Love Does Not Boast

Pastor Joyce Swingle preaches on James 4:13-17. Communion by Pastor Linda Warren.



Rich Swingle closed the service telling about the documentary Captivated, which was screened at the MasterWorks Festival this year.




This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Former prisoner in N. Korea shares story Wednesday night

Arts and media ministry leaders of New York City and friends,

I have a last-minute invitation for you to join MasterWorks and Mastermedia this Wednesday night.

Though I've lived in Manhattan since 1993, one month each year I direct the theatre program for The MasterWorks Festival (http://RichDrama.com/MasterWorks) in Winona Lake, Indiana, where Billy Graham kept an office and Billy Sunday lived and held revivals. We're taking our students, who come from ten different states and Melbourne, Australia, to New York to perform for agents and casting directors (details follow), and I wanted our students to meet people from as many different arts groups as possible. So I've invited Euna Lee to tell the story of her arrest in North Korea on March 17th, 2009. She and her colleague Laura Ling were filming a documentary along the China / North Korea border.  They were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in one of North Korea's prison camps, but former President Bill Clinton went to North Korea to arrange for their release.

After that I'd like to invite each of you who run ministries to share a bit about your work with our students. In turn, we'd like to offer an enacted prayer for you and your organization. Enacted prayer was developed about seven years ago, and it was the idea of a student at a small Christian college. I've facilitated enacted prayer in many of the 23 nations in which I've performed, and it's always moved people in profound ways. We offered them here at The MasterWorks Festival a couple of weeks ago, and--as they do every year--people stayed until campus security shut us down almost three hours later. Don't worry! We won't keep you until midnight! 

I do believe something profound will happen as various arts and media groups come together to inspire the next generation over a dramatic story and this dramatic form of prayer.

You can find out more about enacted prayer at http://RichDrama.com/Workshops .

Euna will be sharing her story with us on July 11th at 7:30 PM.

Location:  Theater 315, 315 West 47th Street, NYC

I'm sure I'm missing some NYC arts groups, so feel free to forward this to leaders and invite your members.

Information on our performances follows. Though the showcases on Thursday are geared toward agents and casting directors we'd love to have as many people as possible in all of our performances.

Hope to see you very soon!

Rich

Invitation: 

MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program formally invites you and your office friends to attend our Off-Broadway industry showcase for casting directors, agents and filmmakers. 

Press Release (link):

INDIANA BASED TALENT PROGRAM BRINGS ACTORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE TO PERFORM OFF-BROADWAY AT 'THEATRE 315' IN NEW YORK CITY

RSVP:

Kindly, RSVP so we can reserve your seats as our special guests, thank you. 

"A Midsummer Afternoon's Love"
The Ellington Room of Manhattan Plaza
400 West 43rd St. NY, NY

- Click here to RSVP for Thurs., July 12 @ 4:30pm

- Click here to RSVP for Thurs., July 12 @ 6:00pm

Pope John Paul II's "The Jeweler's Shop"
Theatre 315

315 W. 47th St., NY, NY

- Click here to RSVP for Fri., July 13 @ 7:30pm

- Click here to RSVP for Sat., July 14 @ 7:30pm


************************************************

PRESS RELEASE:

INDIANA BASED TALENT PROGRAM BRINGS ACTORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE TO PERFORM OFF-BROADWAY AT 'THEATRE 315' IN NEW YORK CITY

MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program Presents Pope John Paul II's "The Jeweler's Shop" on July 13 & 14 at 7:30pm and special industry talent showcase of "A Midsummer Afternoon's Love"on July 12. 

NEW YORK (July 12, 2012) – The MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program, an annual summer program in Winona Lake, Indiana -- for elite students of classical music, theatre, dance, and opera instructed by world-class faculty from around the globe -- will hold a special acting showcase of "A Midsummer Afternoon's Love" for agents & casting directors in New York City, July 12th at 4:30 and 6PM at The Ellington Room of Manhattan Plaza located at 400 West 43rd Street; followed by two performances of Pope John Paul II's "The Jeweler's Shop" at Off-Broadway's Theatre 315 located at 315 W. 47th St., July 13th and 14th at 7:30PM. Admission is Free.

