Lights, Camera, Action

We have created a lot of films in my time at St. Mark’s.  It is such a wonderful great way to express our spirituality.  It is also a wonderful way to spread a message.  Today for our ministry moment, we showed a video we shot based on Indiana Jones.  We called it Indiana Jones and the Lost Can of Beans.  One Friday night a couple of weeks ago, we shoot this movie during our free time at F4J (Friday’s for Jesus).  It was so much fun.  I played Indiana and all the kids played the villains in the movie.  The basis of the movie was that Indiana finds a golden can of beans that he wants to make sure it ends up on the shelves for our Feed the 5000 program that we are running.  After he finds it and the place starts to collapse, he has to run out where he is chased by the henchmen of an evil man who wants to eat the can of beans.

They capture Indiana and after a series of events he is able to escape and fight his way to find the can of beans and he makes sure that it arrives in its rightful place on the shelves of the Feed the 5000 donation location.  It was awesome and the kids did a great job.  One youth in particular did a wonderful job with his role.  Reynolds played the evil man who wanted the can of beans all to his self.  He didn’t want to share with those in need he wanted to eat it all by himself.

I was so impressed by Reynolds acting in the movie.  He played the role to a tea and had a wonderful accent and method to his acting.  He also had a lot of great ideas that we placed in the movie allowing his creativity to shine.  Until this point, honestly Reynolds had not stepped up to take on a leadership role but he did so with this project.  It was a lot of fun to watch him and work with him.  I was very proud of him for his passion for our movie and for our feed the 5000 program.  He really helped to make this movie what it was.

Danielle, Ian, and Ben played vital roles as well.  They really weren’t in the Indiana Jones part of the movie, but they played pivotal roles in delivering the message after the movie.  Donning the Indiana Jones coat and hat, they each talked about different sections of the Feed the 5000 program and explained in great detail how the congregation can help with the project.  I was very proud of them and thankful that they gave extra time to help me finish the movie.

I really enjoy working on and editing movies.  I think that if I had not found my calling as a Director of Youth Ministries it is a path I would have liked to follow.  I am blessed that I have the equipment, programs, and skill to make these movies happen because they add so much to our programs.  I think that is why God created in me a passion to make these films so that we the Youth group of St. Mark’s could get our message out there and show our congregation, community, and world what we are capable of.  Our kids work so hard to provide for our community and church.  They truly are the life directors that go out into the world and live for Christ. Through their actions and spirituality, they are the ones that say Lights, Camera, ACTION…..