the PASSION
Bill Walker on “The PASSION”
A note about the Passion:
For the past fifteen years The Passion has been a strategic element in the work of Chestnut Ridge Church, and has served an important role in many facets. It united the church and enhanced our hearts for reaching others for Christ. It provided a great platform for proclaiming the Gospel. Many individuals placed their faith in Christ, started attending church, or were recruited and trained through their work in The Passion, and are now serving in meaningful ways in environments all around CRC. The church grew as a result of people’s attraction to The Passion, and, perhaps most importantly, The Passion provided a place for people involved to connect with others and get into community.
Those are all great “wins”, and we are thankful for all that God has done through The Passion. But as the vision of being a church that wants to lead people into a growing relationship with God and others has become crystal clear, the role The Passion would play in effectively and efficiently supporting that vision was evaluated. We intended to make 2010 the final season of The Passion so that we could re-direct much of that energy into helping people grow spiritually in the years to come. Because we knew The Passion was ending, it became harder to justify the work involved in apprenticing and replacing key leadership roles within the organization. Some of those key positions were not filled for this year, making it difficult to move forward for the final season.
We want to continue to create environments where people can feel comfortable inviting their friends to come along to talk about spiritual things in non-threatening ways, and we feel like we are accomplishing that in our weekend services and other large-group environments. We want to continue to share the Gospel through relationships, and be more effective at helping those already with us continue to take steps of growth in their relationships with God and others. And we want to become ever more intentional about reaching the community in real and relevant ways.
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SHARE YOUR PASSION EXPERIENCE
We know that many people have been moved by the Passion over the years. Tell us your story.
This production put on by Chestnut Ridge is not like anything you’ll ever see again. It’s awesome. My daughter and I have seen it 3 times. We’ve moved away, but will make a trip back to Morgantown to see it again this year. Don’t miss it!
We moved to Morgantown last year and experienced the Passion. It was a very rewarding experience; it was awesome to see so many people attending. It?s a great way to reach out to others for the advancement of Gods Kingdom. Bring your friends and family it just may be the experience they need to make the most important decision of there life.
We saw the Passion for the first time last year. We were so very impressed by how it was done…very professionally. The scenery was awesome, vocalists had beautiful voices, many songs were original compositions of church members and they were excellent. There was humor, dance, drama and of course, faithfulness to the Biblical story of Christ’s teachings, death and resurrection. We took some neighbors and we were all very touched. Also, it is great that it is free! Come early to get a closer seat. (Some younger children may have a hard time staying awake through the end. It is over 2 hours long.)
Here’s an invitation for you! I hope you can make it!
This musical drama is truly evangelistic and life changing to say the least. We have been to The Passion every year since Dave gave his life to Christ during our first visit in 2003. We have used this blessed ministry as an evangelistic tool ourselves, as we bring at least one unbeliever with us each time. This is definitely a God ordained event and it is a great way to introduce people to Christ to show them how much He loves them.
I have attended Chestnut Ridge Church for 3 years now and this is my first year in the passion play. I have to tell you that I am in awe how close the cast and crew become over the period of three months of practice. This has been a very spirtual and emotional experience for me and I am very grateful to the cast and staff of Cestnut Ridge Church for making me feel welcome and treating me like part of their church family. Thank you everyone!!!!!
What an AWESOME play!!! This is the 3rd year I have seen it. I took my two children ages 5 and 7 and my mother and all of us was on the edge of our seats the entire time!
Everyone did such a FANTASTIC job in portraying the life,death,and resurrection of Jesus Christ! I advise EVERYONE reading this to make it to one of the shows this year. It will TRULY bless your life! Thank you Chestnut Ridge! i look forward to this every year!
i have went every year. But this year has been by far the best. you guys( an gals) put a lot into this, an it really shows just how eager you want to spread the love of God by portraying his life an then his suffering for us.. he paid the price of sin most people haven’t even thought about or a long ways down the road. thank you for touching an blessing my life every year!!!
Wow! This was my first year to see this play and let me just say it won’t be the last. Cast was wonderful. Music was awesome. The only thing I would have liked to see was a cd with the songs that could have been purchased. I have already made plans to come next year if the play is continued. What an incredible way to reach the lost for Christ.
We invited our family from NY and NC to Passion last year, and they loved it and was so touched that they are returning again this year only they will be bringing more people with them this time.
My wife and I attended CRC for the 4 years we were in school together in Morgantown. With her graduation we moved away to Moorefield, WV. While I miss the church, we always make time to come to at least one of the Passion performances. We wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Would you please pray about the possibility of having child care next year during the Passion so that more parents who have small children can come.
Thank You -
Last year I attended as a visitor the Passion. This year I am passing out the little cards and signed up as a volunteer greeter and usher. Smile. I remember in the ending of the presentation the color in the clothing and the joy of the people which so much represented (real) LIFE to me. I have prayed for the Passion and am excited to see it this year.
This is absolutely the most amazing performance I have ever seen in my life. Can’t wait to return this year!
2008 is the fourth year that I have been a cast member for the Passion. Tonight … March 14, 2008 … is the second night of this year’s production. I play Chiaphas and I can tell all who have “ears to listen” that tonight’s presentation was in my humble opinion the best of all in my four years as a cast member … from my view point on the stage. I know that the audiance must have been touched as God was present as we presented His message of what Jesus did for us all. We all hope that His message was presented in such a way as to cause you to make a decision to follow Christ if you have not already done so.
