Easter ROCKS! (Rock Opera)

Are you sitting down? You aren't going to BELIEVE I did this:

I actually missed watching an American Idol results show on Wednesday JUST to spend time with this bunch!

......and it was sooooooooooo worth it!
(Sorry Simon!)

THIS fabulous group of people* from our World FAMOUS CUMC Youth group went to see a "Rock Opera" at Klein UMC Wednesday night!

*(I TRIED to get everyone that went in the picture, but gathering teenagers for a photo op is like nailing Jello to a Tree, so I captured as many as I could before something shiny caught their eyes and they scattered.)

You might be asking just what in the world is a Rock Opera?

Basically, it was a musical based on the events of Holy Week (Palm Sunday, The Last Supper, Good Friday, Easter Sunday) but instead of using "churchy" songs to tell the story, it used songs that you could hear on the radio TODAY. Kinda like taking an old story and jazzing it up with new music.

(Anyone remember the Leonardo DiCaprio/Claire Danes move from the '90's where they took the story of "Romeo and Juliet" and stuck it in modern times?.....THAT's what it was like)

PAUSE: Random Andrea moment I must tell:
(All day long I kept singing "Rock Lobster" by the B52's like this....."Rock Ah--HAAAAAA-----Ahh---Pra, Rock Ah--HAAAAA-- Ahhhh-Pra".....if you don't know that song, be thankful because if you DO know it, I'll bet money that you are going to have it stuck in your head in three......two.......one.........)

UNPAUSE: Resume story here:
Back to our "Rock Opera".............

Here's just a sampling of some of the songs they used to portray the Easter story:

"Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 was sung by a character to illustrate her search for Christ. (you broke the bonds/loosened the chains/carried the cross/of my shame/of my shame/and you know I believe it)

"In The Name Of Love" by U2----parallels just what Easter is all about---God sending his Son to us "in the name of love". (one man come in the name of love/one man come and go........one man betrayed by a kiss)

And here is what I thought was the BEST one-----
"In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins was sung by the character playing Jesus ("Jesse Christianson") on the night of the last supper when Jesus knows what is about to happen. It was so eerie how the lyrics and the spooky sound/vibe of that song fit perfectly with what was happening after the Last Supper. Seeing the character playing Jesus standing up there singing (I can feel it/coming in the air tonight/and I've been waiting for this moment/all my life/oh, lord) was very moving.

"Hero"by Nickelback was kinda the 'overall' song that was sung several times---"a hero can save us". Forgive me if I can't do more lyrics from that one....it's just that I have an unhealthy dislike for Nickelback and while it was a GREAT fit for the content of the play......I just can't separate the "I can't stand Nickelback-Andrea" from the "Get Over It and Enjoy the words of the song-Andrea".

Moving on................

"Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence. It was creepy how perfectly that song from today's music fit in with the Easter story. (google the lyrics and you will be amazed----here's just a sampling: wake me up inside/wake me up inside/call my name and save me from the dark/bid my blood to run/before I come undone/save me from the nothing I've become)

"Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone" by Bill Withers (also just performed on American Idol a few weeks ago by that Kris guy with the cute little wife)
ain't no sunshine when he's gone/it's not warm when he's away
This is what the homeless people in the play (disciples) sang when they were told Jesse Christianson (Jesus) had died.

There were many other songs that just fit so perfectly! I wish I could have remembered them all! Maybe someone who reads this will remember one and put it in the comments....hint, Goldilocks and PappaBear, hint hint.

Bottom Line: It was just COOL!


I just love taking the youth group places.

They are all such a great group of kids. (I especially love that stinker in the yellow shirt......with the overly expensive hardware in his mouth:-)


......and THIS little stinker in the white hat......with more overly expensive hardware that you just can't see because his mouth is closed. HA


Our Youth Director and KK.


See our Sr. High sweetly tolerating and carefully avoiding the antics of the Jr. High behind them? (Good job, guys....just remember, you were once just as "energetic")

We had fun! Hope everyone has a great Easter!



P.S. Thank you Klein UMC for having us! Yall did a GRRRREAT job!