"The Jeweler's Shop" portrays three couples facing episodes of joy, pain, love and marriage, while asking the question: "What does it mean to fall in love?" MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program director Rich Swingle (www.RichDrama.com) directs 14 aspiring and professional actors from around the world, ages 17 to 32 including Brandon Langeland, (masters from Regent University), playing the lead role of Adam; Irene Kao, as Teresa, studied at Melbourne's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), where Cate Blanchett and Mel Gibson trained. Elizabeth Lobach, sharing the role of Teresa, is en route to USC School of Theatre after studying filmmaking in Cape Town, S.A. Danny Cornett, playing Stefan, can be seen in upcoming Olympic soccer film "For the Glory" opposite Jason Burkey ("October Baby"). Swingle also directed "The Miracle Worker," "Cyrano de Bergerac," co-directing "Tartuffe" and "Our Town" with renown acting coach John Kirby ("Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe," "Déjà Vu"). An accomplished theater actor who has performed his one-man plays in 23 nations, Swingle is scheduled to perform in Puerto Rico, Transylvania & London during the Olympics this summer. He also appeared in 8 feature films including upcoming French and Indian War movie "Alone Yet Not Alone" & "The Screenwriters."

Patricia Mauceri (www.PatriciaMauceri.com) who directed the industry showcase "A Midsummer Afternoon's Love" directed "The Crucible" at MasterWorks in 2007 and currently teaches On-Camera Acting at TVI Studios. A graduate of The Juilliard School Drama Division in early years (alongside actors Patti LuPone, Kevin Kline & Kelsey Grammer), Mauceri's 40-year career includes performances on Broadway, film & television alongside Christopher Plummer, James Earl Jones, Johnny Depp, Richard Dreyfuss, Gene Hackman, and other luminaries.

MasterWorks Theatre Program students receive Master Class instruction from Broadway actors, filmmakers, casting directors, improv masters and Hollywood producers. Some past and present instructors include Bev Holloway, Ken Wales, Edwina Findley, Carol Doscher, MWF alumna Kaelen Carrier and Phillip Telfer.

For more info, faculty and actor bios/photos, visit www.RichDrama.com/MWFFaculty. MasterWorks is sponsored by Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship, under the direction of Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh. Industry, teens & adults welcome. RSVP to Rich Swingle at Phone@RichDrama.com or Shelly Woods, SDI Entertainment at s.d.i.entertainment.pr@gmail.com.

###

CONTACT: Shelly Woods, S.D.I. Entertainment PR s.d.i.entertainment.pr@gmail.com Director, Rich Swingle, MasterWorks Theatre 646-932-4890, Phone@RichDrama.com

S.D.I. Entertainment Public Relations Los Angeles, CA www.facebook.com/s.d.i.entertainment 

INDIANA BASED TALENT PROGRAM BRINGS ACTORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE TO PERFORM OFF-BROADWAY AT ‘THEATRE 315’ IN NEW YORK CITY

CONTACT

Shelly Woods, S.D.I. Entertainment PR

S.D.I.Entertainment.PR@Gmail.com

Director, Rich Swingle, MasterWorks Theatre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program Presents Pope John Paul II’s “The Jeweler’s Shop” on July 13 and 14 at 7:30pm and special industry talent showcase of “A Midsummer Afternoon’s Love”on July 12.

     NEW YORK (July 12, 2012) – The MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program, based in Winona Lake, Indiana, is an annual summer program -- for elite students of classical music, theatre, dance, and opera instructed by world-class faculty from around the globe -- will hold a special acting showcase of “A Midsummer Afternoon’s Love” for agents and casting directors in New York City on July 12 at 4:30 and 6 p.m. at The Ellington Room of Manhattan Plaza located at 400 West 43rd Street; followed by two performances of Pope John Paul II’s “The Jeweler’s Shop“ at Off-Broadway’s Theatre 315 located at 315 W. 47^th St. on July 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. Industry, teens and adults welcome.

