Create stimulating, family-oriented Lenten worship that captivates the imagination with this engaging ""dramily"" series. Six humorous sketches, interwoven with brief homilies highlighting key points, update the familiar Old Testament story of Joseph and his brothers for contemporary audiences ? providing an instructive and entertaining resource for midweek programs. Additional messages and dramas for Holy Week and Easter Sunday shift the focus to Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection. By touching on such universal experiences as family squabbles, sibling rivalry, parental favoritism, jealousy, hatred, false accusations, reconciliation, trust, and healing, Hey Joseph is certain to resonate with the people in the pews. It offers pastors, worship leaders, and drama groups a thematically unified total package that's flexible and easy to adapt for any size church. A complete list of simple props is included, along with helpful illustrations for constructing ""Joseph's Granary,"" which may be stocked with food donations for local pantries. Even as the congregation chuckled at Joseph in disguise and related to the siblings' rivalry, they were already looking forward to the next week's drama. Arley Fadness's characters give life to Old Testament stories through humor and innovation ? and always with a message of helping those who are in need. Jeff Tengesdal Pastor, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Bismarck, North Dakota Hey Joseph is an excellent resource for the worship life of your parish ministry. We used it and the congregation loved it and learned from it. The involvement of laypeople of every age made it even more delightful. Our Lenten services were filled every Wednesday, with more coming every week. Howard A. Skulstad Pastor, Long Lake Lutheran Church Isanti, Minnesota Hey Joseph brings new energy to an Old Testament character, making the experiences of his life relevant for today. The series created an enthusiasm that continued to build throughout the Lenten season as our church body united around its central theme. Active participation on the part of youth and children made Hey Joseph a fun and exciting intergenerational event. Nedra Patenaude Former Youth Director, Messiah Lutheran Church North Mankato, Minnesota Arley K. Fadness is a retired ELCA pastor who has served numerous Lutheran parishes in South Dakota and Minnesota. He is currently an associate pastor at Custer Lutheran Fellowship in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota, and is also a congregational consultant coaching churches in visioning processes. A graduate of Augustana College, Luther Theological Seminary, and McCormick Theological Seminary, Fadness is the author of several CSS Publishing Company titles, including Where's Noah? and Six Spiritual Needs In America Today.
