Reflecting on the month of April

by Ann O'Connor, Commission member

How challenged we are to believe, to hope in what lies ahead in the month of April!

April, the month of transition:

• gray-brown earth, gray skies sending out rainy messages
• roadways trimmed in quite deep sand
• auto hubcaps marking an obstacle course
• and litter that if finally more visible with the melting of snowbanks

We are called to renew:

• faith that the street sweepers will sweep
• the litter bugs will work in reverse motion
• the Morris Dancers with song and dance will awaken the seeds and prompt the ground to release them
• flowering snow drops will appear in the woods
• lily-of-the-valley is unlikely
• the Creator's call and tender care will rouse in us renewed reason to love again.

Gather Us In Workshop Spotlight: Linda Gray Kelley

Actress Linda Gray Kelley will be returning to the Gather Us In Conference this year to present a portion of her award-winning play, "Women of the Bible: The Good Girls and the Bad Girls." Old Testament characters such as Delilah, Naomi and Ruth, Bathsheba and Esther will be presented

Ms. Kelley not only performs "Women of the Bible" but she wrote it as well. She fashioned the play as a the contemporary piece with the goal of reaching her audience with the stories of how these Bible women lived their lives. “Even the good girls were flawed, she says, "which means there is hope for us all!”

Her theatre audiences are primarily adults who enjoy the edgy though accurate biblical re-enactments. The series has been praised by bishops, nuns, rabbis, ministers, and religious conferences nationwide. Ms. Kelley’s greatest joy is performing for women in prison, her special ministry.

Featured on her website, www.theatrerising.com, are videos of some of the characters, performed live. There is also a brand new podcast by the same name featured on the website - click on the Audio tab to access the easy-to-use player.

Ms. Kelley will perform the play twice at the Gather Us In conference, during the workshop segments.