November 15, 1997

CHAINSAW JESUS

For evening service, I went to the Assembly of G-D church in El Centro, CA. This was the only church on my route through town and I had passed by it each time I went through the town. They were having a special youth service. It was pretty interesting. There were quite a few songs and vignettes.

Towards the end of the production, the lights in the church sanctuary were turned off and everything became silent for a while. After about five minutes, the music started up again and a large wooden box which was the main prop on the stage came into view by the use of floor lights and colored smoke.

Right before the end of the song that was playing, the music was joined by the sound of a small gas powered chainsaw that had been started up. Somebody was cutting a doorway through the box on the stage. Bright light started to come through the crack made by the chainsaw.

After the doorway was finished and knocked down, a person dressed as the Messiah appeared. I guess this was a representation of how the Messiah resurrected from Hell. The play was quite impressive. Afterwards, I was invited to stay with one of the couples of the congregation.