Kinder, Gentler SBC?

The Southern Baptists elected a new President who promises to move the 16 million member denomination to be a kinder, gentler body. He is the first President in years to be elected without the support of the "power-brokers." While we would not suspect that the SBC would move an inch toward the middle of the theological spectrum, it is of some comfort that the new President is mission-minded and has an interest in making appointments who share a kind and gentle spirit. Who knows, perhaps there is some hope for the SBC after all?

Tribute to Barnaby

I read that Linn Sheldon died on Sunday, April 23rd at age 86. Sheldon was one of the most creative fellows around. He is remembered far an wide by people in northeast Ohio for his creation of the loveable children's character named Barnaby.

Sheldon was on TV in Ohio for 42 years. His loveable elf character lived in an enchanted forest and had an invisible parrot side kick named Longjohn. He depended upon his ventriloquist skills and the power of a child's imagination to create a wonderful experience for the boys and girls.

Barnaby was loved by all because he was gentle, wholesome, and children could feel his warmth and love. Even today, some 35-40 years later, I can remember the way he would welcome children, "Hi neighbor!" and the way he would sign off at the end of his show, saying something encouraging and endearing and then saying "If anyone asks, tell them Barnaby said hello."

While his real life was a bit more troubled, the enchanted forrest was a place of wonder and joy for the children of Northeastern Ohio. Children need more folks like Barnaby and Mr. Rogers. May they rest in peace and hear the words of their creator, "well done my good and faithful servant."

There's More to Easter than Dyeing!

It is funny what you hear on the radio. Scanning across the radio stations to find something worth listening to the other day I stumbled across some talk show host ranting and raving because a mall wanted refer to it's seasonal character, a long eared rodent, as the Spring Bunny, instead of the Easter Bunny. The talk show host went on a tear about how this name change was all about political correctness and how we should not allow "them," whoever "them" was, to take away Easter.
People were calling in all worked up and agreeing with this notion saying, "It is an Easter bunny not a spring bunny. Don't let them take away Easter!"
I just shook my head and mumbled, "idiots," and kept on channel surfing. I couldn't believe that people would equate "the Easter bunny" with "Easter." Reducing Easter to little more than a mythological, long-eared, hopping rodent who delivers sugar and cholesterol to children is as bizzare as it is offensive to people of faith.
People get so caught up in the eggs and the candy and the baskets and the ham and the dinner and the jelly beans and the chocolate bunnies, and the plastic grass, and the peeps, and dyeing the eggs that they lose sight of Easter. So on our church marquee sign I wrote, "there is more to Easter than dyeing."
As Paul wrote to the Corinthians ( I Corinthians 15:3-8), Jesus died and was burried. He rose from the grave and made appearances to many. No eggs, no jelly beans, no rodent-- just Christ, crucified, dead, burried, and resurrected. He lives. He conquered the grave and so can we who believe in him and follow his way.

McLeod's Daughters

We have really come to enjoy a wonderful television program from Australia called McLeod's Daughters. Some have described it as television the way it used to be in the US-- good story lines, clean, and inspiring. It has been showing on the WE Network until today, April 1st, which will be the last show.

In the U.S. we are at the end of the 3rd season of this fine show, but the Australians are ahead of us, watching season 6. With the program going off of the WE network, fans of the show are writing everyone and their brother to get another network to pick up seasons 4-6 so we can continue with our program and see what happens to the women of Drover's Run.

One solution for the really dedicated has been to order DVDs of the next season from Australia. Since Australian DVDs are set up to be played on Australian DVD players, they will not work with US DVD players unless you find out how to "hack" your dvd player so it will play DVDs from all regions. Fortunately, this information is readily available on the Internet and for most DVD players, it is a fairly easy process that involves little more than pressing a few different buttons on a remote control.

For some of us, today is not only the day when the WE network drops McLeod's Daughters but will also be the day when we drop WE network from our viewing and satellite menus. I for one cannot believe they would drop a show like this which is at the top of the Nielsen ratings in Australia and keep shows like Bridezilla, Daddy's Spoiled Little Girl, and other mindless drivel. Go figure!

If you hear when McLeod's Daughters gets picked up by another network, please drop me an email! Bowties@cox.net

Homiletics or Harm-a-letics?

Today, one of my New Testament students was talking about how the Bible is interpreted. He kept mispronouncing homiletics (the study of the interpretation of the text) as "harm-a-letics." After a few mispronunciations I couldn't take it any more and said, "harm-a-letics" happens a lot, it is when people do violence to the text. What you mean is homiletics, which is the process of interpreting the text."

Which do you do-- homiletics or harm-a-letics?

