While the rest of the world was focused on the Olympic games in Paris, France, Sue and I went to the remote town of West Paris, Maine to visit a local church. The West Paris Baptist Church brought us in to do a program for their "Family Fun Day." Although rain forced them to move the event indoors, there was still a large turn out of families from town. While the kids played games and ate snack food in the fellowship hall in the basement (church basements are among the most unsung places in any town), Sue and I set up our show in the sanctuary. Although I didn't think to ask, it seems like this church goes back a long way, as evidenced by the hard, narrow, uncomforable pews. To thir credit, the center section of the sanctuary no longer had pews, but nice, comfortable padded chairs.
When the activities downstairs finished, the audience came up to where we were eagerly waiting to get started. I did an hour long show and juggled especially weel, if I say so myself. The audience was enthusiastic. One special needs young man in the front row was so excited I told him he should come to all my shows to get less enthused crowds fire up.
I closed the program with the story from the book of Acts about the Ethiopian treasurer who, when encountered by the Apostle Phillip, was converted and baptized. I pointed out that this man was an honest man: why would the Queen of his country trust him with her gold if he was dishonest? He was also religious: he was traveling back from a religious celebration in Jerusalem when Phillip encountered him. But he still needed to meet Jesus in a personal way; enough so that God sent Phillip out to meet him.
After the show we met a family who came that night after having seen us at a church in Bethel. Coincidentally, that is the church our new pastor has come to us from, and they spoke very highly of him. Now that we're getting to know Pastor Cory, we can see why.
Our night in West Paris might not have come with gold medals, celebrity commentators and Snoop Dog, but it was an evening well spent nonetheless.