Heading out of IN

We're driving north to Chicago this morning to perform Beyond the Chariots (www.RichDrama.com/BeyondtheChariots) for the church that translated it for performances during the Beijing Olympics, where we had audience members that benefitted from it!

We're investing now in performances of the play during the Vancouver Winter Olympics later this month, and we'd love for you to partner with us: www.RichDrama.com/Olympics.

Deadline today

Today is the deadline for the Christians in Theatre Arts Sketch Writing Competition: Write a sketch for the world!

Pray for cultural influencers

I receive daily prayer updates for the top 365 cultural influencers on the corporate and artistic sides of media. It's put out by MasterMedia (www.MasterMediaIntl.org), and their president, Larry Poland will be one of our master class instructors at MasterWorks (www.MasterWorksFestival.org) this summer.
Today's entries made me want to share this resource here...
-----Original Message-----
From: Dr.Larry Poland
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 3:46 AM
To: Mr and Mrs Rich Swingle
Subject: Daily MLPC: February 05, 2010
Got A Minute?

February 5, 2010

Thank you for taking time to pray for today's people on the Media Leader Prayer Calendar.
Media Leader: Michael Bostick
(Corporate) CEO Walden Media & Bristol Bay, Chronicles of Narnia, Amazing Grace
Cultural Influencer: Sandra Bullock

If you would like to get more information about today's media leader
or cultural influencer, so that you can pray more effectively, you may want to visit:
www.Google.com - do a name search for articles, news, and photos.
www.imdb.com - for biographical information, photos and credits.

Do you know someone who would be interested in joining us in praying for media? Feel free to forward this email to them and encourage them to log into the Mastermedia website at www.mastermediaintl.org and sign up to receive the Media Leader Prayer Calendar daily reminders.

Pain free!

Our first enacted prayer at last night's workshop (www.RichDrama.com/ZionWorkshop) was for a woman with pain in her hip. A woman played the woman with pain, and a teenager played the pain. In the enactment God removed the pain and brought the woman into a dance with the Trinity. The woman was moved by the prayer, and I asked her if the pain was gone. She said she had to walk in order to determine that, so she got up and started walking, and then touching her toes. She felt no pain!

What a great way to start the night!!!

Pray for tonight's workshop as we create a sketch through sociodrama: www.RichDrama.com/Workshops.

The View from the Boathouse

I'm in Winona Lake to teach some acting workshops and for he department head meetings on Saturday. Pray for us as we plan MasterWorks 2010!

Article on A Christmas Snow

Here's a great article on A Christmas Snow, in which I've been cast as Claud: Filmmaker Tracy Trost Set to Begin Filming 'A Christmas Snow' - Christian Newswire

The Soy Mulkey Moka

I performed at Metolius Friends Church on Sunday. It's pastored by Ron Mulkey. He and his wife, Deb, ran our youth group back in the day.

They're posing in a café which named a drink of his invention after him. He describes that drink in the folowing article, which he recently published in their church newsletter...

Several weeks ago, I came to the office to check on my e-mails. My office computer was running particularly slow, and a box came up on the screen asking if I wanted to report the operations error to Microsoft. I was frustrated so, I sent the report. Immediately the computer screen went dead, no matter what I did the computer screen was a complete blank.

I knew I was in trouble, all my files/documents from the past 12 years of ministry were entombed on the computer's hard drive. Desperate, at this point, I contacted a friend to try and get my computer working. The problem persisted until my computer tower refused to even power up. Finally, I took the computer tower to the local computer repair shop and they reported back to me that my hard drive was blank, no documents, and no files, empty.

What happened, how could this be? The clerk said that most likely a forwarded e-mail message, that I had opened, had an embedded virus that, without my knowledge, slowly ate away, consuming, destroying my operating system, so that after a period of time my computer crashed. 

God how can you allow this to happen? Why didn't you protect my computer? After a time of whining and stomping my feet and yelling, "Rats!" and "Corn Flakes!", I returned to reality and asked the Lord is there something here you are trying to teach me?