The Power of Love

This past Sunday was Youth Sunday at Colonial Ave. Baptist Church. It is always an inspiring service when our talented and creative youth take the lead. This service was particularly moving because of the actions of a boy who has a touch of autism. One of youth was giving the message and was struggling to get through a point related to her parent's divorce a few years ago. She was choked up and was trying as hard as she could to keep back the tears. Then all of a sudden, the grade school child stood up, stepped into the aisle, and walked right up to the pulpit where the young lady was speaking and looked lovingly into her eyes. He knew she was struggling and wanted to let her know that he loved her, even if the only way he knew how was to stand beside her in a difficult time. There wasn't a dry eye in the house as we understood the message.
How often have we seen others hurting and didn't know what to do, when all of the while, what they needed was someone to stand with them and let them know by our presence that we love them. It was a profound message from such a young child. But as they say, "a little child shall lead them."

Making Legs for a Puppet

Does anyone have recommendations on the best way to create legs for a puppet. The puppet currently is a half-bodied rod arm puppet and I would like to make a pair of simple legs that will allow this puppet to be used as a ventriloquism figure.

The legs should allow the puppet to sit naturally and the legs should bend properly. It is trouble when the knee bends the wrong way or the feet are all twisted around. Any secrets to make the legs look right?

Thanks!

Where Everyone Knows Your Name. . .

Several years ago, one of the popular sitcoms on television was Cheers. The song that played while the opening credits ran spoke of a place where everyone knew your name and was glad you came. The program involved a local pub, but how true the sentiment that people enjoy the places where folks know them by name and are glad they came.

As a pastor of a church, helping to encourage or create such an environment is an important task in ministry. This sentiment is true in other settings as well. Colleges for instance-- some are so huge that by necessity, an individual is reduced to a number. Others, however, are small enough to offer a quality educational experience where individuals are known by name. When students miss class, professors notice and are concerned.

I was very impressed with the personal touch of Carson-Newman College on our recent visit there. Students often eat with the college President, professors call their students when they are missing and know them by name. It is a caring community where people know your name and are glad you came!

It is hard for me to believe that schools with 10,000 applications can do much more than look at the numbers and make a decision. But the smaller school can give each application the personal attention that each person deserves. Discovering that "fit" between student and school is so important. The smaller school has a way of putting together the talents of the student with the areas in the college where those talents can be used. That personal touch takes time, effort, and concern.

After our family visit to Carson-Newman College, my wife and I (with 7 degrees between us) said to each other, "Wow, this is the kind of school I would like to attend." It is a place where everyone knows your name and is glad you came!

A Talking Cane or Walking Stick?

I am interested in finding a cane or walking stick with a figure on the top that has a moving mouth. So I guess that makes it a talking stick or a talking cane. What a fun novelty ventriloquist item that could turn out to be.

Scott American Gothic

Thanks to our good friend, Trevor Ruble, we now have Scott American Gothic! Thanks Trevor! No doubt this will be a great poster for our new study on this iconic picture by Grant Wood.

American Gothic Parodies

Who can forget the Grant Wood picture of the stern faced old man holding a pitchfork with his daughter by his side? This famous 1930s picture is titled, "American Gothic" and has been the source of many parodies. Mickey & Minnie Mouse have posed in American Gothic style, as have Miss Piggy and Kermit. If you have images of American Gothic please contact me at my email address jeff@cabc.us

Where Are the Puppets?

It has been my habit to use ventriloquism figures in the church during the 11am worship service. The children seem to enjoy them and the big kids really like them. This past Christmas season, we have allowed the children to do the children's sermon instead of me, the pastor, leading them. The first Sunday of the new year, I was back doing the children's sermon. Instead of using a puppet or vent figure, I used another prop to illustrate the point. One of the pre-teens in the pews turned to his buddy and said, "Hey, where are the puppets?" There was a tone in his voice as if he had been cheated. I guess even the middle schoolers have come to enjoy a visit with a dummy when they come to church!

Happy New Year!

Maher Studios

As the year came to a close, ventriloquists around the world heard the news that after 39 years of wonderful service, the doors of Maher Studios would come to a close. Clinton Detweiler and family have given their lives to compassionate service and encouragement of ventriloquists all around the world. They will be sorely missed, not only for their products, their repair service, and most of all, the quality people that they are. All the best to the Detweilers in their well-deserved retirement years! God bless you folks!

Carson Newman it is!

We began a search for a college for my daughter while she was a junior. She took her ACT test a few times. She toured many colleges. Some she liked, others she did not. At first there seemed like hundreds of possibilities, but the list was easily narrowed. We discarded some because they were way to big. Others were out of the running because they were way to small. Some were too far away. Others were too difficult to get in-- can students really earn a 4.6? Some were not the kind of school we would want to send our daughter to. Some did not have what she was looking for in a major. With all things considered, we finally decided on Carson-Newman College.

