‘Last Supper’ to be performed at three Greene County churches
There will be some very special guests preparing to celebrate Easter at three Greene County churches.
The performances begin with a prayer and an empty stage. But when the prayer concludes and eyes are opened, the audience will find itself in that breathtaking moment captured by Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, “The Last Supper.”
“You can hear the gasps,” the Rev. Bruce Judy said.
Now pastor at First United Methodist of Irwin, Judy brought this perennial favorite Easter play to Greene County in 1995 at the beginning of his ministry in Rogersville.
And this play certainly has legs. It has been performed outside of Rogersville nearly every year since 2005, after Judy took a position in Carmichaels, with actors from a number of local churches coming together with the Rogersville congregation to rehearse and perform. Over the years, Judy’s “Twelve Ordinary Men” has been enjoyed in churches, nursing homes, community centers and even on cable television.
The discussion that follows after Jesus informs his disciples that one among them will betray him offers a penetrating glimpse into the hearts of those who had chosen, or were chosen to follow the man who would someday be called the Son of God.
Those “twelve ordinary men” along with Jesus and a narrator – this year retired pastor Nelson Boone – are ministers and lay brothers who take the time to learn their lines to create moments of introspection for others to take to heart, Judy added.
“Men you didn’t think would do it had the penchant for it,” Judy said. “They found they had an actor inside and it lead to some wonderful friendships.”
After 16 years of this happily “off-Broadway” run, acting has become generational. Judy may have left the stage, but his son, Jake, pastor of the Mt. Morris United Methodist Church, will be playing the doubter Thomas and daughter Hannah’s husband, Todd Loughman of Nineveh, fills the role of Jesus this year.
Rodney Grimes, soon to retire from his job as a train engineer at Cumberland Mine, has been part of the show from the beginning, first as Andrew, then Nathanael. But for the last few years, he has settled into the part of James the Lesser.
Each character has his moments of wondering, “Am I the one?” and the audience gets to share the human drama of each personality, from simple fisherman, to educated doubter to savvy tax collector turned believer. But playing the one who does betray Christ might not be everyone’s first choice.
Adam Stokes, who ministers at the Wind Ridge Christian Church, remembers being recruited to play Judas for this year’s part by longtime play organizer Tim Parson.
“Tim kept telling me, ‘It’s a very small part, not too many lines to memorize, but a really an important one. I know you can do it,’ before he told me who it was,” Stokes said.
Judas was a man of his time, impatient for the Messiah to come and willing to push the issue to make it happen, Stokes notes.
“He didn’t see the big picture,” he said.
This year’s three free performances will be at Grace Baptist in Lippencott tonight, First Methodist Church in Bobtown on Sunday and next Saturday at the First Methodist Church in Waynesburg. Singer Tim Logan will provide the music. Each show starts at 7 p.m. and will include refreshments afterward.