     “The Jeweler’s Shop” portrays three couples facing episodes of joy, pain, love and marriage, while asking the question, “What does it mean to fall in love?” Directed by MasterWorks Festival Theatre Program director Rich Swingle (www.RichDrama.com) features 14 aspiring and professional actors from around the world, ages 17 to 32 including Actor Brandon Langeland, playing the lead role of Adam, who received a masters degree from Regent University. Irene Kao, playing Teresa, studied at Melbourne’s National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), where Cate Blanchett and Mel Gibson trained. Elizabeth Lobach, sharing the role of Teresa, is en route to the USC School of Theatre after having studied filmmaking at Media Village in Cape Town, South Africa. Danny Cornett, playing Stefan, will appear in upcoming Olympic soccer player film “For the Glory” opposite Jason Burkey (“October Baby”).

     Swingle also directed “The Miracle Worker,” “Cyrano de Bergerac” and co-directed “Tartuffe” and “Our Town” with renown acting coach John Kirby (“Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Déjà Vu,” “Scream 4”). Swingle is an accomplished theater actor who has performed his one-man plays in 23 nations and is scheduled to perform in Puerto Rico, Transylvania and London during the Olympics this summer. He also appeared in eight feature films including upcoming French and Indian War movie “Alone Yet Not Alone” and “The Screenwriters.”

     Patricia Mauceri (www.PatriciaMauceri.com), director of 2007’s MasterWorks “The Crucible,” is the director for the industry showcase of “A Midsummer Afternoon’s Love.” Mauceri trained at The Juilliard School in the Drama Division's early years alongside actors Patti LuPone, Kevin Kline and Kelsey Grammer. For about 40 years, she worked as a performer on Broadway, film and television alongside Christopher Plummer, James Earl Jones, Johnny Depp, Richard Dreyfuss, Gene Hackman, and other luminaries.

     Master class instructors for the 2012’s MasterWorks Theatre Program students include actress Carol Doscher (Broadway’s “Sweeney Todd” with Angela Lansbury), filmmaker Phillip Telfer (Captivated), MasterWorks alumna Kaelen Carrier (founder of St. Louis improv troupe “Living Improv” ). Previous master class instructors include casting director Bev Holloway (“Like Dandelion Dust” with Academy Award-winner Mira Sorvino and Barry Pepper), producer Ken Wales (“Amazing Grace,” original “Pink Panther” films, Emmy-winning television series “Christy”), and actress Edwina Findley (HBO’s “Treme” “Brothers and Sisters,” Brett Ratner’s movie-of-the-week “Blue Bloods”).

     For more info, photos and faculty and actor bios, visit www.RichDrama.com/MWFFaculty. MasterWorks is sponsored by Christian Performing Artists’ Fellowship, under the direction of Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh.
     To RSVP, please click here. 

Help send Beyond the Chariots to London for the Olympics

We'll be going to London and Birmingham to perform Beyond the Chariots during the Summer Olympics. Our friend Liz Jennings will be  joining us to advance translation slides as I perform my play about Olympic champion Eric Liddell. Some of Liddell's story is told in the film Chariots of Fire, which will be showing in UK theatres in the run-up to the Games. There is also a stage version of the film that is being produced in the West End. We're hoping many will want to know what came after Olympic gold.

Pastor Linda Warren invited support for the trip.



To give to the trip visit RichDrama.com/Donate, or if you'd like it to be tax deductible mark "Olympics" on your check and deposit it in the offering on Sunday or send it to Westchester Chapel.

This announcement is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

I shared this excerpt from my one-man play The Acts during the Friday night banquet at our denomination's District Assembly. The theme of the weekend was "Mission Possible", based on Acts 1:8.



This monologue is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.



© Copyright 1999 and 2012 by Rich Swingle. All rights reserved. Performance of the monologue is forbidden without express written consent from the playwright. To arrange a performance of The Acts visit RichDrama.com.

The Sandals of Peace

Here's my sermon on Ephesians 6:15. It contains excerpts from my one-man play The Revelation.



Rich mentions his sermon on Peter walking on water, Freedom from Fear of Circumstances.

