoking thoughts from Shelley's character's interaction with God on Christmas Eve.

4.) We discussed feedback on the services this past month and brainstormed some series and element ideas for next year. We had a lot of helpful and honest suggestions/ideas from various team members.

5.) We passed out the Drama Team Core Actor Covenants for January. Every year in December, we will all be taking time to look back, look ahead and pray about whether or not we feel this team is the place God wants us to serve for the coming year. I will also be sending out some evaluations where you can provide some helpful feedback and suggestions for the structure of the drama team as well as my leadership.

6.) The drama Team Christmas Party is Monday Dec. 15th. Hope you all can make it. Please bring a dish to share!

7.) We closed with a time of prayer. I have to say I love praying with/for you guys. This was one of the highlights of the night for me! Here are the prayer requests:
-Sherry's mom had a great diagnosis (cancer free!) that we thanked God for and we continued to pray for her father's battle with Prostate and Bone cancer
-Aaron requested we pray for his friend stationed in Djibouti Africa as well as his wife Becky( who worked here in facility care) who had an accident where she was thrown from a horse
-Aaron will be leaving for Guam at the end of February for 2 months with the Air Force, we prayed for his safety
-Chip's family seems to be overwhelmed with physical issues including his wife's migraines, his mother's Osteoporosis and recent fall as well as his brother's family that includes children facing some truly difficult physical challenges including a 1 1/2 year old. We prayed for their healing and peace in the process.
-We prayed for Kyle and Jeannette as Jeannette faces surgery to install a pacemaker in her heart on Dec. 4th.
-Tom requested prayer for some continued testing his wife Shelley is undergoing as well as his Dad's recent diagnosis of possible Leukemia and bone marrow issues
-Kelley does her best to bring the light of Jesus to the Round Barn Theatre where she works, and requested prayer for her friends who are facing many challenges and are just feeling beat down by some recent changes in the casting. We pray that their show "It's a Wonderful Life" can touch their hearts with it's Godly message.
-We took time also to pray for those struggling because of the economy, including my husband's business. There are so many in need, yet we thanked God for the privilege of knowing him as our loving father who will provide all our needs.


That's it in a nutshell! See you this Tues if your in the Christmas chaos piece. if not, hope to see you all at the Christmas Party on the 15th. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Meeting This Monday!

Our November meeting is this coming Monday the 24th in the Heir Force room (kids 6-7pm, adults 7-9pm). Too bad it won't be the same weather as our meeting a few months ago in the back yard! But, hey, we're actors, we can just use our overactive imaginations, right?!

Thanks to those of you who agreed to participate in the Christmas Chaos piece. It's going to truly surprise the congregation, especially since we haven't had any live elements in a while! We’ll talk about scene assignments right after the meeting. We also need help with voiceovers for this, so Dan V. will be set up in the prayer room upstairs from 6-7pm to record any of you that can make it early to record a few lines.

In our meeting, we’ll get to watch some great dramas from our kids team, meet 2 new faces to the team (scroll down for details), evaluate the services this month, brainstorm ideas and discuss some new and improved ideas for changes to the team coming up in January.

In December, we will be having our Christmas Party for all ages in the Great Room on Monday December 15th from 6-8pm. Please bring a dish to share.

Before the holidays arrive full force, let’s take a breather Monday night to watch some great drama, have some great discussion, and chill with our fellow artists. Hope to see you all there!

Tuesday Nights Finish Strong!

Tonight we completed our final Turning Point and Financial Peace Dramas. Downstairs in turning point, Brad Miller played a great "Robin Church" (a caricature of Robin Leach) who introduced Adam and Eve played by Fletch and Sherry on "Lifestyles of the Biblically Famous". Sorry I didn't take any pics! Fletch and Sherry's expressions were hilarious as Adam and Eve bickered as if on Dr. Phil, taking time to show the kids that no families are perfect but that God will always be there as their Heavenly father, no matter how crazy things get in their home. God was definitely there for Sherry as she was able to get through the entire drama with a voice after a couple of days of Laryngitis! Thanks for persevering, Sherry!

Kyle and Lisa did an awesome job upstairs in their fourth and final drama in the Financial Peace classes that focused on a heart of giving. Their timing and subtle nuances of knowing how to play off of each other's reactions was sitcom quality (a good sitcom)! Thanks, everyone. Enjoy the holiday time off before we head into another run of these life-changing classes.

Two New Faces to Welcome to the team!

It is my privilege to introduce to you two new memebers of our team! Kelly Geisel has been at GCC for over 7 years and went to Bethel as a Vocal Performance major and theater minor. She was also in many productions with Amy Franklin. Her mother Kathy is another awesome arts volunteers who is the "words" master in the auditorium and keeps our singers lyrical minds in check. Kelly is currently working at the Round Barn Theater and is heavily involved in their production of "It's a Wonderful Life". Take some time to go to the show and introduce yourself. Great holiday entertainment and a chance to meet our newest theatre friend!

Greg Teghtmeyer is another theatre professional who has decided to join our team. Greg spent years working as a professional actor in Chicago in the musical theatre circuit and also has film acting experience. He recently moved to get closer to his family in the Warsaw area. He had been running the drama team at Warsaw Community Church, but some changes occurred in their structure and his position was unfortunately cut. Fortunately for us, he is not content to sit still with his gifts and heart for God, so he decided to start driving all the way up here to attend and eventually audition! He is a tremendous actor and a great addition to our team. If all goes well in the next few weeks of planning and production, you will get to see Greg'a acting debut on the big screen as a lead Shepherd in our upcoming short film from the point of view of one of the Shepherds in Bethlehem. (Trust me, it's much cooler than it sounds!) Join me in welcoming them to the team warmly! Excellence attracts excellence is definitely a true statement around here! : )

Need to scratch your acting itch?

