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How Cliff married the family

In 1942 my grandfather, Jimmy Ostema, the first husband of my grandma, Hilda Triezenberg, had taken a trip to Chicago, which was almost 200 miles away from their home in Charleston, Illinois, to show off his newborn baby, my mom, Judy, to friends and relatives. On that trip he got sick, and his temp...

01.03.12 01:53 AM - Comment(s)

God Is Our Leader

This New Year's Day service concludes Rich Swingle's Views of the Manger Series with "The New King". Pastor Joyce Swingle preaches on Psalm 90 and then leads in communion.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search f...

01.02.12 12:28 AM - Comment(s)

An Unexpected Surprise

Pastor Randy Solomon preaches on Luke 2:1-20.

Pastoral prayer by Linda Warren.

Additional comments by Claude Chew.

"Harvey Silverstein" by Mac Nelson is performed by Rich Swingle. Thomas Tornado Tinglehoop (mentioned in this version of the sketch)...

12.25.11 05:56 PM - Comment(s)

A Picture of Our King

Pastor Linda with the
painting to which she
refers in her sermon.
Painting: "Father's Prize"
by Pastor Linda's mother,
Edith DeCecca.

Pastor Linda Warren preaches on Isaiah 11:1-10.

Call to worship by Rich Swingle.

Scripture reading by Chris L. and Tamara W. (NI...

12.25.11 01:54 AM - Comment(s)

Kazakhstan connection

As I was getting on a connecting flight in Charlotte I saw a fellow wearing a Beijing Olympics sweatshirt. I found out he competed there for Kazakhstan, so I told him "Salamatzas ba" (hello in Kazakh) and we chatted until they called my boarding zone. As I was on the phone telling Joyce a...

12.23.11 04:34 PM - Comment(s)

My second performance at Carnegie Hall

Some of you will see this in your inbox, but this happened in 2011: Joyce and I attended a Christmas concert at Carnegie Hall, and the choir was led by our friend Arlene Nembhard. She had invited me to perform with her choir, but that season was just too full. Nonetheless it was thrilling to sing f...

12.23.11 02:41 AM - Comment(s)

Advent of God

Joyce preaches on Matthew 1:18-24, and I continue my piece "What!?" from my play, Views of the Manger. Additional prayers and comments by Bill Huisman and Pastors Linda Warren and Randy Solomon at Westchester Chapel.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can als...

12.22.11 08:37 PM - Comment(s)

Love bade me welcome

This is one of five poems by George Herbert that I performed at The Kennedy Center in 2002. It was hanging on the wall in the room where I stayed while in Chicago with the father of Melissa Lorraine, who performs the one-woman play, Juliet: A Dialogue About Love.

Wheaton Co...

12.22.11 12:12 PM - Comment(s)

The Shepherd's Daughter in the Shepherd's Cave of Bethlehem

Joyce performed this piece that she wrote in the Shepherds' Cave of Bethlehem during our trip to Jordan and Israel through CITA to the Nations.

Have a blessed Christmas: www.RichDrama.com/blog/post/Christmas

12.21.11 12:13 AM - Comment(s)

Margot Morrell

I ran into Margot Morrell tonight at MasterMedia's Christmas party. She's written books on Ronald Reagan and Sir Ernest Shackleton, who led his crew of 27 through the frigid wasteland of Antarctica. She encouraged me to turn them both into one-man plays. I'm intrigued...

12.15.11 02:06 AM - Comment(s)

Putting up our tree

http://www.youtube.com/embed/K8bpAZMlfhA

12.13.11 01:14 AM - Comment(s)

Advent of the Lord

Rachel Taylor preaches on Mark 1: 1-8 after Rich Swingle's performance of the first half of "What!?", a sketch from his one-man play Views of the Manger.

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

12.12.11 12:44 AM - Comment(s)

Interview with Donald James Parker

Here's my interview with Donald James Parker on his show Wielding the Sword of the Spirit:

Listen to internet radio with Donald James Parker on Blog Talk Radio

Here are the links I mention on the show:

Beyond the Chariots: RichDrama.com/BeyondtheChariots
Plays: RichDrama.com Click on Feat...

12.11.11 10:19 PM - Comment(s)

Christmas Greetings!

5x7 Folded Card

View the entire collection of cards.

We pray all God’s best as we enter into this season of celebrating our Savior’s incarnation and birth as the Baby Jesus. May all His Love flow over and in you this holy time.

The Swingles had another eventful year:

Joyce completed h...

12.11.11 08:55 PM - Comment(s)

Freud's Last Session...again

Joyce and I saw Freud's Last Session tonight. I loved it for the second time! The difference was that in Atlanta C.S. Lewis had more fans, and here in New York Freud seemed to hold sway. Still, Truth was spoken, and hopefully there will many that turn up the music, as Freud does in the end, and won...

12.10.11 01:50 AM - Comment(s)

Have you registered for the Secondary Festival yet?

I'll be adjudicating and leading a workshop at this event...

When the New Year begins, registration for the CITA Secondary School Theatre Festival CLOSES. Don't miss the deadline! Registration closes on January 3, 2012.

We are happy to announce that several college representatives are on board to in...

12.09.11 04:51 PM - Comment(s)

Advent of the Light

Pastor Linda Warren preaches on John 1:1-18 after Rich Swingle performs Part 2 of Views of the Manger, "Guess What", the story of Gabriel's announcement to Mary. In this recording Pastor Joyce Swingle lends her voice to Mary's reaction to the news.

Pastoral prayer by Joyce Swingle.

...

12.05.11 12:34 AM - Comment(s)

Butterfly Circus

I have a friend who performed a minor role in Butterfly Circus, which won $100,000 for first place at The Doorpost Film Project Competition. It was also recently featured in the Searching for Sanctuary Film Festival at Biola University. It's a profound look at hope despite unfortunate circumstances...

12.02.11 02:06 PM - Comment(s)

The Spiritual Life of MasterWorks

Here's a video on the spiritual life of MasterWorks, created by MasterWorks Theatre Department alum, David Kavanaugh. It opens with the Bible study that Joyce and I had the pleasure of leading, along with Terry Ewell, who composed new music for Paradise Lost, in which I performed earlier this year....

11.30.11 01:05 AM - Comment(s)

God of Hope DVD now available

In this section of the larger God of Hope project, which includes a book, music CD, audio book and DVD, I play the Apostle Paul.

When Paul begins telling his story, his hatred of Jesus' followers -- of these traitors to Israel -- is obvious. Paul describes the trial of Peter, the bloody stoning...

11.29.11 10:46 PM - Comment(s)

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