Go deeper. Dr. Timothy J. Keller's series on The Armor of God includes four sermons on The Sandals of Peace:
The Armor of God
Sandals of Peace--1
Sandals of Peace--2
Sandals of Peace--3
Making Peace

The sermon is followed by prayer over Pastor Rachel Taylor and her three roommates, Rachel, Laura and Sarah, as they celebrate graduation from Nyack College/Alliance Theological Seminary.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Pastor Joyce Swingle preaches on Ephesians 6:14 and Matthew 4:1-11.

Benediction by Pastor Rachel Taylor.

The sermon is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Long-Form Improv

This year the MasterWorks Theatre production of Pope John Paul II's The Jeweler's Shop will be going to New York City for performances in an Off-Broadway theatre: RichDrama.com/MWFTheatre2012.

The opportunity to tour to NYC created such a demand and surge in applicants that we were unable to cast everyone in the touring company.  To accommodate the many excellent actors who applied, we have created an exciting new track for the drama program: Long-Form Improv.  By the end of three weeks students will be equipped to take a suggestion from the audience and create a half-hour one-act play on the spot. Actors will study the works and influence of Viola Spolin, learn how improv is used professionally, and become an expert with short and long improvisation forms. The discipline will be a real boon for actors, helping them to cultivate spontaneity on stage, accelerate the creation of characters, and sensitivity to on-stage relationships. 

The track will be run by Kaelen Carrier, a MasterWorks Theatre alum, who attended the program from 2005 to 2008. She now has an MBA on top of a BA in Theatre Management, and she has worked with Washington University School of Medicine as a professional improv actor, performing the role of a patient to teach medical students how to improve their bedside manner. She runs a professional improv troupe in St. Louis.

It will be a three-week program that will run concurrently with the cast of The Jeweler's Shop, so students will spend an hour each morning with the entire company in warm-ups, worship, and devotions. They will also benefit from our master classes.

Carol Doscher has been
helping people find their
joy through Graceworks
 since 1995.

This year we're featuring Carol Doscher, President and CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer) of Graceworks. She has been captivating audiences since she performed on Broadway with Angela Lansbury. Since founding Graceworks in 1995, she’s trained thousands of professionals globally to make that vital human connection in sales presentations, client meetings and lectures. Having been featured in The New York Times and on Bloomberg television, Carol also has published numerous articles on presentation and communication skills. She just came back from Oslo, Norway, where she worked with clients from a dozen nations.

I've been a Graceworks Freedom Finder for over a decade now, and we've been thrilled to help liberate people from their fears, connect emotionally with their material and audiences, and trust that they can share more of who they are.    

We're also bringing Phillip Telfer, who wrote, produced, and directed a recent documentary called Captivated.  He will be sharing with the whole Festival, screening his film, and meeting with our theatre students. We heard Phillip speak to the cast and crew of Indescribable, the film in which my bride, Joyce, and I played the parents of nine. The documentary wasn't complete last summer, and in fact Phillip interviewed at least one crew member on set. But his talk was so spot on for many of our goals for the theatre program I'm excited that he'll be speaking to us and sharing his documentary. Captivated, now complete, was featured at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, where it was runner up for Best Documentary and an Official Selection as a finalist for Best of Festival, which was won by Courageous.

Members of this track will also be able to audition for the honors recital at the MasterWorks Festival. If selected they will be coached by Patricia Mauceri, who trained at Juilliard with Kevin Kline and Patti LuPone and performed on television, film and Broadway alongside Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Richard Dreyfus and James Earl Jones.

If you or someone you know is interested in the Long-Form Improv track apply (or urge them to apply) today. Instead of performing a monologue from The Jeweler's Shop, two contrasting monologues from any play will be fine, even if they're improvised.

Right to Worship Prayer March

* Please be in prayer about and attend the upcoming Right to Worship Prayer March and Concert this Sunday April 22 at 2pm starting at Cadman Plaza. Pray that the people of NY would unite together in prayer and thanksgiving and intercede for the city and the area and the nation!

