Missionaries
Beth Lower
November 2007
My friends, it’s that time again, to sit down with a cup of tea, some chocolate cake and read the long awaited instalment of Lower’s Low-down. What more could you want?! Well, in April, Spring Harvest came and went very quickly. We were busy performing in the early morning, early evening and late night celebrations as well as leading workshops and seminars during the day. Although busy, it was good for us to make the most of the teaching and worship. It was here at Spring Harvest that the bombshell was dropped.
About every six months a team member has ‘news’. This can be very exciting or very worrying! And this time it was Tom’s turn. Tom had decided that it was time to leave Red Balloon to go and join Saltmine Theatre Company’s production of ‘The Cross and the Switchblade’ touring in the summer and autumn. Obviously, this was a great opportunity for Tom but a sorry loss for Red Balloon.
On returning home from Spring Harvest we had a new project awaiting us and with just Amy and myself left in Red Balloon we called upon the services of freelance actor Tim Goodwright. Tim worked with us for the following three months, which was a real blessing.
Saltmine had been approached through James White (visual resources manager) by a company called RE:Quest, to produce a CD Rom about Jesus’ teaching to give to every primary school in Britain. We spent a week preparing for one day of filming. We filmed nine different parables and stories. James then worked very hard to edit the material. The end result was very good. The CD Rom is still waiting to be distributed but will be soon. How exciting that this will be a resource for every primary school in Britain.
‘Sticks ‘n’ Stones’ – Not having done this show for a year we rehearsed, stealing Tom back for a week and took it to Southampton. Our partner at the YMCA is now based there, so these were new schools that we were entering. We had very positive feedback and future tours are planned. I play the victim in this show and during one performance I had a teacher actually come on stage and ask me if I was ok! She was either very involved in the show or not watching at all! I carried on, ignoring her and laughed a lot afterwards! The trials of being an actor!
After rehearsing Tim into ‘Down to Earth’ we spent a week in Matlock, Derbyshire. Many of the shows we did were at the church so the school children came there. This was good on many levels. It meant we didn’t have to set up and down so much but also that the children were coming into their local church and experiencing what it is like. Nearly 1,000 children heard the life story of Jesus that week.
BCM – Birmingham City Mission. ‘The Moving On Road Show’ helps year 6 pupils as the go up to secondary school. We perform sketches and lead small groups, helping the children think about the choices they make. As Christians it’s great to work in these inner city schools, as they are predominantly Hindu and Muslim.
During the weeks we worked with BCM we spent many hours rehearsing Tim into ‘The Amenders’ after spending a whole day in school. Little did we know that our efforts would be in vain. We travelled to Beccles, excited about a week in schools. Monday we did two shows of ‘The Amenders’. However, as we were leaving the school Tim tripped over a step and badly sprained his ankle. He went to A&E that night and was told to rest and not use it for two weeks! Ah ha! Tricky! So….the next day we postponed that day’s booking and re-arranged the show to become ‘The Amender!’ Amy would amazingly play her character, on a mission by herself but incorporate many of Tim’s lines and actions. Many watching the show may have wondered where Amy got her energy and enthusiasm. Her character became slightly schizophrenic as she talked to herself on stage but the children loved it. Once again, God helped us to get through a very tricky situation and made it very good. Tim was able to lead through the workshops for that week, with the aid of a stick. At the end of the week the churches had a celebration where some of the teenagers we had been working with performed. A great night and week.
We then went to Pimlico. Tim still with a dodgy foot but this time we were performing ‘Fish & Ships’ (Jonah), a physically less demanding show. Again it was good to be in inner city schools including Leo Blair’s. Hopefully he went home telling his Dad about a really cool theatre company that had been in his school!
The summer came upon us quickly and we arrived in Edinburgh ready for the Fringe Festival. Tom rejoined Amy and myself for ‘Fish & Ships’. We shared the venue with Saltmine Theatre Company who were performing ‘3 Wise Men and a Baby’ in the evenings. The festival was really good and we were getting average audiences of about 25. Considering the average fringe venue audience size is 6 we did pretty well. People did join us who were walking past on the street and came in to see the show about God’s forgiveness – fantastic.
After Edinburgh we went to Alton, Hampshire to run a holiday club about Joseph. It was good to be able to spend time getting to know the children and tell them about Jesus. Summersalt Short Break was next. And short it was, a short time packed full of fun for all the family! We ran the 5 – 11’s venue. The days were filled with games, teaching, challenges and the Joseph Joke Cloak!
And so a very long awaited break arrived at the beginning of September. My role within Saltmine has now changed. It has been part of Saltmine’s vision for a while to have a new theatre company and as of now, I am Team Manager of ‘Slingshot Theatre Company’. Our aim is to do more ‘Theatre In Education’ projects in secondary schools, enabling young people to face their giants.
I have just returned from my last tour with Red Balloon. A two-week national tour with the ‘Churches Child Protection Agency Service’ (CCPAS). Dispelling the myths around child protection.
Currently, I am awaiting new team members to arrive next week. We will then begin rehearsals for the Christmas pantomime. On the back of the success of last years ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’, we have another tour booked of 18 new venues.
The team will consist of a new actress called Rebecca Rogers and Tom, after his return from ‘The Cross and the Switchblade’ tour.
January will be a time of new team and new shows. A show about binge drinking is currently being written and will tour in January for school years 7-9. This is such a huge issue amongst our young people today that needs to be addressed. We want teenagers to think about the choices they make and to know about their worth in Christ.
I’m really excited about this new venture and would appreciate your prayers as I adjust to leading a new team. Thank you for your continued love and support.
Lots of love,
Beth
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