This is what I've been pondering over for several weeks. How many times do we read or listen to a message filled with fear ("The sky is falling" or "Big brother is out to rob me" or "Terrorist are going to destroy my favorite coffee shop and I'll never be able to have another nectar of the gods, of course a soy mocha, hold the whip cream please and hot, it's cold outside.") Messages that seem reasonable, yet imbedded in the message is a spirit of fear, a spirit of doubt, a spirit of lust, a spirit of selfishness, a spirit of anger, or a spirit of ____________ ( you fill in the blank)

I'm oblivious to the false spirit, I continue to function in my walk with God as in the past, but something's beginning to bog down my life, I'm beginning to struggle in areas I've not struggled in for a while and I'm wondering what's happening. Gradually and steadily, that embedded spirit in my heart eats away at the truths of God's promises and, if unchecked, my soul and spirit crash. 

I wonder why, how? And then God reveals that I've welcomed into my life ideas, thoughts, images that have a deeply embedded virus that destroys my relationship with Him. What I need is a cleansing of my heart (the hard drive of my spiritual life). I need to pray the prayer of David, "Search me oh God and know my heart…Test me and know my anxious thoughts…See if there by any offensive way in me…Lead me in the way everlasting." Claim this promise "…He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Finally, reprogram your life through truth in Christ, "I am the way the truth and the life…" "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; mediate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it…"

What's the point of this article? Please be cautious of the things that you choose to dwell upon. Check out the source, is it from God or is it from man? And then choose to dwell upon that which strengthens our hearts, encourages our walk with Christ, and causes us to be transforming agents of God's Kingdom to a broken world.

So we come to Philippians 4. Life, peace, joy, truth come from one source; "in Christ," "in the Lord," "the God of peace." A crashed life comes from filling one's mind with thoughts that are embedded with lies, fear, selfishness, lust, pride or anger...

What thoughts are you allowing to enter your mind? Ask God to enable you to focus on truth through your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Secondly, be cautious of what you choose to dwell upon that is not directly from the Lord, it may be embedded with a virus that will wipe out the hard drive of your soul. Finally, remember this promise "…I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." May the God of peace be with you, always.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice! Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near. Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace which transcends all understanding shall guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things . Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you. 

Philippians 4:4-9 (Amplified)

Heading north (and south)

It's been wonderful to spend some time on my family's farm.

Last night I had three childhood friends at my performance. Steve and I would speak in Russian accents and enact pro wrestling moves at our desks. On band trips Rodney and I would try to impress girls speaking in an accent of our own invention (Yankovician, inspired by Weird Al).

Rodney is now going to have a foreign accent in Haiti. He and his family (Michele, was Rod speaking Yancovician when you met?) have been raising support to be missionaries there. The earthquake has increased the urgency of preparation.

If you've been wanting to help Haiti in a significant way, pray about helping the Geislers get there. For more information click here.

Performing tonight in my home town

Phoenix, Oregon. Scroll down the blog to see how this was set up.

I've been cast as Claud

I've been cast as Claud in the upcoming film, A Christmas Snow. I hope you'll become a Facebook fan of the film and help build momentum for the film's release at the end of the year: Facebook.com/AChristmasSnow.

Performing in Southern Oregon

I forget how excited I get to land at the Medford Airport. It's really one of the most beautiful landings in the world, but the most exciting thing is visiting family and all the fond memories of growing up around here.

At the airport I ran into one of my high school teachers, and then at dinner I ran into the parents of a friend in New York! They've moved here.

I'll be performing twice this week in Phoenix and Talent: RichDrama.com/Itinerary.

The Wednesday night performance was established because of another Divine Appointment: The pastor of the host church just happened to be lunching with the lead elder of the Beijing International Christian Fellowship in Angelo's Pizzeria at the same time I was having lunch there for the first time in years. I often had lunches there when I was in high school. He had hosted my performance at his church during the 2008 Olympics! The local pastor and I thought we should definitely follow that kind of a lead. You can read more about that encounter here: What Are the Chances?

If I told you about these performances in the past, be sure to notice that the performance time on Sunday, 1/24, has been changed to 7pm to accommodate a missionary from Austria. And the address of the first venue has changed. Well, the church hasn't moved, I just sent people to the pastors house earlier!

