In the fourth 11 o’clock Lenten service two years ago at the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake, Hannah continued her search for Jesus.
The sequel will appear on McHenry County Blog next Sunday, but I won’t ruin the suspense and tell you where.
It started in the wilderness three years ago when she met a man whom she first saw on a cliff shouting to no one visible to her about not tempting the Lord. After coming down from the mountain, He told her about the meaning of life, but Hannah didn’t understand His words or that she had met Jesus.
Hannah next searched in Nazareth, His hometown, meeting His fun-loving half sister, among others, who called Him “a goody two shoes” for having changed the Temple wine the kids had replaced with water back to wine.
Then, it was onto Bethany, where Hannah tried to insinuate herself with Jesus’ friends at a party celebrating Lazarus’ return from the grave. 
(“He was really dead.”) She so wanted to be part of the “in crowd.”
Next, Hannah just misses Jesus turn over the tables of the moneychangers and vendors in the Temple, where it is clear that others are searching for the meaning of Jesus’ ministry. (“He looked right through me.”)
Last Sunday, Hannah decided to draw Jesus to her with a deal he could not refuse for a boat.
You see, she had heard that he was coming to the Sea of Galilee to preach and that he had started using boats so that more people could see and hear him.
“I believe it started because He’s got those disciples that are fishermen. I don’t know if He couldn’t really get anyone else at first, so he asked this bunch of fishermen to be His disciples.”
Anyway, as the crowd grew, “Well, one of those fishermen disciples just told Him to get into a boat.”
So, Hannah decides to supply the next boat. She sets up a
“Hannah’s Boat for Rent”
stall.
And, there’s a
“Special if your name begins with J”:
“10 silver coins – 3 hours.”
“We’re going to call it ‘J-Day.’”
Hannah doesn’t want Jesus to think she isn’t busy, so she sets up a
“Take a number for service”
pad.
But, she’s willing to deal.
“And, of course I can negotiate. I was voted ‘Most Likely to Succeed by Negotiation’ by my Temple group,” she says.
“I’ll negotiate a trade…I’ll let Him use my boat for a few hours if we can maybe go to dinner or just sit down for a chat.
In search for Jesus, Hannah tells the congregation, “…every time, I’ve been, what is the phrase you use, ‘A Day Late and a Dollar Short.’
“Yes, I feel like I’m failing miserably, but I feel the need to meet and know Jesus SO badly.”
Hannah sees a crowd of people starting to gather along the shoreline.
She sits behind her booth and waits.
She reads a magazine. (You have to enlarge the photograph by clicking on it to read the titles of the articles in this first century “Enquirer.”)
And waits.
As Jeremy Camp’s song,
“I Wait for the Lord,”
is sung.
She waits for business.
Not just any business, but a visit from Jesus.
She takes a lunch break.
And waits.
The day passes slowly.
She lowers the rental price from 10 to 8 silver coins.
The song,
“Get on the Boat”
plays.
She rips off a couple of numbers from the “Take a Number of Service” pad so Jesus will think she is busier than she is.
She is getting tired.
Really tired.
Exhausted.
The way waiting for something to happen exhausts one.
She yawns.
Hannah waits some more.
The afternoon doesn’t fly by.
Hannah moves a chair in the direction where she sees the crowd and stands on it.
Hannah moves the chair closer to the crowd.
“I don’t believe it. He’s there.
“And, he’s on a boat.
“Where did he get the boat?
“I have the boat.
“I’d just give it to him if He’d just spend some time with me. All I want is to talk to him.
“I think he sees me. He looks shorter than I thought.
“He looks so tired. Really tired.
“I think he just waved at me.
“I can hear him.
“I think he’s talking to me.”
And the tableau ends as she leaves the stage.
Pastor Dave Seyller delivered a short message about how people cannot serve two masters.
He pointed out that we cannot entice Jesus with discounts.
We can’t bargain with Him.
“Too many people are searching for Jesus in all the wrong places, instead of searching within oneself.”
The service was shorter than usual, but I didn’t find anyone who felt short-changed.
The Methodist Church in Crystal Lake is located at the intersection of Crystal Lake and Dole Avenues, both of which intersect with Route 14.
= = = = =
All the photographs can be enlarged by clicking on them.
The blond in all of the pictures is first year Cary-Grove High School teacher Logan Fraser. Author and director of today’s skit, officially titled, “Trying to Buy Jesus – Boat for Rent,” Jeannie Patterson can be send advancing the clock’s hands. The woman with Logan Fraser in the top picture is Lori Morrow, who played Jesus’ half-sister in the second playlet of the series. Directly below that picture is SueAnn Fraser, Logan’s mother-in-law. Logan’s father Dave Hill is seen singing.