^"14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14

Breakfast with Jesus

The Westchester Chapel Players shared the Resurrection Breakfast between Jesus and his disciples with our children of all ages.  We brought the youngest to the front table where VIP signs reserved their places.

Joyce followed the drama with a sermon on the corresponding passage from John 21 and shared her testimony of how she came to make Jesus her personal Savior. The clinking you hear in the background is from the breakfast we were eating.



This sermon is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Here's the book Joyce mentions:
 

Joyce Swingle

Joyce Swingle played the role of Mrs. Lehman in the upcoming film Indescribable, and she performed her own one-woman play "The Shepherd's Daughter" in the Shepherd's Cave of Bethlehem (see below). She has performed in numerous sketches with her husband, Rich Swingle in the US and Jordan.  She is a pastor at Westchester Chapel, and she has preached around the country and in Malaysia, Israel and Taiwan. To hear samples of Rev. Joyce's sermons, click here.

 She earned a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Northwestern University, spent more than 20 years in corporate America, working in the publishing industry for magazines such as Newsweek, Time, People and Fortune. She left her position as a Vice President for BusinessWeek magazine in 2006 to pursue her call to ministry. She has attended acting workshops with Bev Holloway (casting director on over 30 films including Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, The Ultimate Gift and October Baby), Carol Jaudes (CATS on Broadway), John Kirby (acting coach on over 20 films including Count of Monte Cristo, Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, and director of Word of Promise Next Generation with Anna Sophia Robb of Soul Surfer and Sean Astin of Lord of the Rings), Curt Cloninger (world-wide performer of his own one-man plays), Patricia Mauceri (Julliard trained actor of theatre, film and television who has starred opposite Johnny Depp, James Earl Jones and Richard Dreyfus) through the MasterWorks Festival where she serves as Director of Pastoral Care.

October Baby

October Baby Movie is phenomenal! It was a packed theatre on Times Square that gave it a long applause when it was over. Almost everyone stayed for the interview during the credits. Kudos to Beverly Kennedy Holloway, a Masterworks Festival master class instructor, for pulling together a wonderful cast. Jason Burkey, who performed with me in The Screenwriters and For the Glory, was terrific!

Christmas Grace

I play a quirky clerk in Christmas Grace. It's a wonderful story of forgiveness and... well, grace. I sob the whole third act every Season.

You can see it on TV throughout the Christmas Season.

It's also available in Family Christian bookstores across the nation as well as the following online stores and On demand websites:
-ChristianMovies.com
-PureFlix.com
-ChristianFilms.com
-ChristianCinema.com
-Christian Book Distributors
-FamilyChristianMovies.com
-fishflix.com
-iamflix.com
-Koorong Books (Australia)
-New Day Christian
-Vision Video


The director, Keith Perna, worked on Indescribable, though he was done before Joyce and I arrived on set. Three other Indescribable team members worked on Christmas Grace: Adam Terrel, Timothy Jones and Rebekah Cook. Rebekah worked with me on Alone Yet Not Alone, tipped me off to Indescribable, and cast me in The Screenwriters. I was in Detroit early March and got to help with some scenes they were filming, including one with MasterWorks alum Brandon Langeland. There was a bit of a buzz on set about the nice work he was doing, and he gets some great screen time in the trailer.



I also got to catch a ride from set with Daniel Knudsen who was running one of the cameras. He directed a film everyone on the set of Indescribable was raving about: Creed of Gold. Later Daniel picked me up at the Detroit Airport for a Christians in Theatre Arts conference. He asked if I would play the voice of a reporter for Creed of Gold. We pulled into a parking lot, he turned his car into a recording studio, and now I have a credit in the film!

Settled

It was great to perform the role of Tom in this short film with my friends Josh Murray, who performed with me in Alone Yet Not Alone, and Sandra Van Natta, who performed with me in The Screenwriters.

"Settled" was a part of the 168 Film Project.

Josh Murray, who asked me to audition for the film reported from the 168 Film Festival:

I heard that word (awesome) and I think "amazing" countless times last night about all aspects of the film. Many talented film makers said it was their favorite of the night. You guys should all be (humbly) proud of your work :) ... Also the cinematography looked amazing on that huge screen!

