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Movie Nights: Reflections on Community

By Barry Lawler,  parishioner

What are your early memories of favorite Movie experiences? Were you sitting on the ground at a youth camp or peering over your mother’s shoulder at a drive-in movie theater? Was it your first date with the one who became your spouse? For me, it is going to the local Saturday morning matinee to see a cowboy flick after swapping comics with my friends. Ultimately, the movie ultimately did not matter; it was all about the atmosphere.

In today’s world, many of us find our movie experiences in front of the TV while streaming from a list of available movie options. Even within these Covid-19 times, there is still a place with atmosphere.

For the past few years, we have joined about 30 others at CCC on the third Thursday of the month to sample wine and snacks, catch up with each other and listen to Mike Frank’s introductory remarks prior to watching the movie in the hospitality center. After the movie, Mike leads a lively discussion to which we all contribute. Unfortunately, Covid has stopped the in-person gatherings and Judy’s treats but Zoom has made the other aspects even more enjoyable.

Mike’s program notes are for me as important as those that I read when going to the opera. His insights into the performers, the subtle nuances in the plot and the movie’s history make it so much more than simply streaming another movie on TV. Although now we need to bring our own wine and snacks, we are still able to see our friends through the Zoom videos. We are able to break down some of the barriers of social distancing and make new acquaintances, some of whom we have not met at CCC before.

It may not be as elevating as a good sermon or a beautiful Sunday anthem, but the movie night is still about the story and the people. The church is more than the building. It is about the other people. I invite you too to try it. You may learn something. You may share a memory. You may meet someone. You may see a movie that you otherwise would miss.

To join us, click here and join us in the experience. You are sure to enjoy it. We certainly do.


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