MANSFIELD — Local creative artists of all types will come together on Easter Sunday to tell the story of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.
Under the creative direction of Effie James, approximately 50 people from 10 local churches will gather on Easter Sunday for a unique artistic production. The show will combine dramatic skits and spoken word with praise dance, music and more.
The program will be held on Easter Sunday, April 16, starting at 5 p.m. at Maddox Memorial Church on Walker Lake Road.
“We are using music, song, dramatic skits, dance, and even an actual artist painting during one of our songs,” James explained. “We’re trying to incorporate all the arts and just tell the story of Jesus Christ.”
This is now James’ third foray into the arts, with his original play “Lord, Can You Hear Me?” debuting in May 2016 at Latter Rain Church in Mansfield and returning for an encore production in June 2016 at Mansfield Senior High School.
James first thought of the idea for an artistic Easter production last year, and started planning for the production in December 2016. The groups have been rehearsing for the production since January, including miming, gospel rap, youth Easter speeches, and mass choirs comprised of members from Mansfield area churches and schools.
“When I was young there was always an Easter concert, where all the choirs would come together from churches,” James said. “So I thought, let’s put an extra spin on that.”
The program itself has three basic themes: faith, salvation and resurrection. Starting with faith, local pastors will provide an introduction to the theme, followed by a song, skits, and other artistic iterations reflecting each theme.
“Then we’ll move on to salvation and then resurrection, which will be our big finish,” James said. “It’s something people do not want to miss, it’s going to be absolutely awesome.”
The program runs approximately one hour and 40 minutes and admission is by free-will donation, with all proceeds going towards local churches’ youth programs.
The production is a brand-new idea to the Mansfield area, but one that James feels is important.
“When you think about Christ and you think about the ways in which He tried to draw people, He didn’t just pick only certain people to bless,” James said. “He drew people in from all different ways.
“That’s what I feel we have to do, we have to meet people where they are,” he continued. “Sometimes sitting in a church listening to people sing doesn’t draw you in any way, but a gospel rapper is someone you can connect to.”
There’s a saying that the Lord does not give someone more than they can handle. James joked, “He gets close.”
“I wish that when God gives me ideas, that He would make them smaller,” he said with a laugh. “Every idea He gives me is on this grand scale, where it’s big and inclusive and His message to me is always to add people, to tell this story in a way that it would reach the most people.
“We want to put all these ministries together to put forth a message, the story of Christ and how He lived and died and rose again on Easter day.”
