LIFE of CHRIST PAGEANT
When: March 14 (6:30pm), 15 (6:30pm),16 (6:30pm),17 (4:00pm
& 7:30pm) 2002; an annual production which was skipped in 2012 for financial
reasons and likely came to its end after a decade plus of amazing commitment by congregation and friends! I applaud all who were part of this miraculous gift to our greater community!
Where: First Baptist Church-Batesburg, 436 W. Church St.,
Batesburg-Leesville, S. C. 803-532-0619
The Story Behind this Annual
Event: Sometime around 1990-91,
church music director, Robert "Bobby" Boutwell had a vision for a dramatic series that their
church body could produce in order to have the Easter Story come alive for the surrounding
community. The inaugural event was Easter of 1992. I went to the one in March 25-28, 1993,
"Behold the Lamb". We had heard that "live animals come into the church and Jesus is
put up on a cross in the church!" I had never seen a live depiction of the Easter story
before; and I'll never forget the awful, shocking, heavy & loud metallic sound of the
hammer pounding the nails into the cross. And there was a cast, and live animals, and coals
burning...all in the congregational area of this not-so-large church. I ordered a video of
the event and saved the brochure listing all of the participants and help organizations. It
was/is amazing to me what God can do through a small-town body of believers who are willing
and obedient and can come up with the time...a combination that is nearly impossible as of the end of 2013!
The title of the event for 2002 is "Crowned
With Thorns".
The 2004 production is 24th-27th
March..."Pageant". One key figure commented to me something that I think is typical of
all local-church-body efforts: "There is so much to say about Pageant I really would
not know where to begin. We have been tested every year. By
tested I mean that one or several of us have had issues arise that challenge our
commitment to this ministry and our faith. Every year so far there has been something. This
year we are doing Pageant on faith, because Bobby Boutwell left us in October to go to
Tennessee. He felt God was calling him to fill needs in another church. So, it is a true test
of our level of commitment this year to be able to carry on without the founder of this
production."
[Northside's Drama].....[Lake Murray Baptist's Drama]
[370 year old
Drama]
***give me your comments about this
page***
(posted March 2002; latest update 16 December
2012)
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You have just read a very brief example of the
powerful, supernatural transformation in the life of a small church which is possible through
the acceptance of Jesus as your savior and practice of The Way by a body of believers. Are
you tired of life as it now is for you? He will accept you just as you are right this second!
Consider accepting Jesus now [check it out]!
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