Open Auditions for Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream
Tuesday Nov. 25 at 7:00pm at the new Osceola Theatre
311 S. Apple Rd.
Osceola, IN

For more info visit:
www.osceolatheatre.com

If you're nervous about Shakespeare, trust me, this is the most fun and easy to do of all his plays. I had the privilege of directing it twice (see pic above). Hilarious and a great story. No tragic deaths, just good comedy and poetry. Hope to see some of you there! With our recent drought in live performances, this might be a fun way to stretch ourselves and our art and be a light into the crazy world of community theatre!

Great Job, Turning Point Cast!

A Prayer Request from Sherry

Hello Drama Team pals,

My mom had surgery today to have a lung nodule removed (we thought a simple procedure) which turned out to be lung cancer that required partial removal of her lung. (Very healthy, non smoking woman!). We won't know until that pathology report comes back if any lymph nodes are affected and further treatment such as chemo would be required. My Dad is already undergoing chemo for prostate cancer and bone cancer so I think that if the path report is positive my mom will not be receptive to any treatment. Needless to say, I am very stressed and in need of prayer.
Thank you so much.
Sherry

"Say it Again, Rejoice!"

What an awesome night we had last night at our First Wednesday where we took time to simply praise God and thank him for the joy he gives us, joy beyond any circumstance. Dave Morgan and Ryan Lutz did a great job in the media about the difference between lasting joy and circumstantial happiness, produced by Albert Martin. Well done, guys! Also, a big thanks to a great group of kids from the drama team (Ryan Lutz, Josh (and his awesome sisters Lexi and Katie) Hoeft, Alli Speicher, and Meagan Haddix) as well as the amazing group of kids from Turning Point All Stars who made us all smile with a beautiful picture of child-like faith in the media with scriptures about joy, produced by Ben Sanders. I especially loved the part where Ryan and Josh rapped-hilarious! And thanks to Michelle Wegner who helped with the gathering of scripture and the thoughts in the first media as well. I don't know about you, but it was just what I needed heading into the holiday season and a cold winter. A perfect reminder of the contagious joy Jesus calls us to. Great job, everyone!

Job 8:21He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

The Cab Ride

Great job to Brad Miller and one of our newest drama team members, Joel Schipper. This is Joel's GCC premier, though many of you most likely recognize him from the morning news! Brad's character was delightfully and intentionally annoying and Joel's Jim-from-The-Office looks to the camera were hysterical. Great job, guys, (and Sarah Rulli who wrote the script and Russ Nelson who produced) on a fun media on a touchy subject. Well done!

See You Tonight!

We’ll talk about what you liked lately, what could have been improved, what’s coming up, discuss and participate in exercises on how to improve our skills, and brainstorm for some upcoming series.

kids-6-7pm
adults 7-8:00pm

Hope to see you all there!

Tuesday Nights Are Full of Drama!

Kyle and Lisa are doing an awesome job at the financial peace dramas written and directed by Dalene. Way to go, Team!

Ryan Lutz and Brad Miller led the Turning Point All Stars kids in writing their own Psalm. Awesome!

A note from Dalene for the Heir Force Team!

The theme in the Heir Force room this weekend was Determination... translation, not everything's easy and of course the drama this weekend was no different. After a change in directors, and Scott Haddix filling in at the last minute on the weekend of his anniversary, I think we were all wondering how it would turn out. John Johnson?, Scott Haddix and Hannah ?? played disgruntled teens looking for a way out of their "neverending chores". Sound like any teenager you know? John actually ate real doggy treats! Janet Kujawa (Mrs. Finkenhoefer) tamed their complaints with stories of determination which she delivered in 3 different foreign dialects and smoothly delivered throughout her monologues. It was a beautifully executed performance, and I'm really proud to have been a part of it. Good job guys!!
Dalene Stuteville

Who was that Beautiful Voice?

It was Julia Kline! The Vimali story was originally scheduled as a live monolog, but then due to sound issues, we had to switch to a voiceover. Changes like this are tough but part of the process for making sure all of our elements meet the ERA (Excellence, Relevance, and Authnticity) standards that make our church so effective at reaching the lost and helping people move forward in their walks with Christ. Julia and I were both disappointed, but in the end, Julia's sweet spirit shone through when she said "Well, I guess God wants me to get some rest this weekend." Thanks, Julia. Your voiceover was beautiful and perfect for the story and piece. You rock!

Heir Force Room Rules!

Great job, Hannah, Scott, John, and Janet on another great Heir Force Room Drama.

Scott, thanks for swoopong in to save the day when Levi couldn't make it work.

Janet, awesome job on all the different accents!

John, Thanks for your patience and for volunteering to direct until Dalene could also swoop in to save the day on the directing side. Thanks, Dalene!

Hannah, Thanks for giving your all to a character that is very different from you!

Great Job, Ghost Hunters!

Join me in applauding the awesome Ghost Hunters team of Chip, Tom and Larry. Jeff kept them out pretty late, but I'm pretty sure it was the guy equivalent of a girls slumber party thanks to their positive attitudes and servant hearts. Plus, it was hsyterical! Great job, guys!

Turning Point Still Turning!

Great job, Sherry, Brad, Josh, and Ryan!