Here are the (real) details:

January 24, 7pm
Big Fish Little Worm (http://RichDrama.com/BigFishLittleWorm)
Talent Bible Chapel
303 E Main Street
Talent, Oregon

January 27, 7pm
Big Fish Little Worm (http://RichDrama.com/BigFishLittleWorm)
Central Neighborhood Church
4777 S. Pacific Highway
Phoenix, OR

At both performances I'll be talking about upcoming dramatic adventures in Vancouver during the Olympics (RichDrama.com/Olympics) and Cape Town, South Africa, during the Lausanne Congress (CapeTown2010.com).

Oregon

I just landed in my beautiful home state for performances and to teach a one-credit class at George Fox Seminary: www.RichDrama/Itinerary.

Compassion in Haiti

I represent Compassion when I perform, and they just sent me the following update on their work in Haiti in the wake of the earthquake...

Begin forwarded message:

Here's the latest info for you from Compassion's Crisis Management Team, who are doing a GREAT job keeping us connected to what's going on. Keep praying for clarity, wisdom and discernment as God uses them and our field staff to make critical decisions during this time.

So far, here is what's going on:

From the Field

• Still only limited communication from the field.
• Dan Woolley: Still in a hospital in Miami being treated for "non life threatening injuries." We expect Dan and Christy to be home this week.
• David Hames: David is still missing. Compassion continues to communicate with the teams working at the hotel and with officials and hospitals in Haiti and DR.
  

Compassion Haiti Staff

• ALL CI Haiti staff members in the PaP area are alive and accounted for! Praises!
• Staff is working out of the Compassion office parking lot
• They are awaiting EMI to assess building damage
  

Compassion ICPs

• As many as 50 projects may have been seriously impacted
• Estimated 15,000+ Compassion children directly impacted by quake
• Contact made with 22 projects
• No specific information on individual children
• More projects were visited yesterday and we should have info soon
  

The Disaster Response Team will take the lead on compiling information coming in from the field on needs and on specific projects or children, communicating that to sponsors and donors and getting those needs met.

Price Points

$25 – helps provide clean water to a family for a week
$50 – helps feed a family with food such as rice, beans, canned meat and oil for a week
$100 – helps provide basic medical supplies for a church partner to treat up to 50 patients
$500 – helps provide critical life items like temporary shelter, blankets and clothing for 10 families
$1500 - helps to rebuild a home

You can sponsor a child or give through Compassion at http://RichDrama.com/Compassion.

Farewell, Smoky Mountains

This terrain was covered with snow when we landed on Monday, but there was smoke on the mountains (Psalm 104:32) as we met with the Lord and saught his vision for Lausanne (www.CapeTown2010.com).

Our host for dinner shared how he and his wife have long had a heart for Haiti. They discovered 40 groups with a similar heart in the Knoxville area, and they had, long ago, prepared a team to visit Haiti. They left for the airport earlier than we did this morning with plans adjusted from what they were months ago. They're connected to a couple dozen churches there, and they reported that a care facility run by one of those churches is overrun with over 1500 people fleeing Port-au-Prince in fear of more aftershocks.

In the evening I performed part of Big Fish Little Worm (www.RichDrama.com/BigFishLittleWorm) and Hyatt Moore shared his amazing art, his story and his heart. He's best known for The Last Supper for Twelve Tribes (www.HyattMoore.com). He went from art director for a surf magazine to short term missionary to head of Wycliffe Bible Translators. Then one day he was stopped at a light and saw a painting. He thought to himself, "I can do that." Now it's his full-time profession.

Thank you to all that were praying for us as we met. Much was accomplished on many levels.

Enacted prayer for Haiti

We had a great planning session today in the Smoky Mountains for Lausanne in Cape Town this October. Thank you to those who were lifting us up.

In the arts group we focused on the breakout sessions that are going to be taking place in the afternoons in Cape Town. There are three areas, which will hold from 500 to 1500 each. There will be 21 different breakout sessions people will be able to choose throughout the week. They are all asked to incorporate the arts in some way. We're all feeling a bit overwhelmed.

At dinner we were devastated by news of the earthquake in Haiti. After performing an excerpt from Beyond the Chariots and explaining bibliodrama I led an enacted prayer for the effected Haitians. A woman from South Africa played an injured Haitian, and a man from Egypt played a Christian rescue worker. At a certain point he requested help from the audience, and a gentleman from LA stepped in to help. In the end, the Haitian was brought back to health and God enveloped her and the rescue workers in a hug.

Lift us up for Wednesday's session as we'll discuss incorporating arts in the daytime plenary sessions.

