Cunning, baffling, powerful

9/23

A meeting with Mark. He has a lot of sound equipment he needs to store. If we can find space for him  to do that, he’ll be happy to have us use the equipment for concerts.  And if he’s free, to help us. We show him a room off of the sanctuary that looks like it should work. This could be  a good deal. 

Sarah has come to work with us on developing publicity for the series on Forgiveness. 

Jana comes in. She is visiting from Germany. She knows this church well.  She worked with Uli and the Fellowship of Reconciliation. She led at least three delegations of young people to New York.  They would come for a week or more, sleep in our gym, cook in our kitchen and learn about living in multicultural settings, organizing for peace and justice and would visit and work with groups like the Interfatih Assembly on Housing and Homelessnes, Westside Campaign Against Hunger and God’s Love We Deliver. She last visited here a year ago fall.  

Jana

 I ask Sarah and Danielle whether I should take Jana on a tour or let her be surprised when she comes  back  later tonight to see the Tenant. Sow her now wins out. The last time she was here, we were in ruins and had gates up on our doors and worshipped on the steps.  As we go from room to room, she’s amazed at the transformatiom the Woodshed people have created.  

Danielle has created a card just for the Monday night P&G’s memorial concert.  RL is pleased.  

Jane comes in with one of her people to show the building.The continue to want to come here. Restrooms continue to be a problem.  And Paula has raised some questions about air quality we need to resolve. 

Outside, Edward is asleep on the steps. Two 40’s beside him in brown paper bags. I tell him it’s too early. He knows the rules, that he can’t sleep here during the day.  He looks up at me blearily.   Shakes his head, nods off.  OK, so we’ll try Reachout again. After that, well, I’m not sure. I go in to talk with Danielle about this.

Jane and I walk out together. I share with her my concerns about Edward. She tells me three words used in AA to descibe alcoholism.  Cunning, baffling, powerful.

I’m off to go to an Interfaith Assembly meeting. 

Later that night, I take Jana to see the Tenant. Two of Micah’s friends, Tom from Edinburgh days and now Berlin and Marina, also from Berlin. Another young German woman from Brooklyn has joined them as well. We meet downstairs in the bar for preshow drinks.

This time I follow the story of Francois and Marie whose anniversary celebration has been taken over by Alain, Michel and Marie. It’s very Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf in feel and tone. Tonight Trelkovsky’s jump is as close to perfwct as it can be. People hold their breath as he leans out and the lights flash. Stunning.

In the bar after, Tom says it’s the most impressive theatrical experience he’s had. The space reminds him of Berlin. Jana is blown away and glowing. This place was so dead...and now, look, it’s full of life. That was so good. Doing this here is important. She's impressed with this as an example of adaptive reuse. She’s filled with creative ideas we could do to build on this. What we could do with the space. The kind of programs we could do. Teddy points out that the raised area in the hospital would make a fine cabaret stage. And Jana is spinning out plans for a cafe.

As we walk home up the street, Edward is still there, asleep on the steps. Cunning, baffling, powerful.