letters from the dead

Group, Mar/Apr 2004

Charley, I think I'm happy for the first time since my accident. I wish I had all that money that I used to spend on smack. I'd could buy myserf a used car lot and not sell any of them. I'd just drive a different car every day, depending on how the mood struck me.

Charley, I never could lie to you. You want the truth? I don't have a husband. He doesn't play the trombone. I need to borrow some money to pay off my lawyer. I should be eligible for parole on Valentine's Day.

Love and kisses,

Lois

Have Letter Reader #1 exit through the tomb.

Have your Soloist(s) enter, sing the first verse of "It Is Well With My Soul," then sit down in front.

Have Psalm Reader #2 enter and read aloud or recite the following paraphrase of Psalm 46.

PSALM READER #2:

God is my room. In my room I am safe. God is my room and I am safe. Hurricanes can come. Earthquakes can shake the foundations. The ocean itself can rise up against me. I am safe in my God. My God gives me joy. When all the voices in my head scream so loud that the walls begin to rattle. When noises of the world become so loud that I can't shut them out anymore. When it feels like my entire life is in chaos. God will say, "Shhh, quiet my child. I'm here. I've been here all along. I will be here and never leave you." God is my room. Amen.

Psalm Reader #2 should exit the altar through the tomb.

Have one of your kids enter, read aloud Luke 22:54-62, then exit through the tomb.

Have Letter Reader #2 (must be a male) walk onto the altar with an envelope. He or she should pull a letter out of the envelope, then read it aloud.

LEHER READER #2:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Davidson,

It is with deep sadness that I must inform you of the death of your son, Michael. Michael died while on a mission, serving his country. Although I cannot disclose details of the mission, I can tell you that one of our squads was under heavy fire in Kumar and that Michael was sent in to get them out. They managed to load eight men and four other wounded soldiers onto Michael's chopper when a surface-to-air missile brought them down. Michael and the other men never knew what hit them. I hope you can take some comfort in knowing that he did not suffer, and that he died a hero.

Michael was a good pilot-one of the best in my command. He told me that his father flew Vietnam. We ate together most nights and he spent a lot of time telling me about New Jersey and what a bad rap it gets. He told me about how much he loved working with the kids at the vacation Bible school. He talked mostly about the two of you and how much he admired and respected you for keeping him in line. He called it "kicking his butt when it needed to be kicked." I wanted to be sure you knew how much he was respected by the other men and how much I personally respected him. He was a good soldier and a good man. You raised him right, Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, and we will all miss Michael very, very much.

Yours very sincerely,

Col. Jack Stanton

U.S. Military Operations, Kumar

Have Letter Reader #2 enter the tomb.