Over dinner, I sat with a gentleman who was a part of the first Congress (this will be the third). He said before it took place in 1974 Evangelicals weren't involved in social action, and there was little unity among Christian organizations. He's seen that change directly happen through Lausanne as it forced leaders of denominations and organizations to work together to achieve unity for the Congress. It's exciting to see that happen now, in preparation for Cape Town.

Several of us (including myself) are struggling with sore throats. The point person for the Opening and Closing sessions (which are going to be amazing), has laryngitis. The fellow running the evening plenary sessions (which are going to be amazing in a different way as they will express stories and issues from various world areas) is getting over shingles. We're a part of such significant work, we're not surprised to have opposition. We appreciate you holding up our arms from afar.

Planning in balmy Knoxville, TN

I'm meeting with people from around the world in Knoxville to plan the Lausanne Congress in South Africa over the next two days. Pray for us to catch the Lord's vision for evangelizing the world. I've been blown away by the vision and passion of the team, which includes Paul Eshleman, head of Campus Crusade for Christ and the Jesus Film outreach, which has tripled the size of our denomination (Church of the Nazarene) in about a dozen years. During a time of open prayer, I was just about to pray that the upcoming Congress be the next Pentecost, since 4,500 delegates are gathering from 200 nations, when a gentleman prayed that The Holy Spirit would send tongues of fire to ignite us. Lift us up as we seek the Lord's vision.

Racing through the Charlotte Airport

We raced to our gate in Charlotte only to wait.

We're heading to Knoxville where we'll be planning the Lausanne Congress for Cape Town in October: http://CapeTown2010.com.

Zion Workshop

I'm excited about an upcoming workshop I'll be offering near Winona Lake, Indiana, home of the MasterWorks Festival, where I direct the theatre program. I'll be doing sessions on enacted prayer, The Physical Actor, and through Sociodrama we'll create a sketch which may be used at the Lausanne Congress for World Evangelization in Cape Town, South Africa.

You can click the form below to download a pdf of the flyer/registration form with dates, times and more information.


You can also send people to RichDrama.com/ZionWorkshop.

Happy Epiphany!

Hope your celebration of the Three Kings is going well.

If you missed our Christmas eCard here it is...

Thank you so much for your prayers for us throughout the year! Despite the economy this year has been rich and full.

Joyce finished her second masters, this one in counseling. We were thrilled to discover that she placed second on one of her national exams!

She was the lead counselor again for the MasterWorks Festival, where Rich directs the theatre program.

If you missed Rich's report from last year's festival be sure to check it out: The Amazing Month of MasterWorks.

Joyce is now developing a counseling clientele, so if you know of anyone in the New York City area who could use counseling, send them to JoyceSwingle.com.

Rich performed, directed or taught almost 200 times in a dozen states, but the highlight was our trip Down Under. Rich was invited to perform The Revelation for the 20th anniversary celebration of The Salvation Army's Sydney Staff Songsters, a group that has performed all over the world. The Australian magazine, Creative Ministry reported the event on page 9 of their October issue.

And here's an excerpt from the performance, filmed by audience member Gay Wilson...


Venues were added to the itinerary in Newcastle, Melbourne and Auckland, New Zealand. Our blog postings are in the August and September archives.

Rich has been invited to perform Beyond the Chariots in Vancouver during the Winter Olympics through More than Gold. During the 2008 Olympics Rich got to perform in Beijing alongside world-record-breaking Olympic champion Madeline Manning Mims, who coined the phrase "More than Gold." All performing artists, including professionals like Rich, are asked to raise their own support for this endeavor which will reach people coming from all over the world. Beyond the Chariots has been translated into Spanish, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, and Korean, so this play about a man who set aside Olympic glory to serve the Chinese people will be well placed. If you would like to give toward this opportunity visit RichDrama.com/Olympics.

Rich was also asked to be on the board of Christians in Theatre Arts and the planning committee for Media and the Arts of The Third Lausanne Congress for World Evangelization, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in October 2010. He was able to connect their visions around CITA's annual sketch writing competition, so that scripts submitted to CITA will be considered for performance at Lausanne. Click here for more info.

We wish you and yours a blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year, and we appreciate your prayers for us in 2010.

