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27/03/2016

For Easter Sunday, Pam Rhodes goes behind the scenes at a community Passion play in Poole to discover how it is changing people's lives.

For Easter Sunday, Pam Rhodes goes behind the scenes at a community Passion play in Poole to discover how it is changing people's lives.

Music:

See, What A Morning, performed by the congregation of St Germain's Church, Birmingham

Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendour, performed by the choirs and congregation of St Peter's Church, Swinton

Now the Green Blade Rises, performed by the congregation of The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick

Don't Cry, performed by Godalming Community Gospel Choir

We Cannot Measure How You Heal, performed by the congregation of St Alban's Church, Bristol

Thine be the Glory, performed by the congregation of St Mary's Church, Portsea.

35 minutes

Last on

Sun 27 Mar 2016 17:30

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Keith Getty

    See, What A Morning

    Choir: Congregation of St Germain聮s Church, Birmingham. Conductor: Ken Burton. Featured Artist: Colin Peter. Featured Artist: Andy Kydd. Featured Artist: George Acquah. Featured Artist: Graham Campbell. Music Arranger: Ken Burton. Lyricist: Stuart Townend.

    Composer:Keith Getty

  • Sir George Clement Martin

    Lord, Enthroned In Heavenly Splendour

    Choir: The choirs and congregation of St Peter聮s Church, Swinton. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: Daniel Moult. Featured Artist: Carla Sousa. Featured Artist: David Benfield. Featured Artist: Lucy Rugman. Featured Artist: Lucy Keyes. Featured Artist: Jonathan Harris. Music Arranger: Paul Leddington Wright. Lyricist: G.H. Bourne.

    Tune:St Helen

  • French Traditional Carol

    Now The Green Blade Rises

    Choir: The congregation of The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: Mark Swinton. Lyricist: J.M.C Crum.

    Tune:No毛l Nouvelet

  • Kirk Franklin

    Don聮t Cry

    Choir: Godalming Community Gospel Choir. Conductor: Hermione Thomas. Music Arranger: Nicky Brown.

    Composer:Kirk Franklin

  • Scottish Traditional Melody

    We Cannot Measure How You Heal

    Choir: The congregation of St Alban聮s Church, Bristol. Conductor: David Ogden. Featured Artist: Richard Johnson. Music Arranger: David Ogden. Lyricist: John L Bell. Lyricist: Graham Maule.

    Tune:Ye Banks and Braes

  • G.F.Handel

    Thine Be The Glory

    Choir: Congregation of St Mary聮s Church, Portsea. Conductor: Paul Leddington Wright. Featured Artist: Brian Moles. Music Arranger: Paul Leddington Wright. Lyricist: Edmond Budry.

    Tune:Maccabeus

Hymns

  • See, What A Morning performed by the Congregation of St Germain's Church, Birmingham
  • Lord, Enthroned In Heavenly Splendour performed by the Choirs and Congregation of St Peter's Church, Swinton
  • Now The Green Blade Rises performed by the Congregation of The Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick
  • Don't Cry performed by Godalming Community Gospel Choir
  • We Cannot Measure How You Heal performed by the Congregation of St Alban's Church, Bristol
  • Thine Be Thy Glory performed by the Congregation of St Mary's Church, Portsea

Stories

Passion Play

Pam Rhodes goes behind the scenes of the Poole Passion Play in Dorset to discover how this community drama is changing the lives of some of its performers.聽

Pam meets Sharon Coyne, who has directed the play since 2009. As well as using professional actors, the cast of around 60 includes former drug addicts and the homeless.

Thirty five year old Jamie Derrick, a recovering alcoholic in substance abuse, plays the role of Marcus, a Roman soldier who captures Jesus, and is taking part in the play for the second time.聽 聽

He says: 鈥淲hen I first done the play, I didn鈥檛 have much confidence. So it was quite a big boost of confidence because I felt part of something.鈥

After seven months of painstaking preparations and rehearsals, Pam sees first-hand how Sharon, Jamie and the cast鈥檚 first big night performance of the Poole Passion goes.

With thanks to The Conical Sphere Group (music provided for The Poole Passion).

Easter Carols

David Grant travels to Oxford to rediscover the long lost tradition of Easter carols.

David visits the city鈥檚 famous Bodleian Library to meet medieval history expert, Dr Eleanor Parker, who has been carrying out research to unearth forgotten Easter carols.

Dr Parker explains that the first Easter carols were first written in Latin in the Middle Ages by monks and would have been sung throughout the key religious events (e.g. Saints days, feast days and the church鈥檚 biggest celebration, Easter).聽

David learns how carols were originally songs performed in social gatherings and public spaces but, as society changed, by the early 20th century the tradition died out.

David is given a special performance of an original Medieval Easter carol by students from Oxford and the Birmingham Conservatoire, who specialise in the study of early music.

Syrian Pastor

Josie travelled to the New Life Baptist Church in Northallerton, North Yorkshire to meet Pastor Edward Awabdeh who has been visiting the UK to speak about his experiences as a Church Leader in Damascus, Syria.

Pastor Edward describes the climate for Christians in Syria鈥檚 capital city.聽

鈥淲e go through some risky days with random shelling around Damascus.聽 Any area which is threatened by the extremist Islamists like Isis and others, they are very intolerant to the degree that you deserve to be killed if you are not like them.鈥

Pastor Edward sums up his current mission: 鈥淚 want to tell people in the whole world 鈥榚vil is real, we can touch it every day.聽 But Jesus and his victory is real also and you can experience that every day.鈥 鈥

Pastor Edward also recalls the story of an 18 year old who was challenged by Islamist extremists to renounce his faith.

鈥淭hey asked him to deny Jesus and he said 鈥業 want to be faithful to my Lord and Saviour鈥.聽 And they killed him right away.

His visit to the UK was facilitated by the Christian charity Open Doors, which is helping to support him.聽聽

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Pam Rhodes
Presenter David Grant
Presenter Josie d'Arby
Series Producer Matthew Napier
Executive Producer Dave Stanford

Broadcast