Dramatic outreach

returns to OSU

    CORVALLIS – Thanks to the efforts of local residents, a stage on a secular university campus will again be the site this month of an annual evangelistic outreach.
     The same team that has brought Christian outreach dramas to the Oregon State University campus the past three years is doing it again with the original presentation Chasing the Wind.
     The drama features multimedia and hip-hop/theatrical dance, and will be staged at the LaSells Stewart Center on campus at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, April 13-15. Admission is free; early arrival is encouraged as a full house is expected each night.
     Inspired by the book of Ecclesiastes, Chasing the Wind is the fictional story of award-winning author and psychology professor Samuel Prince, who, despite his achievements, struggles to find some purpose. There is nothing else to look forward to, and all he has left is the vain existence of his quickly fleeting glory days. This painful reality forces Prince to question all that he has accomplished or believed. He looks hard within himself with hopes of finding true happiness and what has been missing in his so-called charmed life.
     For the past five years a team of artistic Christians, under the name His Acts – which is short for His Artisans Created to Serve — have reached out to the community in love to share the gospel and the heart of God through the OSU productions. This volunteer team works for about six months to prepare for a three-night presentation.
     According to show producer Lionel Wilson of Corvallis, many people will not come to a church for a variety of reasons, but they will come to a professional drama at the university that is free.
     Previous productions have been Cross Roads in 2002, Four Lives in 2003, Tilly in 2004 and Beautiful in 2005. Last year’s and this year’s productions are original works written by Wilson’s wife, Kristen..
    “This year’s drama was clearly given by God to Kristen as she was reading through the Bible and came to the book of Ecclesiastes,” said Wilson. “There was no doubt as the Lord stirred her heart that day that this would lead the way for the next drama. As the months went on she was prompted to write and was amazed as she slowed down and read what had been written.”
     Last year alone, about 65 people made a decision to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and many others have made renewed commitments or have received healing from personal struggles, said Wilson.
     For more information, on the outreach, phone 541-757-6108 or go to www.HisActs.com.