Just saw the Passion last night and am still feeling it. My family and I attend Chestnut Ridge Church and we feel so blessed to have Tim as our pastor and the many folks from CRC involved in the Passion as members of the Morgantown community. God’s grace is greatly evident through all these people.
This is the 3rd time my family and I have seen The Passion. We have made this our Easter Tradition. My grandchildren 8,7,6 & 5 are in aw of the performance. I have never seen them sit so still as they do watching the performance. The spirit of Christ flows with great force in CRC. What a divine LORD we have. I cry from start to finish, It is such a moving performance.
I would LOVE to hear a prayer at the beginning and end of each performance.
GOD bless you all at CRC.
me and my son went to see it.jest want to say thanks.it was so good hope to see it next year.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR AN AWESOME PRESENTATION PERFORMED WITH PASSION AND REVERANCE. SUCH GREAT GIFTS BEING USED TO HIS GLORY IS A JOYOUS EVENT INDEED AND YOU GIVE A GREAT GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU PRESENT THE GOSPEL IN SUCH A WAY. THE NARRATOR WAS WONDERFUL AS WAS THE EMPHASIS ON FREEDOM WITH THE NEW MUSCIAL COMPOSITIONS. JUST THINK, ALL OVER MORGANTOWN PEOPLE WILL BE SINGING,”EVERYONE NEEDS A LIITLE MERCY.” MAY THE LORD GIVE YOU A LITTLE REST NOW…
I’ve been in the PASSION since 1998 and i hope to be in more years as long as GOD needs me to spread his word
i went to see the show with my dad it was great. i cant wait to beable to see it again next year and i hope my sister can come and see it with us i think the will think it is aswome also see ya next year thanks to you all you all did a great job
My boyfriend and I came to see the play. We were very impressed and thought that it was very well done. I think that selling the concessions allowed it to be a more relaxed atmosphere for everyone and it was a great idea! Keep up the good work!
Hi and Greetings, I attend your church and walk away blessed every week . In the past i’ve been in many passion plays with 1000’s attending . I find that these plays to be very life changing more with the cast then the people that attend more often then not.I just had open heart surgery a few weeks ago and have a desire to help out in some fashion Please e-mail me back with some information. Thank you very much and God bless Roger Hagedorn
WE SAW THE PASSION FOR THE FIRST TIME AT YOUR CHURCH LAST YEAR AND WAS VERY IMPRESSED! WE CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS YEAR. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND MAY GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE ONE OF YOU!
This is the first time I saw this play. WOW!! I laughed, I cried, I had goose bumps. I am not sure I can actually describe in words how GREAT!
God Bless everyone involved in this play! I can’t even imagine the man hours and cost to produce a play of this magnitude. I truly enjoyed this and will definitely be back next year and inviting more of my friends an family.
This is a must see and I give it two thumbs up!
my wife and i have been attending crc for approximately 9 months with our children at the sat evening service and have been enormously blessed. we recently attended the thurs evening showing of the passion and enjoyed it so much we ended up coming to the sat and sun showings as well . what incredible talent your church has. everything was so professionally done. the vocalist were outstanding !!!!! kuddos to all who made it happen, your reward will be eternal!!!! thanks again for a wonderful evening.
Yesterday is the 2nd time I’ve experienced this play. It is truly an experience! I can’t express how much I have enjoyed it. My daughter who is 5 saw it for the first time and this morning on the way to pre-k, she said, “Mommy, when I woke up all I can think about is The Passion!” It had a great impact on her as it did me and the rest of my family! Excellent work and thank you to everyone involved!
My husband and I have been to see the Passion a few times over the years. And as always I am deeply touched by the performance and proud of the outreach it provides to the community. I am very disappointed though by the lack of respect show to our church by the way people attending the show left their garbage thrown in the floors of the sanctuary. Some of these people are members of the church and some are not. I can’t express how deeply this bothers me and maybe it shouldn’t. However, in the future for concerts and events such as this I would recommend that when the announcer ask folks to turn off their cell phones (which ‘many’ young people never did but continued to text throughout the show)that they should also be asked to take their garbage and dispose of in a respectable manner and to also remember this is a house of GOD.
WOW Chestnut Ridge crew!!!! Your performance all the way down to the make-up for the Passion was truly wonderful yet again. This play is truly amazing. Don’t change it!!! Keep On Keeping On!!!
You guys are awesome! I really enjoyed the performance this year and keep up the good work. Thank you!
The Passion is absolutly amazing. This was my first time seeing the performance and I will definately keep on coming every year!!!!!
Also the interpretive dance before the Passion started was so beautiful!!! The message came through loud and clear. AMAZING!!!!
I saw the 2009 perfomance and I must say it was amazing. I would like to find a list of the songs though.
I loved the 2009 performance but i would like a list of the songs in the play.
I’ve been attending h2o and CRC since my freshman year of college back in 2004, and I am now a law student still attending the church. Passion was always one of the highlights of my entire year – if my study schedule permitted, I’d see it more than once! As a musician myself and music-theatre lover, I enjoyed the well-made production that allowed the showcase of fantastic talent within the church. But more important than that, I was always moved and touched by God in a very special way. My sadness upon hearing this morning that the Passion will not be continuing is deep… to have lost this unique avenue of personally communing with the Lord through song and drama does sting. I look forward to seeing how God moves and grows our relationships with Him and each other through different means, but I will always lament the loss of this singular, meaningful experience.