Life in Christ Circus Syllabus for 2016              (schedule my change)

Tuesdays

                            Theme                                                                   Activity

Feb 3              Assign clown reports                                             Watcch Kenny Aherns                                

                        CITSC  chapter 1                                                     beginning balloons

                                   

Feb 10           Clown reports                                                         Watch “how to be a Clown”-

                        CITSC  chapter 2                                                     makeup. Scarf juggling 

                                                                                                            plus more balloons

                                                                                                            Watch Laurel and Hardy

Feb. 17          Watch “Leave’ em Laughing”   (this is an hour and 40 min movie)                                                                                

Feb. 24          Types of clowns                                                      Watch “how to be a clown”                    

                       CITSC chapter 6                                                      costumes Clown makeup

                                                                                                            Watch dentist sketch

                                                                                                           

Mar. 3           Christology of Clown Ministry                            Watch Lucy episode         

                        CITSC chapter 5                                                      Play “treasurer box”

                                                                                                            More makeup

Mar. 10         Christology of Clown Ministry                            watch Silent Clowns:                                 

                        CITSC chapter 3                                                      Charlie Chaplin.

Mar. 24         The Body as Communication                              Watch “How to be a clown –                  

                       CITSC conclusion                                                    skills. Mime it up exercise

                                                                                                            Intro to gag writing

Mar. 31         Practice Makeup    (bring your makeup)         Beholding exercise

                                                                                                           

Apr. 7           Gag/Skit writing                                                     practice LICC skits

                                                                                                            Costume ideas

Apr. 14          Clown worship                                                        practice LICC skits

This is the "Life in Christ Circus" Lewisburg Alley on the day of their graduation from clown college.  From left to right we have "Karnie", "Lilly-Belle", "Willy", "Ethyl" (she's a gas) and "Gracie Gooseberry."  Everyone had to write an original sketch for graduation and they were superb, real fun to perform.  We look forward to coming to your church soon!!

Welcome to the “Life in Christ Circus”

Christ Clown College is taking applications for anyone interested in Christian Clowning.  The class meets on Tuesdays from 6:30pm – 8:30pm at Trinity Lutheran Church 511 N. Commerce St. Lewisburg, Ohio 45338. This is a 20 week course beginning Jan. 13, 2053. Graduation will take place on May 17, 2015 on Holy Humor Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church.  Classes will be taught by Pastor Brent Cavendish (Willy Nilly).  Pastor Brent is a graduate of the “Life in Christ Circus” of Omaha, NE and a graduate of the Red Skelton Clown School of Vincennes, Indiana.  The course will cover the basics of juggling, makeup, clown magic, balloon artistry, skit writing and performing.  Note this course is about faith formation with the goal of producing Christian clowns for the “Life in Christ Circus” clown alley.  If you are interested please call Trinity Lutheran Church at 937-962-2741 and ask for Rev. Willy or email willynilly4fun@gmail.com for an application.  Classes begin January 13 , 2015.

Valuable Stuff

Surely you have them, things on the dresser,
a beer mug from college, a cracked figurine
of an angel your sister gave you,
a small wooden box with special whatnots in it:
a token from a Scandinavian trolley, a peso,
your father’s cuff link, just one, a bit of ribbon
from your wedding invitation, a heart shaped rock.
Maybe on your dresser there are a picture or two.
An old yellow and blue photo of your parents
in the eighties, wearing brown, and one of
you and your sweetheart near the corner
of a house the year after your honeymoon,
looking wise and perfect and a little unsure,
with your dog, dead now, but in the photo
all there, though he does not know why.
Something about that photo is still in you,
you always want it there. You look at it.
Every time you dust the dresser
you move the box, the angel, the pictures,
the mug. You would never think
of not having them. They live there.
Imagine yourself, surrounded by
the ordinary little things in this life,
sitting here on God’s dresser.

I ran across this poem by accident and thought it was cool.  It reminded me that I had started this blog long ago and when I went to look for it, behold it was still here.  Yea!  This poem reminds me of Vacation Bible School days.

Prayer Balloons

Gleeful whispers
Childish conversation
Tiny hands holding tight to thin golden strings
Then sudden silence
An old wise voice speaking
Saying a prayer
Hands releasing smooth ribbons
Then trying to claim them back
Red bumping into blue
A squeak as they try to blend
Green rising
Straight and proud
Indigo flying
Lazy and care-free
Tiny paper prayers carried by helium messengers
A flying rainbow
Driven by whispering breezes
Happy conversations
Occasional bursts of joyous laughter
Watching for your message
Till it vanishes
Over the horizon
Sun slowly sinking as they blow
And then they’re gone
Colorless dots in the sky
Beautiful balloons
Carrying the hopes and wishes
Of many small children

Love God? Love Dogs? Yes? This is for you

Lost and Found

I hate loosing things. It sure seems like I loose more things than I used to. Some say it is my age and it will only get worse. Others tell me that I try to do too many things at one time and forget stuff along the way. (I know this is not true because I had to spit out my gum before I could type) Personally, I think there are little gremlins that follow me around and as soon as I put my car keys down they snatch them up and hide them in the dog dish. I have yet to catch any of these elusive creatures but it is only a matter of time. When I catch one all those who have been smiling to themselves waiting for me to admit that my mind is slipping a bit are going to be sorry.

The latest lost item is a collection of DVDs that cover two seasons of the Simpson's. I know the person who borrowed them gave them back and I put them on the self with my other movies. At least I think I did. They are not where I put them.

I was asked once if a person could loose their faith. the situation was presented to me like this: if a person has been baptized and at baptism received the Holy Spirit and forgiveness for their sins could that person later loose their faith or do they always have it, even if they no longer attend church? In other words will God still like your husband even if he never attends church. (Whoever said God liked your husband in the first place?)

I don't think faith ever disappears. Once God gives a gift God doesn't take it back. But we can loose our faith just like I can loose my car keys or Simpson's DVDs. We can forget our faith and in my book that is the same as loosing it. I know my car keys haven't disappeared even though I can't find them. (The gremlins eventually leave them out with some mike and cookies) A person's faith doesn't disappear but it can be misplaced. We can place our faith in how smart and clever we are or how good looking we are. We can place our faith in a country or in another person we admire. We sometimes place our faith in doctors and medicines. We can misplace our faith by trusting in all kinds of people and things that are not God. We only find our faith when we return to the Lord. St. Paul wrote, "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." Basically, Paul is reminding us that only our faith in god really works. Putting our faith in anything else is really just putting our faith in our human nature, which you have to admit is a bit messed up at best.

When I loose something I try to retrace my steps. I try to think of the last time I remember having that particular item and then try and connect the dots between then and now. Sometimes I am successful, like when I found my left contact on the toilet seat. Sometimes I am not successful at all. (Where are my DVDs) We can do the same thing when we misplace our faith. When was the last time I remember having it. For us Lutherans we have our Baptism as the beginning of our faith journey. Whenever we loose our faith we can retrace our steps back to the baptismal font and remember that moment. Oh yea, now I remember. God choose me; claimed me as a part of God's family. God gave me the gift of eternal life and he gift of a new life now because Jesus erased the sin that was in my way. Now I remember where my faith is - in my baptism. And if that isn't enough good news - gremlins can't swim.