Resurrection Dance Theater of Haiti

Trinity Presbyterian Church

651 Dranesville Road

Herndon, Virginia

http://www.trinityherndon.org

703-437-5500

First church in Northern Virginia to host a performance of Resurrection Dance Theater of Haiti

Free will offering will be taken to support the ministry of the St. Joseph Family

Psalm 139:13-18 13 For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
    How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
    they would outnumber the grains of sand—
    when I awake, I am still with you.

It all began with the terrible images of the earthquake in Haiti in January, 2010. Rev. Stephen Smith-Cobbs, the pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Herndon, knew his congregation would want to respond and help the people of Haiti rebuild. Pastor Stephen knew other ministers whose churches already had a relationship with a marvelous organization called “Hearts with Haiti,” based in Raleigh, NC. The organization supports the vision and ministry of the St. Joseph Family that works to minister to orphans and street children in Haiti with the St. Joseph’s Home for Boys, (a home for orphan street children), the Trinity House (an educational outreach to boys and girls), and Wings of Hope (a home for boys and girls with physical and mental disabilities).

While all the children of the St. Joseph family survived the earthquake, their buildings were badly damaged. So Trinity’s Service and Mission committee led the taking of a special offering for Haiti both for disaster relief and to support the programs of the St. Joseph ministries. Earlier this year, Trinity learned that the Resurrection Dance Theater of Haiti, a dance troupe of boys from the St. Joseph’s Home, was planning to come to the United States to perform and share their story of resurrection from the rubble of the 2010 earthquake. Since then, Trinity has continued to support Hearts with Haiti and the St. Joseph’s Family of ministries.

When invited a few weeks ago to be the first church in Northern Virginia to host a performance of this group, Trinity jumped at the chance. The accompanying video and pictures only begin to convey the joy and excitement of a performance of the Dance Theater of Haiti. The troupe uses drumming and dance to vibrantly tell their story and lift up hearts, as they have done all over the United States and Canada, dancing in venues such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music for Dance Africa and for the Pope at World Youth Day in Canada.

Through dance they tell the stories of their life experiences. Their performances range from sharing the history of Haiti including their nation's struggle against slavery, past and present, and life lived in both the rural and urban settings of Haiti. The troupe uses the arts to build and express self-esteem, incorporating drumming, dance, song, and the visual arts. Narration is contributed by the Executive Director and founder (in 1985) of St. Joseph’s Home for Boys, Michael Geilenfeld. The tours are intended to raise awareness about Haiti’s challenges as well as to raise funds for the ongoing work of St. Joseph’s.

Transformed from being the rejected ones in Haiti to being among the very best of servant-leaders, members of the St. Joseph Family have reached out and empowered countless other Haitian girls and boys to fulfill their potential. This is a great opportunity for children of all ages to celebrate the hope and future of these Haitian children.

It will be an evening of dancing, drumming, and family fun. While there is no admission and no tickets are being sold, Trinity Presbyterian will be taking up a  free will offering as they continue to support the ministry of the St. Joseph Family.

Please see Dance Theater of Haiti video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFi8cMKzILc

Come and join in experiencing a wonderful evening with the Resurrection Dance Theater, Saturday, October 6, at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of Trinity Presbyterian Church!  

About Trinity Presbyterian:

Christian faith is in motion here at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Herndon . . . from the quick patter of little feet to the deliberate steps seasoned with time. There is a spirit of journey taking place, journey filled with promise.  Ours is a shared faith journey that is mapped with hope and paved with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA), we affirm the sovereignty of God over every facet of human life. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we seek to equip ourselves in God’s love and truth.

It is my privilege to welcome you to this household of faith. As you visit with us, be assured that Jesus Christ meets you where you are, accepts you as you are, and desires to guide you into becoming what you were created to be. I pray you will discover refreshment and renewal for your faith here at Trinity and that you might be led to join our fellowship and grow in your understanding of God and service to the Lord.

Faithfully,                        

Pastor Stephen Smith-Cobbs