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God on Broadway: Sermon series ties in faith elements from musicals Mary Jacobs, Oct 22, 2007
COURTESY PHOTOS
By Mary Jacobs Staff Writer
The lyrics in Fiddler on the Roof speak of the beauty of tradition and the joy of keeping Sabbath. Les Miserables tells a story of personal transformation. The love song in Pippin portrays romantic love that mirrors a deep love for God.
Worshippers have been getting spiritual messages like these this month at Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church in Savannah, Ga. Every Sunday morning in October, the stories and songs of a Broadway musical are being woven into the worship service in the church’s “God on Broadway” series. The annual project has become an energizing centerpiece of the inner city church’s ministry.
“God on Broadway” services “have become our most powerful services,” said the Rev. Billy Hester, pastor of the church. “People are surprised at just how meaningful they are.”
Each worship service in the series incorporates music, scenes and dance from a Broadway musical “from introit through the benediction.” This year’s series featured Pippin, Rent, The Fantasticks and Wicked.
The church’s choir, directed by Ray Ellis, plans far in advance for the songs that will be performed, and Mr. Hester’s sermon is keyed on the musical’s basic theme. For example, in past years he has preached on temptation in the service featuring Damn Yankees, on forgiveness with Les Miserables and about getting along with one’s neighbors with Oklahoma. “I have always been a little frustrated about how we separate the Sunday ‘God experience’ from what happens in real life,” said Mr. Hester. “The object is to see the story and to see the theology in it.”
The theatrically-based series—along with frequent performances of dancing, music, puppetry and drama incorporated in regular services throughout the year—have helped turn around what was once a dying church.
When Mr. Hester and his wife, Cheri, arrived in 1993, it was almost time to turn out the lights at Asbury. Membership in the inner-city church had dwindled to about 25 people with an average age of 80. Suburbanites were too frightened to travel to the notoriously high-crime “Area C” of town where the church is located.
Mr. Hester asked for a chance to give the church “one more shot” and decided to try a new approach. A theater major, Mr. Hester had acted professionally; Cheri had acted on Broadway. So the couple started a community theater, staging musicals in the Asbury auditorium. Auditions were open to the community.
“We thought we’d try putting on two musicals a year to try to draw people to this abandoned area of the inner city,” he said. “And it worked.”
Eventually, the productions outgrew the space and the musicals were discontinued. Mr. Hester began incorporating elements of the shows into worship instead. Attendance on Sunday mornings now averages 320 to 350; many members drive to the church from the suburbs and even from out of state.
“People acting in the programs would end up staying in church,” said Mr. Hester. “People coming to see the programs would end up staying in church.”
Merritt W. Dixon III, 77, is one of those people. He says he had hated going to church ever since prep school, where daily chapel attendance was mandatory. Whenever his wife, Janet, attended Sunday morning services, he says, “I cut the grass.” One Sunday, however, Mrs. Dixon invited her husband to worship at Asbury. He was immediately hooked. Now he’s the one urging his wife to leave home earlier on Sundays to make sure they’ll get good seats.
“The talent and the electricity in that church is unbelievable,” he said.
COURTESY PHOTOS
“God on Broadway” services “have become our most powerful services,” said the Rev. Billy Hester, pastor of the church. “People are surprised at just how meaningful they are.” 
“We thought we’d try putting on two musicals a year to try to draw people to this abandoned area of the inner city,” he said. “And it worked.” 
