"Godspell," a musical by John Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz that tells the story of the life and passion of Jesus, will have a two-night run Feb. 21-22 at Binkley Baptist Church in Chapel Hill.

With an all-church-member cast, the show presents a series of parables from the Gospel of Matthew with the addition of two parables from the Gospel of Luke: the prodigal son and the rich man and Lazarus.

"Godspell," which opened off Broadway in 1971 and on Broadway in 1976, has played in various touring companies and revivals many times over the years. It is a popular production choice because its setting can be when and where a director chooses, and it is a low-budget production without elaborate costumes or expensive stage sets. Previous productions have set the play in non-conventional settings including construction scaffolds and a McDonald's restaurant.

"Day by Day," one of the songs from the show, reached No. 13 on the Billboard pop single chart in the summer of 1972.

In its original production, the actors wore hippie garb. In Binkley's production, cast members will wear jeans and t-shirts, and each will incorporate an individual accessory that defines his or her character. The actors remain on stage during the entire show, put on clown makeup and are portrayed as a clown troupe following Jesus. At intermission in the original production the actors joined the audience for wine and bread; that won't be a part of Binkley's show, however.

Binkley's performances will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 22, in the church sanctuary. The production will feature a live band composed of Mike Davis, Janice Pope, Mark Walters, Robert Hughes and Jonathan Davis, all church members.

The church production's cast members are mostly teens, including Thomas Price in the role of Jesus. He is a senior at East Chapel Hill High, where he has acted in school dramatic productions.

Other cast members include Allison Walters, Amelia Wise, Caryl Thomason Price, Christian Savelli, Hannah Osborne, Isabelle Lee, Jenny Walters, Jim Wise, Julia Hicks, Julie Lentz, Lena Hudock, Lydia Osborne, Sofia Palmer, Stephanie O'Daly and Wayne Price.

Priscilla Bratcher is the director, Tom Fewel the assistant director and Leandra Merea Strope the music director.

Binkley's production is part of the church's Lenten observance. Lent, the six weeks before Easter, begins on Ash Wednesday, this year Feb. 25. It is a time in the church calendar when Christians remember and respond to the passion of Jesus.

Some critics have taken issue with the fact that "Godspell" does not include either the miracles of Jesus or his resurrection. But for Binkley's purpose, the show is a Lenten offering, a time when all of Christendom is reflecting on the passion of Jesus.

The price of admission is one food item per person for the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service's Community Pantry. Current needs include canned meats (tuna, beef stew, chicken), canned vegetables, pasta, canned beans, soup, dried beans and canned fruit.

Binkley is at 1712 Willow Drive, behind University Mall. More information available by calling the church at 942-4964.

Conference to address prophetic ministry

University United Methodist will host the Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry called "A Cry in the Wilderness" on Saturday, Feb. 21.

United Methodists from across the area are expected to attend the all-day conference featuring a keynote address by retired Bishop Ken Carder, now professor of pastoral formation at Duke Divinity School.

The Methodist Federation for Social Action is sponsoring the conference. Although MFSA is not an official part of the United Methodist Church, it has been a powerful movement committed to the transformation of the church and society for more than 100 years. Peace, poverty and peoples' rights have been the focus of the movement that wrote the Social Creed and Litany, which are now part of the United Methodist Church's "Book of Discipline."

Among local Methodist leaders on the program are the Rev. Vernon Tyson, now retired but who recently served as interim pastor at Chapel Hill's Amity United Methodist; the Rev. Albert Shuler, former district superintendent in the Durham District; the Rev. Kevin Baker, pastor of Reconciliation United Methodist in Durham; Jimmy Creech, a former pastor whose United Methodist credentials were revoked because of his position on gays and lesbians in the church; and LaNella Smith, Lay Leader in the Durham District and a member of Asbury Temple UMC in Durham.

The program begins at 9 a.m. and continues until 3 p.m. and includes two panel discussions as well as breakout sessions. The Rev. Gayle Felton, a pastor at Calvary United Methodist in Durham, the first Reconciling congregation in North Carolina, will lead worship with Eucharist.

Registration, including light breakfast and lunch, is $25; student registration is $15. Checks should be made payable to MFSA NC and mailed to: Henry Jarrett, P.O. Box 18311, Raleigh 27619-8311.

The conference is named for the Rev. Jack Crum, who died this year. He was a United Methodist minister of the N.C. Conference from 1953-1989. He served as director of Christian Social Action for the N.C. Council of Churches and in 1997 was given the award for Distinguished Service on the Care of Ecumenical Christianity from the Council of Churches.

Tyson to lead Lenten course at Amity

Tim Tyson, a research scholar in the Department of History at Duke University and the author of "Blood Done Sign My Name," will teach a six-week course at Amity United Methodist Church from March 1 to April 5.

The textbook for this Lenten study is "The Cross in Black and White: Transcending Our History." The classes will explore Southern history, the religion of Jesus and paths toward redemption and reconciliation and will also use African American spirituals, Howard Thurman's "Jesus and the Disinherited" and the theology of James Cone.

The class will meet from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. on Sundays and is free. The textbook costs $7 and must be ordered in advance. Registration deadline is Monday, Feb. 23; register by calling the church at 967-7546 or email secretary@amityumc.org. Amity is at 825 N. Estes Drive.

Tyson's award-winning book has been used by dozens of colleges and community reading programs, including UNC-Chapel Hill in 2005. It is the autobiographical account of the 1970 murder in Oxford of a black U.S. Army veteran and the subsequent racial unrest that erupted when three white suspects were acquitted in a high-profile trial. At that time, the Rev. Vernon Tyson, Tim Tyson's father, was minister at Oxford United Methodist Church.

The award-winning "Blood Done Sign My Name" will return to its roots in a stage version of the historic events of 1970 on Friday, Feb. 13, at the Oxford City Hall Auditorium in Granville County.

In Mike Wiley's adaptation of the book, 20 characters are portrayed in the 90-minute show. The play is underscored with live music by gospel singer Mary D. Williams. Serena Ebhardt is the director. A motion picture based on the book recently completed filming in Shelby.

The show is set for 7:30 p.m. and is sponsored by the Granville County Human Relations Committee and Granville Little Theatre.

General admission is $10. Reservations can be made by calling the Granville Little Theatre box office at 919-482-0777 or online at tickets@granvillelittletheatre.com. The auditorium is located at 300 Williamsboro St. in Oxford and will be open Monday through Thursday.

Afterschool celebrates Jewish Arbor Day

A free afterschool program for children ages 6-12 will mark the Celebration of the Trees, Tu Bishvat, with Jewish Arbor Day activites, snacks and more, today from 3:30 to 4:30 at the Orange County Public Library.

Rachel Galper will lead the celebration. The North Carolina Forest Service will provide free tree saplings to take home.

The library is at 300 W. Tryon St., Hillsborough. For more information, call 245-2531.

Discussion addresses Israel's settlements

American-born Israeli historian and journalist Greshom Gorenberg will lead a discussion titled "The Accidental Empire: Israel's Settlement Dilemma, Past & Future" on Sunday, Feb. 15, at Judea Reform Congregation, 1933 W. Cornwallis Road, Durham.

He will also speak at the Freeman Center for Jewish Life at Duke University on Monday, Feb. 16. His topic will be "The Struggle for the Temple Mount."

Gorenberg specializes in Middle Eastern politics and the interaction of religion and politics. He is among the best known historians of the settlement movement in Israel's occupied territories and author of a variety of works on the subject.

He is currently a senior correspondent for "The American Prospect," a monthly American political magazine.