[May 18, 2013] A living message Tweet May 18, 2013 (The Brunswick News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- 1111Even in retirement from College Place United Methodist Church in Brunswick he is delivering a message, but without a pulpit, and, certainly, without a clerical robe. Instead, Herdon's pulpit is a stage and his robe is more often a biblical robe of anitquity. "I have always wanted to dress up like biblical characters and act out their lives," Herndon said. "It helps that part of the Bible come alive. People enjoy seeing them, because it has much more meaning than just reading the Bible and trying to understand (its meanings)." For four years, Herndon has put on one-actor plays at Methodist churches in the Golden Isles, including Arco United Methodist, College Place United Methodist, Taylors United Methodist, Southside United Methodist, and Emanuel United Methodist. "I want to demonstrate what the (biblical) characters looked like. They come alive (in the play) and people can understand that person more," he said. Herndon has acted as Peter, Mark, Jonah, David, and, closer to contemporary times, Charles Wesley, the English leader of the Methodist movement. He says that hearing is one method of learning, but sight and hearing incorporates more than just one sense. As such, he performs as biblical characters to guide people back to the word of God and to help establish, or sustain, a relationship with Jesus Christ. Though he is no longer preaching from a pulpit or reading directly from a Bible, Herndon hopes his performances help viewers to grasp how important Jesus Christ is to the world, through the eyes of his apostles and other notable biblical characters. He also hopes people will allow the message to stay into their memories. "I hope people get a much better understanding of these biblical characters and their parts (in shaping) the world, that these plays will bring them closer to Jesus Christ, and that these plays will become an act of worship," he said. Herndon performs free in the Brunswick area and can be contacted at 267-0589. -- Reporter Brittany Tate writes about lifestyle topics. Contact her at btate@the brunswicknews.com, on Facebook or at 265-8320, ext. 317. ___ (c)2013 The Brunswick News (Brunswick, Ga.) Visit The Brunswick News (Brunswick, Ga.) at www.thebrunswicknews.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]