A retired minister is going from preaching the word, to acting it.
Harold McNabb’s more than 20 years of ministry, much at the West Shore Presbyterian Church in Colwood, has come to an end. However, his passion for writing, storytelling and fundraising will continue as he brings Jesus’ parables from the church to the stage.
“It’s something I always wanted to do, it was fulfilling something I had in my mind,” the Colwood resident said. “It was always something I wondered, about (whether I) would I be able to pull this off.”
A chance meeting with a former congregation member who asked him how the play he had been talking about for so long was going, re-ignited his passion for the project. She even promised to help once he finished a script. A week of writing and almost eight weeks of memorization later, The Redeemer of Stony Corners was reborn.
“One of the things I pondered was the parables with Jesus. I wondered where he got his material from,” McNabb said. “I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting if a lot of those stories were life occurrences with one particular guy and who would this person be?”
He answers those questions with the story of Eleazar, a farmer waiting for a young friend with whom he will travel to the funeral of their neighbour. Eleazar’s story is revealed as he tours the farm with his friend while explaining major events of his life and how he became the person he is today.
Three shows on the West Shore will run between Aug. 30 and Sept. 26, with all proceeds from all shows going to the Cridge Centre for the Family to fund programs for refugees.
“There is a certain satisfaction in saying ‘yes I did it,’” McNabb said. “(And) this project is a worthy cause.”
Three shows kick off with an Aug. 30, 10:30 a.m. showing at the Westside Bible Church on 3307 Wishart Rd., followed by a Sept. 24, 7 p.m. showing at the Anglican Church of the Advent on 510 Mt. View Ave. and a Sept. 26, 2 p.m. finale at the Fifty and Up Club on 2637 Sunderland Rd.
alim@goldstreamgazette.com