Oh, what a night

Brian's last post, about mission and zits, caused a reader of this blog to question whether we're truly representing the best of what Luther Seminary has to offer. Well, the truth is we aren't. Or we weren't. That's because we're a couple days overdue in discussing the seminary's third annual Mission Auction and Variety Show, which indeed showcased the best of what Luther has to offer—in music, fashion and comedy.

I think Brian only neglected to mention it and wrote about zits instead because he was being modest. He didn't want to toot his own horn for the stunning rendition of Michael W. Smith's "Place in This World" that he performed in the variety show. It was really ... something. I can't quite describe it. But he had the people waving their cell phones all across the Chapel of the Incarnation.

That, of course, was only one highlight of the evening. There was also a well-choreographed musical number featuring the seminary's entire administrative cabinet. And much more. I really can't do it all justice. This page gives you all the details. If you look at that page, you'll also notice the huge array of auction and raffle items and the figure of $5,900-plus that the event raised for the seminary's International Student Scholarship Fund and the St. Paul-based Keystone Community Services.

I'm not as modest as Brian, and I mention all this partly because I had a small part in the evening's events. Dr. Skinner's Discipleship group, of which I am a proud member, performed a skit suggesting a new way to locate graduating Master of Divinity students in their first congregations: via "Deal or No Deal." My friend, Janel, who masterminded the sketch, served as the pastor-to-be contestant, and I played host Howie Mandel alongside a large supporting cast, but Dr. Skinner stole the scene as the devil who offered the deals. Things went mostly according to plan, and, where they didn't, I had fun applying the old improv experience.

If you missed the show, you're in luck: That page I keep mentioning includes a video of the entire two-hour event. It might take a while to load in its entirety, and there are some unintentional special effects that flicker throughout the video, but it's the next best thing to being there for this night of charity and community. The "Deal or No Deal" act begins at 101:30, but make sure you check out Brian's song (which is every bit as moving as the classic movie of that name) at about the 28-minute mark.

Thanks to Allison Schmitt of the seminary Communication Office for the photos.