George Herbert at the Kennedy Center

A friend of ours is going to have some George Herbert poems performed at her wedding. I mentioned to her that I had performed some of his poems at the Kennedy Center, and she asked to know which ones. I'm posting them here:

FIVE POEMS OF GEORGE HERBERT (1593-1633)

1. REDEMPTION

Having been tenant long to a rich Lord,
Not thriving, I resolved to be bold,
And make a suit unto him, to afford
A new small-rented leave, and cancel the old.

In heaven at his manor I him sought:
They told me there, that he was lately gone
About some land, which he had dearly bought
Long since on earth, to take possession.

I straight returned, and knowing his great birth,
Sought him accordingly in great resorts;
In cities, theatres, gardens, parks, and courts:
At length I heard a ragged noise and mirth
Of thieves and murderers: there I him espied,
Who straight, "Your suit is granted," said, and died.


2. LOVE

Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I Lacked anything.

"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here."
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I the unkind, the ungrateful? Ah my dear,
I cannot look on Thee."
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"

"Truth, Lord, but I have marred them. Let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.


3. THE PULLEY

When God at first made man,
Having a glass of blessings standing by;
Let us (said he) pour on him all we can:
Let the world's riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.

So strength first made a way;
Then beauty flowed, then wisdom, honor, pleasure:
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all his treasure
Rest in the bottom lay.

For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewel also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts in stead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature:
So both should losers be.

Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlessness:
Let him be rich and weary, that at least,
If goodness lead him not, yet weariness
May toss him to my breast.



4. MATTENS

I cannot ope mine eyes,
But thou art ready there to catch
My morning-soul and sacrifice:
Then we must needs for that day make a match.

My God, what is a heart?
Silver, or gold, or precious stone,
Or star, or rainbow, or a part
Of all these things, or all of them in one?

My God, what is a heart?
That thou shouldst it so eye, and woe,
Pouring upon it all thy art,
As if that thou hadst nothing else to do?

Indeed man's whole estate
Amounts (and richly) to serve thee:
He did not heaven and earth create,
Yet studies them, not him by whom they be.

Teach me thy love to know;
That this new light, which now I see,
May both the work and workman show:
Then by a sun-beam I will climb to thee.



5. PEACE

"Sweet peace, where dost thou dwell? I humbly crave,
Let me know once."
I sought thee in a secret cave,
And asked if Peace were there.
A hollow wind did seem to answer, "No,
Go seek elsewhere."

I did, and going did a rainbow note:
"Surely," thought I,
"This is the lace of Peace's coat.
I will search out the matter."
But while I looked, the clouds immediately
Did break and scatter.

Then went I to a garden, and did spy
A gallant flower,
The Crown Imperial. "Sure," said I,
"Peace at the root must dwell."
But when I digged, I saw a worm devour
What showed so well.

At length I met a rev'rend good old man,
Whom when for Peace
I did demand, he thus began:
"There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt, who lived with good increase
Of flock and fold.

"He sweetly lived: yet sweetness did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat:
Which many wond'ring at, got some of those
To plant and set.

"It prospered strangely, and did soon disperse
Through all the earth:
For they that taste it do rehearse,
That virtue lies therein,
A secret virtue bringing peace and mirth
By flight of sin.

"Take of this grain, which in my garden grows,
And grows for you;
Make bread of it: and that repose
And peace, where everywhere
With so much earnestness you do pursue,
Is only there.

Write a sketch for the world!

I'm on the Media and Arts planning committee for the Lausanne Congress for Worldwide Evangelization, which will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, this October. I'm also on the board of Christians in Theatre Arts, and they've agreed to use our Sketch Writing Competition as a way for us to consider material to be incorporated into the Congress. So some may be performed in Cape Town for 4,500 delegates from 200 nations: CITA.org. The deadline is February 5, so get writing!

Midnight Clear

We just watched Midnight Clear, which was cast by MasterWorks faculty member Bev Holloway. What a phenomenal way to start the New Year! It's quite well done!

If you have a Netflix account you can watch it instantly.

Happy New Year!

If you missed our Christmas eCard, visit RichDrama.com/MerryChristmas.

My Treo has the ability to stitch together up to three photos. In this case, it took three different light readings, for an interesting effect, I think.

The pole on the tower behind us is where the ball dropped last night.

