IBC Music fest 2009

Flew in from Indy last night. I taught at an annual music festival in Indy...6 classes in three days and performed in the night concerts. Wednesday night I perfomed, "Someday Came Today". If you haven't performed this piece yet...you really are missing out on a great script for sermon set-up. You can read more about te script at www.howitiller.com/sketches.htm. Friday night we did a sign interpretive movement song called, Let the Veil Down. You can order the DVD with that song on it at www.howitiller.com/misc.htm.

California Spring tour - I Stand Alone

Just finished a two tour in the state of CA. Traveled with a play called, "I Stand Alone". I played Saul...you know before he became Paul. We had great response and altar calls. AN atheist came to the play in Exeter. She was a guest of one of the saints there and the atheist was so moved by the play that she was born again that night. If you are interested in the script...it was written by Terry Vik and you can visit his site at www.christiandramaresources.com.

Christmas plays and banquet material

Wow...so much is going on in our lives that the Holidays are racing upon us. Christmas and Thanksgiving is already here for those who are trying to plan for dramas, plays and banquet events. I encourage you take a breath of fresh air and visit our site at www.howitiller.com/christmas.htm. Everything from a medium length play to short sketches that are relative to your modern day audience...yet without compromising the intergrity of the scripture.

Banquet Material: Numb and Numb-er, Closet Candles, Today is Jesus' Birfday, Exceeding Great Joy and more.

Medium length plays: Christmas Eve at Mountain Creek Train Station

If you have any qestions at all about what to do for Christmas...don't hesitate to email us at howitiller@aol.com.

Don't Wait Too Long

Hey don't wait too long to prepare for Christmas. If you want something fun, user friendly and still keeps the Christmas Story intact? Then you've got to do Christmas Eve at Mountain Creek Train Station. It involves children, teens and a few adults, but rehearsals can be done the last week before performance...accept for the speaking parts, the whole rehearsal schedule can be accomplished in the last week. Farm out the roles now and have them memorize their parts in a couple weeks time. Then add you technical rehearsals. Finally, have everyone come together Monday through Friday of the performance week. There's no need to break your back over rehearsing when it can be done smarter not harder.

Visit www.howitiller.com/Christmas.htm for more info.

CODE goes to new level

2009 will introduce new ideas with CODE. We will still continue with the regular CODEs, but 2009 we have established a new concept with CODE called Easter CODE. It is a two day conference event that is Easter focused. Registrants will actually learn the pieces in class. A great mix of ten pieces that are designed to help you present an anointed Easter program that is seamless from beginning to end. Registrants leave the conference with their Easter program completely done. It's a win-win situation. Here is some more onformation:

It seems that the Easter and Christmas seasons have traditionally been accepted as two times of the year that people come to church expecting a play or musical. Turning the church platform into Jerusalem every year sometimes becomes a task that can become overwhelming and expensive. Is there an alternative? Is there an easier, yet effective way to still draw many guests to our churches every year without stressing your own saints to the point that the Easter season is no longer enjoyable? We think there is.

Terry Vik and I have developed an annual conference event called CODE, (Conference of Drama Evangelism). CODE is a three day comprehensive and systematic approach to the drama ministry. 2008 was our eighth year of conducting regional CODEs where hundreds of registrants from across the U.S. have come to learn what it means to effectively minister through drama. Terry and I both have vast experience in teaching Acting, Directing, Play Writing, Mime, Dinner Drama, Song Interpretation and much more. In fact we can offer over sixty years of experience collectively.

We are redirecting our calling to now include what we call “Easter CODE”. In 2009 we are proposing to create regional CODEs with only Easter in mind. Easter will be the main focus and every class is designed to teach the registrant a Sign Language song, Song Interpretation, Dowel Rod and Monologue or Dialogued dramatic piece. Ten Easter pieces are hand picked by us and taught in class in a, “Hands-on” approach. When the students leave the conference they already know their entire Easter presentation.

The cost of the registration covers two days of learning from anointed clinicians whose calling is Christian Drama, an exhaustive notebook, DVDs, CDs and every note that they will need to make the presentation work at home for the local church.

This event has many built in positives that will keep blessing the church even after Easter is over. Even though what your leaders will be learning is to prepare them for the Easter season, it will be things that they can use all through the year as a help to the evangelistic outreach.

Go to www.dramacode.com for more information

Changing Home Base from Omaha to Pensacola

Well, we've made many changes in the last few months. Our home base is now Pensacola, Florida. I will really miss Omaha...especially the people that we've loved for so long. Obviously they are still our friends and will ever be. As far as travel is concerned...I'm still traveling full time and being able to fly out of Omaha will be missed. Pensacola's airport is not most economical to fly out of.
I guess the trade off will be when it comes to the months of December and January. I'm sure I'll appreciate being here instead of there for those cold Nebraska winters. Whatever. You go where God leads you. That's all that counts.

CODE East

CODE East in Spring Lake, NC is now behind us. It was a first for CODE East to be in Spring Lake, but everything went smoothly. Students from North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia met for the 7th annual CODE East. Randu Mocaby was a new voice last year, but this being his home church, we got to see more of him and his daughter Taylor perform together on the high energy song, Take the Shackles Off My Feet. Randy and Terry Vik teamed up on a really cool rendition of mime and sound effects...similar to what you might see on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?". There was some video footage shot, but not sure enough for a single DVD. We may combine CODE East pieces with CODE Louisiana 2008.

Up next...CODE Louisiana