(From my column “Looking Forward and
Glancing Back” in the SGT monthly newsletter, September, 1988.)
On August 29, Stained Glass Theatre
hosted our annual “Appreciation Banquet.” What a grand evening it was! An air
of excitement and anticipation seemed to flow from everyone present. Excitement for a time to pause and
praise God for the many, many blessings of this past year, and to thank all the
wonderful people who labored so many hours this past season, as well as those
who supported us with their prayers, gifts, and attendance. Anticipation for the adventure of
beginning a new season—our sixth, our Season of Victory!
The evening began with a great
buffet—truly a delicious meal! As the feasting wound down and as some still
nibbled at desserts or sipped tea or coffee, the lights dimmed and we were
treated to a delightful trip down memory lane as we viewed “clips” from all the
shows of the past season, skillfully and lovingly prepared by Jamie Wolfe from
All Occasion Video. After the TV presentation, we were inspired and challenged
by a wonderful speech from Charles Fuller, our honored guest. Thank you, Charles,
for a job superbly done! You touched the hearts of many young and old
“dreamers.” The evening concluded with the presentation of numerous gifts and
tokens of appreciation—scholarships, certificates, SGT mugs, plaques, SGT key
chains, and SGT “Lifetime” keys to the Theatre. Most everyone received
something and that’s the way we intended it. We wanted to recognize all who had
helped the SGT Ministry. Yes, it was a grand evening! Thank You, Father, for
blessing us so richly with so many who love the work of SGT. Thank You, Lord,
for all who sacrifice so much of their time, energy, and finances to serve you
in this special way.
The banquet, a time of remembering, is
over. It was a great time for “glancing back,” but now it’s time for “looking
forward.” (Wasn’t that clever how I finally worked the title into an article?)
The challenge of a new season lies ahead. There is much to be done. The wheels
of the future are already set in motion—set work is being done, costumes are
being made, rehearsals are in progress, and there is a general “gearing up” for
the fall premiere of SOMEBODY PLEASE MAKE ME LAUGH. It’s
going to be a tremendous production that will speak powerfully to teens and the
problems they face. Plan now to bring a group.
Not only is the challenge of a new
season upon us, but the challenge to complete the building fund effort as
quickly as possible is also on our hearts. We need to move soon. The growth in the ministry God has given us will
diminish soon without more space. Even now, people become frustrated and give
up when they try several times and still can’t get tickets. Some are trying to
get ahead of the game by booking tickets and dates for the entire season.
Praise God for the enthusiastic response from our patrons, but we must soon
provide more seating. God has shown
us our “Promised Land.”
We
must
complete the task! We need your financial support and prayers! As of this
writing, we only need $16,500 to
have victory. The countdown is on! All is
ready! We are anxious to occupy the land!
The response to our decision not to
move until we had all the funds,
thereby honoring our commitment not to go into debt, has been overwhelmingly in
favor of the decision. Like us, all were disappointed that we couldn’t move in
August, yet all were in agreement that we were doing the right thing. Your words
of support and encouragement have been greatly appreciated. Thank you! Since we
made the difficult decision not to move until all funds have been raised, we
have had a complete peace that God would honor that decision. But we also know
that we must now renew our efforts and move ahead quickly. God has held the
door open for us to do that which He gave us to do, but we must not tarry! Time
is important! The door may not always be open. Please help us if you can! We’re
so close. An all-out effort by all who see the vision of the future of Stained
Glass Theatre is needed. Together we can do it in the next few weeks and be in
the new building in time for the second show of the season. Pray that God will
touch many hearts to help us at this vital time. God has been so good to bring
us this far. Thank You, Father. Praise Your Holy Name! Jehovah!
COMING NEXT: WE
HAVE CROSSED OVER THE JORDAN! WE ARE IN THE “PROMISED LAND” DEBT FREE!
We
signed the papers and handed over a cashier’s check for $60,000 at 4:00 p.m. on
October 31, 1988. It was indeed a glorious and memorable moment!
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