Religion | Champaign Uncorked!

The New Picture Show: Rewriting the Script in Champaign County

by Gary Schenkel | Feb 16, 2017 | Entertainment, Events, Music, Nonprofits, Religion, Tourism

Years ago, I saw “The Last Picture Show” for a college English

class.

I can’t quote any of the film’s dialog. But I can still feel the sense of desolation that pulled the main characters adrift in their dying Texas town. Even their few escapes, like the pool hall and movie theater, were shutting down.

Urbana has a lot more going for it than the movie’s setting. Yet, we did see our own last picture show. That was when the Urbana Twin Cinemas closed about three and a half years ago.

A new day at the Gloria Theatre in downtown Urbana.

I remember the downhearted dialog that followed, around town and on Facebook.

The Marquee Shines Again

But a story line far different than the one directed by Peter Bogdanovich began to unfold.

Here, a closed theater has come to symbolize something entirely different. Faith. Hope. Community spirit and self-determination. Direction.

Now the marquee changes weekly announcing movies (including new releases), concerts, Christian revivals and youth retreats, stage productions and more. (A sampling of upcoming events is at the end of this post.)

Volunteers working at the Gloria Theatre, Urbana, Ohio

Volunteers set seats in place in the Gloria Theatre.

Theater Saved for the Community

The Urbana United Methodist Church bought the theater in 2014 to save it for the community. And to use the theater for the glory of God, resurrecting the movie house’s former name, the Gloria.

The nonprofit, community-based GrandWorks Foundation manages the Gloria Theatre and a campaign to complete the theater’s restoration as a community center to reach, restore and revive Champaign County culturally, socially, economically and spiritually.

Visit the Gloria Theatre website to learn about the foundation’s mission, vision and plans – and how you can support the theater to ensure a future of quality entertainment and cultural, social and spiritual events for Champaign County.

Volunteer and donate to the Gloria Theatre, Urbana, Ohio.

You can volunteer to work, make a donation or sponsor an event on this page of the Gloria Theater’s website.

How to Support the Gloria Theatre

Donate to the Foundation
Sponsor an event as a business, organization or individual
Volunteer at the theater, to sell tickets and concessions, clean up after events, and assist with ongoing renovations
Like the Gloria Theatre Facebook page to get the latest theater news and events in your feed
Share Gloria Theatre Facebook posts about upcoming events to spread the word
Attend events and invite your friends

A Sample of Coming Attractions at the Gloria

Movies

(Admission only $5! All proceeds support ongoing renovation. Shown with the Gloria’s new state-of-the-art 4K digital projection system, Dolby® Surround 7.1 sound system and new 38-by-16-foot screen. Show times on the Gloria Theatre website.)

The American President: Feb. 17, 18, 19 & 20 (Presidents Day)
Magnificent Seven: March 3, 4 & 5
Trolls: March 10, 11 & 12
Rogue One: March 17, 18 & 19
Secret Life of Pets: March 24, 25 & 26
La La Land: March 31, April 1 & 2

Ignite 2017

Second annual Ignite youth conference, Feb. 24-26, where teens from the region will join together to “ignite” their faith in Christ. For details, visit the Ignite page on Facebook.

Godspell

The musical “Godspell” will be presented at the Gloria April 7, 8 & 9 by the Perennial Theatre Company of Urbana, Check the Perennial Theatre Facebook page for more.

Bonus Feature

And I hope you didn’t miss the January 14 McCartney Project concert. It was a fun trip back to the music of the Beatles and Wings – and a sign of great entertainment to come. Here’s a clip:

And That’s Not All, Folks…

As a Gloria Theatre volunteer, I wrote copy for a two-page section published December 23 in the Urbana Daily Citizen about the Gloria Theatre’s history and 75th anniversary: Page 1 Page 2

New Publication Aims to Draw Churches Together

by Gary Schenkel | Jun 5, 2014 | People, Religion, Uncategorized

As a husband and father of five Pat Bass of Urbana seeks out local family-oriented entertainment and activities.

Pat Bass, editor and publisher of The Road to Damascus Publication, Urbana, Ohio

Pat Bass with a copy of The Road to Damascus Publication.

He just wished he had a resource to make his search easier.

While out of town in his job as a business coach last year he found what he had in mind – a publication in the lobby of the church that hosted his seminar. “This is exactly what I want to do,” he thought.

Thus, Bass created The Road to Damascus Publication, a monthly tabloid size newspaper – his first venture in publishing – which he launched in April. The free newspaper – supported by advertising – features news and events of Champaign, Clark and Logan county churches. It’s available in print throughout the three counties, and you can read it online.

Thanks to a small business attorney that Bass works with, The Road to Damascus stretches beyond a listing of events. “When I shared my idea, he said, ‘I think you’re missing the boat. I think there’s a place for events. But what about reporting on the good that people are doing, what about the good things churches are doing in your community?’”

So that kind of news is in The Road to Damascus, too.

“I think we’re in a special time in life and a special time in our community, in Urbana, in Clark County and Logan County,” Bass says. “There are a lot of people here who have a heart for God and helping people.”

Bass, who attends Second Jerusalem Baptist Church in Urbana with his family, envisions Road to Damascus uniting churches: “How can we together further the kingdom of God?”

And that, he believes, could cause people not involved in a church to take notice – that maybe our local churches have more in common than not.