MasterWorks Theatre Off-Broadway

I've directed the theatre program at the MasterWorks Festival since 2005, and over the years we've watched the quality of our actors grow consistently and steadily as they've worked with world-class Christ-centered instructors like John Kirby (acting coach on over 20 major motion pictures including Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Disney's Prom, and he directed Word of Promise New Testament Youth Edition with Sean Astin of Lord of the Rings and Corbin Bleu of High School Musical), Ken Wales (producer on Amazing Grace, Christy, Breakfast at Tiffany's) and many others. At a certain point I started bringing Bev Holloway, a Hollywood casting director, who's worked on over thirty projects including Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, The Ultimate Gift and Like Dandelion Dust with Barry Pepper and Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino. Bev has joined us four years.

We feel like we've reached another milestone as we're bringing this summer's production of The Jeweler's Shop to New York City, where we'll perform it in an Off-Broadway theatre. We'll be inviting agents and casting directors to see the talent we've been developing over the years. We'll rehearse the most popular play of Karol Wojtyła, who would become Pope John Paul II, in Winona Lake, perform it for the full Festival, and then perform it in the Pittsburgh area before moving on to New York City.

As soon as we arrive in New York we'll be joining a Bible study for Broadway actors, and an exciting meeting with Mastermedia members is also in the works. Before we leave for New York, Phillip Telfer, who wrote, produced and directed a recent documentary called Captivated will be sharing with the whole Festival. We heard Phillip speak to the cast and crew of Indescribable, the film in which my bride, Joyce, and I played the parents of nine. The documentary wasn't complete last summer, and in fact Phillip interviewed at least one crew member on set. But his talk was so spot on for many of our goals for the theatre program I'm excited that he'll be speaking to us and sharing his documentary. Captivated, now complete, was featured at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, where it was runner up for Best Documentary and an Official Selection as a finalist for Best of Festival, which was won by Courageous. We'll be seeing Freud's Last Session, which imagines a conversation between Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis, and afterward the actors and creative team will treat us to a talk-back.

Patricia Mauceri (who's performed on television, film and Broadway alongside Christopher Plummer, Johnny Depp, Richard Dreyfus and James Earl Jones) will be joining us for her seventh straight year, and this time she'll be able to work with our students for the full month.

We've already had as many women apply as we'll need, but we're still looking for a few good men. Click here for application requirements. If you're interested, move swiftly. We'll start making our selections for men (16-30) after March 31, and you'll need to order the script before uploading your audition.

The Festival begins June 16 and will run through July 15. For more information visit MasterWorksFestival.org/theatre.html.

We're looking forward to your auditions!

The Controversy of the Cross

Pastor Joyce Swingle points out the links between Psalm 22, the temptations of Christ in Matthew 4, and His Crucifixion in Matthew 27. She illustrates with stories from her own walk with the Lord, challenging listeners to stay on their cross, to allow the Life of Christ to flow through them.

 Opening prayers by Pastor Linda Warren. Matthew 27:32-44 read by Kenny M. Closing by Pastor Rachel Taylor. Music by Dom M. and Kenny M.



This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Get on the Love Train

Pastor Linda Warren launches our series on The Cross by preaching on John 3. 

Call to worship by Rich Swingle.


Here's a link to more information about the school situation: Judge Gives NYC Churches Access to Public Schools.

 Here is the testimony Rich mentions:

 

Opening prayer by Pastor Randy Solomon. "Near the Cross" by Fannie Crosby is sung by Westchester Chapel, led by Bill and Liz H. Communion follows the message, led by Pastor Joyce Swingle.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

Featured in the A-Blast

I performed and spoke earlier this week at Annondale High School in Annondale, VA. The visit was featured in their school newspaper, The A-Blast: International Actor Rich Swingle comes to AHS.

Christians love you, Mayor Bloomberg

Dear Mayor Bloomberg:

I've long been a fan. I've voted for you each time you've run. You've done so much for our great city, and for that I'm very grateful.