Happily Single Before Happily Married

Our friend we worked with in Singapore on the musical Judah Ben Hur, Diane Wigstone, just came out with a new book...

Winging our way home from Denver

We had a WONDERFUL Christmastime!

Vancouver 2010

I've been invited to perform Beyond the Chariots in Vancouver during the Winter Olympics through More than Gold. During the 2008 Olympics I got to perform in Beijing alongside world-record-breaking Olympic champion Madeline Manning Mims, who coined the phrase "More than Gold," so this for me is a really cool connection.

Beyond the Chariots tells the rest of the Chariots of Fire story: How, after breaking the world record in the 1924 Olympics, Eric Liddell spent the rest of his life as a missionary in China.

All performing artists, including professionals, are asked to raise our own support for this endeavor which will reach people coming from all over the world. Beyond the Chariots has been translated into Spanish, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, and Korean, so this play about a man who set aside Olympic glory to serve the Chinese people will be well placed.

If you would like to give toward this opportunity visit RichDrama.com/Donate. If you'd like to receive a tax credit, you may give through our church: Send a check payable to Westchester Chapel Community Church of the Nazarene, PO Box 265, White Plains, NY 10606. In the memo line write, "Olympics." We would also gratefully receive frequent flier miles. If you would like to donate in that way click here and send an email with your contact information.

We expect our total costs to be about $1500. You may want to cover an airline ticket at $400, a night in the Artists' Village at $100, our registration fee of $50, or any number of transit shuttle passes which we'll need each day at $5.

Once our expenses for the trip are met we'll put any excess toward the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

Thanks so much for helping us reach the world in Vancouver, BC!

The following is an excerpt from the Off-Broadway production.

Merry Christmas!

Thank you so much for your prayers for us throughout the year! Despite the economy this year has been rich and full.

Joyce finished her second masters, this one in counseling. We were thrilled to discover that she placed second on one of her national exams!

She was the lead counselor again for the MasterWorks Festival, where Rich directs the theatre program.

If you missed Rich's report from last year's festival be sure to check it out: The Amazing Month of MasterWorks.

Joyce is now developing a counseling clientele, so if you know of anyone in the New York City area who could use counseling, send them to JoyceSwingle.com.

Rich performed, directed or taught almost 200 times in a dozen states, but the highlight was our trip Down Under. Rich was invited to perform The Revelation for the 20th anniversary celebration of The Salvation Army's Sydney Staff Songsters, a group that has performed all over the world. The Australian magazine, Creative Ministry reported the event on page 9 of their October issue.

And here's an excerpt from the performance, filmed by audience member Gay Wilson...


Venues were added to the itinerary in Newcastle, Melbourne and Auckland, New Zealand. Our blog postings are in the August and September archives.

Rich has been invited to perform Beyond the Chariots in Vancouver during the Winter Olympics through More than Gold. During the 2008 Olympics Rich got to perform in Beijing alongside world-record-breaking Olympic champion Madeline Manning Mims, who coined the phrase "More than Gold." All performing artists, including professionals like Rich, are asked to raise their own support for this endeavor which will reach people coming from all over the world. Beyond the Chariots has been translated into Spanish, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, and Korean, so this play about a man who set aside Olympic glory to serve the Chinese people will be well placed. If you would like to give toward this opportunity visit RichDrama.com/Olympics.

Rich was also asked to be on the board of Christians in Theatre Arts and the planning committee for Media and the Arts of The Third Lausanne Congress for World Evangelization, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in October 2010. He was able to connect their visions around CITA's annual sketch writing competition, so that scripts submitted to CITA will be considered for performance at Lausanne. Click here for more info.

We wish you and yours a blessed Christmas and a joyous New Year, and we appreciate your prayers for us in 2010.

We woke up to a white Christmas

Interviewing a Hero

Joyce and I drove from Denver, where we're celebrating our Lord's birth with her family, to Nebraska to interview Tad Nagaki, one of seven paratroopers who liberated the internment camp where Eric Liddell died. Tad will be 90 years old next month and is still farming!

We connected with him through Mary Previte, the great-granddaughter of Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission. She was a member of the New Jersey State Congress and was asked to speak at a Memorial Day service for the China-Berma Veterans Association. She had been a 12-year old girl in the internment camp, when the seven paratroopers dropped into a field nearby. That was Tad's second jump. The first was in active duty over Burma. They didn't know how many Japanese guards there would be facing them, but after 1,500 internees rushed the gate, the guards lowered their weapons and went back to their barracks.

