Women AT The Cross

[Michele]

After reading the book "Women at the Cross" by Linda Lesniewski, I really wanted to do a teaching on that
topic. As I thought and prayed about it, the idea came to me, rather than do it as a teaching, to get several of the
women to actually play the parts of those women and to dress up as they did in Bible times. The women wrote their
own parts. As they individually came up to the platform they would introduce themselves, "My name is MARY, I am
the mother of Jesus"......and she would go own to tell her story based on the scriptures. Then the next woman
would come, "My name is Mary Magdalene.....and she would share how much Jesus meant to her. Each woman's
part was only 3 to 5 minutes. Although the scriptures only mention three or four women at the cross by name, it
does say that their were many women there that day, so we added Mary and Martha, the woman caught in adultry,
and the woman bowed over for 18 years, that Jesus healed. We used 7 women. Seven being the number of completeness,
Meaning that He died for all women. We used the crucifixion scenes from the movie "THE PASSION", as the BIBLE
women stood before the screen, we had modern day women walk up behind them, one dressed as a business woman,
a young mom, a teen, a prostitute, a woman in a wheelchair, a bag lady......showing that JESUS came to die for all
women. Before the women did their parts, I did a small teaching on what women's lives were like in Bible times, before
Jesus came, and the difference He made. We had special music and a beautiful solo 'You", by Joann McFatter. We ended
with an altar call for salvation and receiving communion together. It was a beautiful and powerful time. Blessings

[Dyna64]

WOW! It gives me goosebumps just to read about it! What a blessing that must have been to those who saw it, and those who participated! Great job!!

[Michele]

Dear Dyna 64, Thank you for your kind response. I hope other women will give it a try at their churches. It may sound kind of complicated or like alot of preparation but honestly we pulledit all together in 2 wees time, I was amazed by the response of the women who attended. It was a very moving experience. Blessings, Michele

[MertVnWV]

Michele,

I like your idea.
I passed it on to one of our WM planning committee officers.

Mert

[Dyna64]

MIchele,
Last year we did an "In the Garden" theme for Easter. We brought the ladies into a room, where there was grapevine decor, and large rocks with candle light. We kept it very elegant, but simple. We welcomed them to the garden of Gethsemane. We showed the first 4 scenes, and the last 2 of Passion of the Christ. Immediately at the end, we flipped on the lights and told them that because of Christs visit to this garden, He provided us the beauty of the garden we were about to enter. We led them to another room where it was beautifully decorated with flowers, and ivy, and birds chirping. There was not a dry eye in the place. This too was, or could have been very difficult to pull off, but when the committee saw my vision of what God had laid on my heart, they got the vision, and we went to work. It was wonderful how easy it was to pull off, and the impact it had on so many. God is good!

[Michele]

Hi Mert........Glad you liked the idea. Happy Resurrection Sunday! Blessings, Michele

[Michele]

Hi Dyna64........I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your Garden of Gethsemane idea! I wrote it in my planner so
I can remember it for next year. Happy Resurrection Sunday! Blessings, Michele