Carson-Newman is a wonderful small college about 35 miles east of Knoxville, TN. It has 2,000 students and is well regarded by the folks who rate colleges and universities. Princeton Review calls it one of the best in the Southeast. US News rates it in the top 35 masters degree granting colleges in the South.

So Carson-Newman it is!

A Visit with the Funeral Directors

I was asked to speak to the employees of a local funeral home today on the subject of why their work is important. It was their employee Christmas appreciation meeting and they wanted me, a local pastor, to put their work in perspective. Since they knew I did ventriloquism, they welcomed me to bring one of my "little buddies" along. So I did.

Ida Clair, a sweet little old lady figure, helped me to tell them how they make a difference with their compassion and attention to detail. The employees really loved it when Ida talked about owner geting to the Metal Ages. Middle ages I asked. No, the Metal Ages she replied-- he has silver in his hair, gold in his teeth, and lead in his behind. The place howled with laughter-- something you don't often hear in funeral homes!

It was a privilege to bring a smile to a group of people who work hard in a difficult setting to help people during very difficult times.

Dummy the Last to Say Goodbye

Although I have been a pastor for 25 years or so, this is the first time I have ever been asked to include one of my ventriloquist characters in a memorial service for one of our members. Chuck Brooks, a delightful 81 year old man went home to be with the Lord. He so loved the children's sermons that I do each Sunday using my puppets and ventriloquism figures that his family insisted that one of the figures offer the final words. How is that for unusual? But then again, these figures gave him great pleasure at a time in his life when there were many challenges and disappointments. So why not!

O Christmas Tree, O Holiday Tree

Roanoke, VA began it's "Dickens of a Christmas" celebration last night with the lighting of the "Holiday Tree." The print and broadcast media have had a field day with this politically correct nomenclature. Television stations have been running polls about what area citizens feel about this. About 89% seem to be quite upset that the tree is not called a Christmas tree.

What's the fuss? Christmas trees are rooted more in folk lore than religion anyway. If you really push it, you have to admit that they were "borrowed" from the pagans long ago. They certainly are not mentioned in the Bible as being a part of the birth of Christ. In reality, there is little to commend the practice from a theological perspective.

National, state, and city Christmas trees are merely an exercise in civil religion. Civil religion, or state sponsored quasi-religious ceremonies and customs are always watered-down, least-common-denominator type of "spiritual" exercises that lack the vitality of the real thing. What civil religion brings is form without substance. It offers the outer form of religiousness without the life that true spirituality brings.

Christmas tree, holiday tree-- call it what you will. The reality of it is that you should not look to the government to promote religion. If you do, you will be sadly disappointed and will have to settle for some generic, please-all expression that falls far short of the life-changing reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Happy Holidays!

I read that some of my fellow preachers are up in arms because Walmart instructed it's employees to say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. I guess I march to the beat of a different drummer but as I consider the Scripture, I find that the responsibility for going to all of the world with the gospel was given to the church, the body of believers. God didn't give the privilege of sharing the good news to Walmart, to public schools, or to government. Sharing the good news is the responsibility of believers. My celebration of Christmas is certainly not dependent upon the greetings of a Walmart sales clerk. I wish my fellow clergy would pay more attention to the weightier matters like alleviating poverty, working for peace, and seeing that justice is done.

All it Takes is a Sock!

If you have a sock you have a puppet waiting to be born. Think of what a ventriloquist named Sherri Lewis did with a couple of socks. With a little yarn and a lot of creativity, they became beloved characters for children and adults alike. Lamb Chop and Hush Puppy and Charlie Horse will long be remembered for the joy and fun that they gave us.

It doesn't take much... just a sock!

Practice, Practice, Practice

Ventriloquism, like any performance art, requires practice. I find that the more I have practiced the less I have to be concerned about moving lips. If I pick up a figure I haven't used in ages and try to wing it off of the cuff, and it could be a disaster!

We are all busy but I have found that one of the most convenient times I have to practice is when I am alone, driving down the road in the car. One hand on the wheel and the other hand free to rest a finger on my lips and I can run through the host of character voices and personalities as I go from place to place. At other times, I might practice using my free hand to practice coordination of movement and syllables of spoken text. Other times, I might be using the spare hand to practice figure manipulation. You can get a lot of practice time in if you simply turn off the radio and talk with yourself.

In addition, this kind of practice can allow you to talk things out. Sometimes, things that come to you in these sessions might even become parts of a routine at a later time.

Another way to practice in the car is to allow your figure to have a running commentary on the news you might listen to on the car radio. Maybe turn to a talk show and allow your character to interact with the host or call in guests' points of view. Have fun!