After telling that story to the veterans Mary asked, "Are any of my heroes here today?" The room went silent. That began a search which connected her to all six American jumpers or their widows. The one Chinese jumper, Eddie Wong, is believed to be in China, if still alive. Tad was the first living member of the team that Mary contacted.

We connected with Mary through her brother, the late Rev. Jim Hudson Taylor, III. He saw my play, Beyond the Chariots in Hong Kong in 2006, which was set up through fellow George Fox grad Brian Van Tassell. Rev. Taylor was also in the internment camp, and the first thing he said after I finished my play was, "It was softball. We didn't have enough room to play baseball." I changed the script.

Here are some articles we found in preparing for the interview:

Soldier Becomes 'Armored Angel' Freeing Prisoners
Tad Nagaki

Find dozens of more articles by visiting Weihsien-Paintings.org and searching for "Tad Nagaki".

The Patriot Inn

After our amazing interview with World War II veteran Tad Nagaki we stayed, appropriately enough, at The Patriot Inn: www.BBC.Net/~patriotinn.

Christmas Diorama, the Beginning

This Christmas Diorama has been telling the Story of God's love for the world for 54 years.

Christmas diorama, the Manger

Carhenge

En route to a hero

We're driving through Nebraska to interview Tad Nagaki, the last surviving member of the seven-man paratrooper team that liberated 1,500 Allied civilians from untold Japanese guards after their emperor surrendered, ending World War II. The internment camp they liberated had held Eric Liddell, featured in my play Beyond the Chariots, until he died six months earlier.

If you look closely at the photo you'll see three crosses atop the bluff.

Remember what the Lord has done

My friend, who is a scientist, gave me permission to share this here...

Remember what the Lord has done!
Merry Christmas!

love, JoAnn

[image is of a section of the part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is involved in memory.]

25 Days of Free Christmas Music

Amazon is offering 25 Days of Free Christmas music, and many songs are by Christian artists like Casting Crowns and Jars of Clay.

NYC MWF reunion @ MMI

I had someone snap this photo at a MasterMedia International event. Another MWF (www.MasterWorksFestival.org) faculty member, George Merritt, had already left.

1200 degrees

Here's a photo I hadn't posted from our trip to New Zealand, where I taught and performed in Auckland.

We stopped at a glass blowing factory. The hottest kiln heats the lava to 1200 degrees C or 2192 degrees F.

Launching forth

We're off for Denver, where we'll celebrate Christmas with Joyce's family.

biggest box office draw

From my friend, Lauren Yarger, who reviews Broadway plays from a Christian perspective (http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com):

Subject: picking your brains Hi! I am researching a project and am gathering opinions about which Christian vocal artist people would most like to see star in a regular Hollywood film (singing is required of the actor). Could you send me your ideas of who might be the biggest box office draw? If possible, could you ask your readers to let us know what they think? There's a poll on our blog at http://www.facebook.com/l/5c61f;christianperformers.blogspot.com/ or they can email us at masterworkproductions@yahoo.com.
Thanks for your help.
Lauren

Tennessee Williams

Just heard celebs tell memories of Tennessee Williams. My favorite was when he went to the debut of one of his films. The woman asked him where he was from (wanting to know what studio), and he said, "Mississippi." She called him a wise guy and turned him away until she heard Eli Wallach (who was telling the story) say, "Tenn, tell her who you are." She gasped, and said, "Are you Tennessee Williams!?" When he nodded she said, "Why didn't you tell me who you were?" "You didn't ask me that," he replied, "You asked where I was from."

Find Me

This is the first film by Tracy Trost, who will be directing A Christmas Snow early in 2010.

A Christmas Snow

I just auditioned for an upcoming film, A Christmas Snow, with two other MasterWorks faculty members: Mac Nelson and Patricia Mauceri.

Here are links to our auditions, which you can view when signed in to Facebook:

Patricia Mauceri as Kathleen's Mother
Mac Nelson as Sam
Rich Swingle as Martin
Rich Swingle as Claud
Rich Swingle as Andrew

If you're on Facebook, we'd love it if you'd vote "Like" for our auditions and post positive comments there to raise the director's interest.


