wfn.org | Movie cameras roll at tiny Mississippi church

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

March 23, 2000 News media contact: Tim Tanton·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{162}

By Woody Woodrick*

SHARON, Miss. (UMNS) - Folks in this rural community hadn't seen so many
vehicles around Sharon United Methodist Church in years. Maybe ever.

Even more amazing was that the churchyard was full of vehicles on a weekday.
All the traffic was for a wedding. And a funeral. On the same day.

While that might not sound so unusual, the wedding and funeral were being
staged for Hollywood. Tiny Sharon United Methodist Church was the setting
for two scenes in a made-for-
TV movie.

"They were looking for a country church," said Bo Divine, one of the eight
members of Sharon United Methodist Church. "They looked at ours and thought
it was what they wanted to have."

Sharon is about 40 miles northeast of Jackson in central Mississippi's
Madison County. The church itself was founded in 1835, and early in its
history served as the site of a women's college and later a boys' college.

Representatives of American Literature on Television, which is producing the
movie, contacted church Pastor Richard Rankin about using the church. He
sent them to Divine and other trustees. Once church members got information
about the type of movie to be filmed, they allowed use of the church and the
parsonage next door.

The film is "The Ponder Heart," an adaptation of the Eudora Welty novella by
the same name. "The Ponder Heart" is one of five movies being filmed for the
Exxon Mobil Masterpiece Theater's American Collection. The movies, which
will air on PBS, are adaptations of American literary classics.

Church members are excited about their church appearing in the movie, Divine
said. American Literature on Television agreed to pay the church and help
make repairs to the parsonage in exchange for its use, he said. American
Literature on Television used one room in the building as the setting for a
classroom and others as changing areas for extras.

Big trucks began pulling into the churchyard early on March 7. The technical
crew spent the morning setting up equipment, and then around noon, sound and
lighting directors began their testing. Actual filming began in the early
afternoon.

Work at the church didn't finish until nearly midnight, Divine said. The
sanctuary was left pretty much as-is except for the removal of some
carpeting and the hanging of a few pictures on the walls, he said.

"We like it sort of plain," he said.

Outside was a different story. Trailers were pulled close to the church to
serve as waiting areas for the actors. Large "cherry-pickers" with lights
attached were parked on one side of the church to provide lighting. In
addition, an air-conditioning unit was set up outside and ducts were run
into the church to keep the actors comfortable as the day got warmer.

The congregation did more than provide the setting. Robert Long, a church
member, got a part as an extra. Minnie Jean Burns, who is not a church
member but plays piano for services, was cast to play for the "wedding."
Divine said Burns, 86, played piano for silent movies in a theater in
Carthage as a girl of 14.

The church hopes publicity and interest in the movie might generate an
increase in membership, Divine said. The congregation meets once a month,
and usually has about 20 to 25 people in attendance. Plans are made to make
each Sunday service special, Divine said. For example, families often attend
church when they return to the area for reunions, he said.

In addition, Divine said the movie could help boost efforts to raise $50,000
for improvements on the parsonage. Rankin currently doesn't occupy the
building.

"The Ponder Heart" tells the story of Uncle Daniel Ponder (Peter McNichol)
and his efforts to give away his fortune. His niece, Edna Earle (JoBeth
Williams), does her best to stem Daniel's generosity. Daniel marries teen
Bonnie Dee Peacock (Angela Bettis), whose subsequent death puts Daniel on
trial for murder.

The series of films is expected to begin airing in the fall.

# # #

*Woodrick is editor of the Mississippi United Methodist Advocate, the
newspaper of the Mississippi Conference.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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