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This story and photos located at: http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2007/07445.htm
07445 July 20, 2007
On Broadway
'David Letterman' parody highlights PYT worship
by Jerry Van Marter Presbyterian News Service
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - Worship went show biz Thursday July 19 as Goose Creek, Inc. - the highly inventive theatrical troupe that has enthralled the 4,400 participants in the 2007 Presbyterian Youth Triennium (PYT) here - delivered a message of "Hope in our doubts and fears" with a hilarious send-up of "The Late Show with David Letterman."
The Rev. Mark Goodman-Morris, a Goose Creeker who is co-pastor of Portola Valley (CA) Presbyterian Church, portrayed Letterman, complete with a "Top Ten" list - "The Top Ten pick-up lines heard at the 2007 Presbyterian Youth Triennium" (Number 1: "Worship here often?")
The parody was built around the story from Mark where Jesus calms the storm and bids Peter to walk on the water with him, only to have Peter begin to sink when he experiences doubt and fear.
In the litany, participants affirmed: "Christ calls us out of our fears and the world's violence into his presence; the storms of life will not overtake us, because we are in Christ; Jesus calls us to walk with him, even in the storms."
Of course, "Letterman" introduced as his first guest ... Simon Peter.
"My parents call me 'Simon,' except when they're mad at me - then it's 'Simon Peter,'" the Goose Creeker portraying the disciple said. "My friends call me 'Rocky' - you know, the 'on you I will build my church' thing. But you can call me 'Pete.'"
"Pete" then told the gospel story in his own hilarious words, referring to it as "The Perfect Storm."
The parody soon took a decidedly serious tone, as four PYT participants told the rapt crowd their personal stories of overcoming doubt and fear through faith in Christ:
a young woman, who suffering from an eating disorder and depression, literally met Jesus Christ while walking in a driving rain storm - "he turned my dark night into daybreak," she said.
an international delegate from Zimbabwe whose hopes of attending Triennium were seemingly crushed when the Zimbabwe government denied him a passport. A Christian government worker interceded and his participation was salvaged - "Christ's angel saved my dream of being here," he said.
an adult advisor who recounted her fears and doubts during a problem pregnancy and the birth of her son, who had to spend several weeks in neo-natal intensive care; holding up her healthy now-toddler son, Ian, she told of Christ's word of hope that came to her in the words of a doctor, who finally convinced her: "your son WILL be coming home - we just don't know when."
yet-to-be-named PYT band member Corey Nelson, who told of his final day as a PC(USA)Young Adult Volunteer in Ghana. Filled with doubts and fears that his year in a remote Ghanian village had been a failure, he suddenly realized during the closing "prayer circle" that the villagers were praying for him and had been praying for him each day since his arrival. "I realized then that I was going home to the family I was born into, but that this was the family I'd been baptized into."
The service concluded with rousing choruses led by the 40-voice Soul Children of Chicago - who performed in concert later in the evening: a "You Don't Have to Be Afraid, He Can Handle Your Cares/Jesus Loves Me" medley; and an "I am Your's, Lord" chant and sung refrain that rose to a roof-rattling crescendo.
As the crowd streamed out of the Elliott Hall of Music on the Purdue University campus here, not a storm was in sight.
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