A PENTECOST CELEBRATION

On Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 2016, Our Savior's Lutheran Church celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit with special music and drama—thus, bringing the story to life.

The theme of the service was "YES!" It urged worshipers to say yes to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. To that end, there was an original song of yes led by it's creator, Celia Farran of Arizona, who was the guest musician for the service. We also had leadership by nationally known comedian and Methodist minister, the Reverend Jane Voigts, who shared a message of how the Holy Spirit called her and she said: "YES!"

Below are action shots from the Spirit-filled Pentecost service. 

worshipers heading into church

a dramatization "slide-show" of the Pentecost story performed by a number actors

Pastor Laura Gentry and guest Pastor Jane Voigts reading the Pentecost text

Celia leading music

much humor was shared in the telling of the Pentecost story

Pastor Jane leading the children in a special rendition of "I'm Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing"

Pastor Jane encouraging the children to follow the Spirit

Then "Spirit-filled" dancers (Rick Gramlich pictured here) danced in at the end

Happy worshippers doing actions along with the children

Holy Communion

Pastors Laura and Jane

Pastor Jane led the Great Thanksgiving liturgy with improvisation and input from the congregation

As these pictures show, the service was a joyful celebration from start to finish. 

Come, Holy Spirit! We say YES!

THE BIBLE CABARET IS COMING TO LANSING

Comedian and United Methodist Church minister, Jane Voigts (janevoigts.com), will be debuting pieces of a variety show unlike any other.   The Bible Cabaret:  A Comedy and Music Revue Starring the Old and New Testaments is an exploration of how the Bible works as comedy, as a sacred text with a surprisingly playful spirit intended to make us laugh.  The Cabaret has appeared on stages in Los Angeles and Minneapolis and is now coming to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 480 Diagonal Street in Lansing, Iowa on Sunday, May 18 at 9 a.m.

The Rev. Jane Voigts, Comedian and UMC Pastor

Says Rev. Voigts, "It's commonly understood that humor is one of the best avenues for delivering messages, especially serious ones.  This truth was not lost on the ancients.  There is actually a lot of delightful as well as stinging satire,  self-lampooning, goofy riddles, trickster adventures and more, and throughout the text, from beginning to end.  So much of the Bible is better suited to Saturday Night Live than the History Channel."

Jane will be performing a brief series of comic monologues and character sketches based on the Bible and its comedy.  This will be held within the context of worship. Watch an excerpt from the introduction to the show at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH44_C02ApA.

Jill Soloway, writer, director and producer of the TV show Six Feet Under, highly recommends the work of Rev. Voigts. She writes: "Nobody can bring out the spiritual potential—of polyester pant suits—and inspire others to do the same than Jane Voigts. Her imagination and soul are a wonder. And HILARIOUS! She's one of the great hopes for modern religious life."

In 2013 Rev. Voigts was pastor of the experimental "LA Comedy Church" in Toluca Lake (a neighborhood of Los Angeles).  She is currently residing in Iowa to care for her ailing parents and continue developing The Bible Cabaret and related projects. While in the area, Jane will also be performing at the Laugh-Fest of the Midwest, which is being held May 16-18 in Ferryville, Wisconsin. 

EVENT: The Bible Cabaret:  A Music and Comedy Revue Starring the Old & New 

WHEN: Sunday, May 18 at 9 a.m.

WHERE: Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 480 Diagonal Street, Lansing, Iowa

ADMISSION: A freewill offering will be taken, no tickets needed

WEB: www.LansingLutherans.org