When I visited the 9/11 Memorial I was thrilled to see that you took such a strong leadership role in making it such a powerful tribute to our city and those that gave their lives to protect it that dark day.

I was on Times Square in September of 2009 when you so graciously addressed the 60,000 Christians gathered for Prayer on the Square. You asked us to do our part to help this great city. We certainly have. We've volunteered billions of dollars worth of volunteer hours to help New York on many levels. I've served many meals to the homeless of this city through a church meal program. I've served at church supported after-school programs. I spoke to one pastor who saw the murder rate in their neighborhood drop to zero after they established themselves in a community center. I know of many churches who have used their own funds to paint and renovate schools where they provide rent at times the building is not in use, and I was thrilled to read about how many churches are providing homes for public schools that have overgrown their campuses.

Haven't we answered your request? So, why are you forbidding us from renting space at public schools during off-hours? And why would you give a two-month eviction notice to 160 houses of worship who are now competing for space in one of the toughest real-estate markets on earth? We presented over 20,000 signatures asking you to let us continue this practice, which has been allowed in every major city in the US since our nation began. So why did you send a letter to our state congress asking them not to pass legislation that would allow this practice to continue?

Because houses of worship meet during off-hours at public schools and pay rent there is no conflict with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The phrase "Separation of church and state" is nowhere in the Constitution. It is a handy phrase for those who want to control the freedom of speech when it comes to religion. The Establishment Clause says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech..." By locking out houses of worship this policy is impinging on the free exercise of worship, and by controlling what groups can say (Bible study but not worship) it is abridging the freedom of speech. So the current policy of the New York City school board tramples on two elements of the First Amendment in order to avoid the appearance of a single school establishing a single religion. Muslim, Jewish, B'hai and Christian groups are all being evicted, so there's no chance of Congress establishing a single religion by the city allowing diverse houses of worship to rent from public schools. In the New York Times Speaker of the House, Sheldon Silver was quoted as saying, “It would open up the schools to anybody. It might include the Ku Klux Klan." Not that the KKK meets for worship, but they already have access to our schools. That was ruled on by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1978. Also, if state law allows houses of worship to rent from public schools it would be entirely possible for all four evicted groups to rent space from the same individual school because they meet at different times, all off-hours for the schools. But if concern for the perception of school children is the real reason for the eviction then you would force all schools to vacate churches as well.

It feels like religious persecution. I'm grateful that the Senate passed the bill with a veto-proof supermajority of 54 to 7. One of the strengths of our great nation has always been the freedom to worship. But this eviction honestly casts America in a poor light compared to many other countries known for their intolerance of religion.

Last month the Czech Republic decided to give billions to its churches because it stole property while operating under communism. I've worshiped legally in a government office in Hong Kong. Though their government grants more religious freedom than China, they are a Special Administrative Region of that officially atheist government. I also worshiped in a church in Shanghai built by communist government funds. China actually publishes more Bibles than any other country on earth according to their visa application website.

This is where our love for you kicks in. I cannot speak for all of the Jewish, Muslim, B'hai, or even Christian people that are facing eviction and, for many, closure or severe decrease in numbers and therefore income, by being given such a short eviction notice, but I can say for all of us that seek the heart of God that we love you despite this persecution. This is your last term as mayor of this great city. We don't want your lasting legacy to include the persecution of houses of worship and taking hundreds of thousands of dollars away from our public schools that will no longer be paid to them in rent.

When they were working on the mosque near Ground Zero you said: “We in New York . . . are Americans, each with an equal right to worship and pray where we choose. There is nowhere in the five boroughs that is off-limits to any religion. By affirming that basic idea, we will honor America’s values, and we will keep New York the most open, diverse, tolerant and free city in the world.” Please honor your own words.

My wife and I pray for you daily. We certainly pray that you will change your mind and allow houses of worship to continue to meet in public schools during off-hours. But we also pray for your health, your well-being, and for your peace.

Respectfully,
Rich Swingle
Resident of New York City

Unity in the Spirit

Pastor Joyce Swingle preaches on John 6:60-71. Opening prayer by Pastor Linda Warren.

 

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.