ie:missional teaching. glocalizing. living. serving. repenting. incarnating. loving. repeating.

A while back I wrote of our opportunity at Lake Lanier Islands Magical Nights of Lights. All the performances are now behind us, so I can reflect on them in hindsight.

The first weekend had weather that could not have been more perfectly ordered. The Saturday night performances (there were four each night) had short-sleeved audiences as the temps stayed in the mid-50’s until about 9:30. It was amazingly comfortable for the second week of December. It had also been dry the entire time which made stage construction and rehearsals go well.

Friday of the second weekend was picture perfect again for weather. The forecast in the first part of the week had not been encouraging, but God gave us fair weather again. Saturday night was when He chose to answer all those prayers for rain…again. It rained from the late afternoon virtually all through the performance times, so we were forced to cancel. Sunday was very, very cold, but we were able to do three performances before it dipped into the 20’s with a strong wind making it simply unbearable.

All in all we think we had somewhere north of 1,000 in attendance even with the cancellations and the bitter cold of the last night. Remarkably, some of the most encouraging comments came from the park employees themselves with whom we were able to interact repeatedly. We’ve been told that Lake Lanier Islands has received a large number of calls commending the performances and we’ve now been asked if we can do something for Easter Sunday.

I’m very, very grateful for such an amazing church–it is humbling to be in partnership with such a people. I’m also eternally thankful that God allows His people to be in partnership in the missio dei. Below are a couple of photos from a dress rehearsal (sunglasses notwithstanding) and you can check out my flickr slideshow–A Christmas Tale 2007. (If you’ve never viewed a flickr slideshow, click the “i” in the middle of the slide to activate any comments on the photo.)

Michael Chassner as a shepherd. You’ve never had chills until you’ve heard a Jewish believer in Jesus sing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel! Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel has come to thee O Israel.”

Abigail Duren in performance costume standing in front of the “Christmas” banner.