If you watch the video here, after it's done, click here to vote "Like" and leave a comment.

Thanks!

ESB Thanksgiving Lights

The East River

We pray over the other burroughs and Long Island, and over all the ground the East River touches.

We've reached the end of our prayer walk. Thanks for joining us.

If you're starting this at the top of the blog, you can pray it in reverse.

Now we're heading back to dress the turkey. While it cooks we'll pray for the rest of the world.

Here's a quick way to pray for the whole world in a bit over five minutes: http://RichDrama.com/WorldPrayer.

The United Nations

We pray the representatives here would make wise choices for peace and justice around the world.

I got to perform in the UN when I was in the cast of The Jeweler's Shop, written by Pope John Paul, II, so I'm reminded to lift up the current pope. Lord, flow through his recent decision to honor artists.

News Media

We pray earnestly for all the media personnel, and that they would report with integrity and fairness.

The Lamb's Church

While the building is under construction, The Lamb's Church meets further south.

This is where I lived the first four years that I was in New York. Am I ever grateful for this place! May the Church of the Nazarene continue to help bodies and souls around the globe! I think we're in about 135 nations right now.

The post-parade push

As the Christmas Season begins, Lord, help us keep the right spirit.

Times Square

We're grateful to live so close to the cross roads of the world, where the echo of 60,000 voices of Prayer on the Square are so vivid in our memories. May many more prayers go up from this intersection!

And as people disperse from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade may they keep looking up!

The Helen Hayes Theatre

We're quite grateful for The Helen Hayes, the smallest Broadway theatre, where I've kept an office (a former dressing room) since the late '90's.

We pray for all performing artists on Broadway and around the world, that they will come into a fuller appreciation of their gifts and the Giver of all good gifts.

The Salvation Army

This is the theatre where we had an Off-Broadway run of Beyond the Chariots (http://RichDrama.com/BeyondtheChariots) in 2006

We're grateful for all the Salvation Army has done for bodies and souls all over the world.

Parks

We thank the Lord for all the many parks in Manhattan. We pray that Manhattanites, who mostly see works of man all day long will be reminded of the Creator.

Bridges and tunnels

We're grateful for all the many forms of transportation that keep the millions moving.

We pray for safety and efficiency!

Former labyrinth

I saw on an old Google image that this dancing water fountain (closed for the winter) used to be a prayer labyrinth.

We're grateful for the Christian heritage of this city that is now having a huge growth spurt of church plants. May they continue to multiply and flourish!

Tourists

We're grateful for all the tourists that come to New York from around the world. We pray they will encounter God's great Love here and bring it back to their home countries.

The Hudson

We're grateful for the Hudson River and all those that risk their lives to defend us. We're even grateful for New Jersey. :)

We pray for safety for bodies and souls all across the US.

The Chinese Consulate

This is where we got visas for our trips to China We're grateful that it's steps away from our apt., and Hopeful for all Good Things to flow into that land.

Prayer walk

Joyce and I are starting a prayer walk of gratitude through midtown Manhattan, starting at our own apartment with a view of the Empire State Building.

If you don't know the miraculous story of how we got here, check it out: http://RichDrama.com/MP.

To follow our prayer walk on your Facebook wall sign up here: http://Facebook.com/RichDrama.

Charles Walker

I was grieved to read of the death of Charles Walker. He saw a performance of Beyond the Chariots at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, after which he told us how he found Eric Liddell's grave in Weifang, China, which started the ball rolling on the establishment of a massive monument there in Liddell's honor. That conversation led us to interview him in our documentary, Olympic Hero in China: The Story of Eric Liddell.

Here's Walker's obituary in The Scotsman: A Liddell claim to fame.

The impact of Eric Liddell

I just came across the obituary of a man who entered ministry after an encounter with Eric Liddell: Alexander Holmes. Who knows how many lives have been touched by Liddell's life.

Bring in your gold

When I told my friend Leo I'd be coming to Memphis he set up workshops and performances at the University of Memphis and Second Presbyterian Church. He said, "The preaching is going to cover Revelation 21. Do you happen to have anything that would match the theme?" That night I got to share a section from my play, The Revelation (http://RichDrama.com/Revelation), which draws from that very passage of scripture!