Nine members of Soul Purpose and director John Steven Paul completed a happy and productive two-week residence at Holden Village on Friday, June 17, 2005. This was the fourth Soul Purpose company to take up artistic residence in the Village since 1998.  As in previous summers, the troupe performed its liturgical plays in nightly Vespers services, put on a concert of three plays, and, for the first time, created presented a new play based on the summer theme, “Take Off Your Shoes. You Are Standing on Holy Ground.”

VU students Jordan Chaddock, Deborah Hartner, Amy Jeffers Chad McKenna, and Jamie Petitto, joined VU alums Jeff Biebighauser, Dan Cobbler, Rachel Easton, and Ellie Goetsch to make up the company.  The plays included Soul Purpose standards The Man Who Was Not Far from the Kingdom of God, Locusts and Wild Honey, What Do You Think? and Zacchaeus. The company also performed newer Soul Purpose pieces Fools, Matthews, Manifold Grace, and The Hard Part.  The new play, Take Off Your Shoes, based on Exodus 3, opens with Moses, and lots of sheep, in the wilderness near Mt. Sinai. It was performed as a part of the Village’s weekly theme Vespers.

Members of Soul Purpose also worked in half-time volunteer positions in such departments as Waitri, Narnia, the Library, Mavericks, and Lawns and Gardens.  The group hiked together to Hart Lake.  Some Porpoises will be long remembered in the Village for the displays of their talents at the Lift nightclub.  Jamie Petitto wrote a song to music by Chad McKenna who also accompanied her on the guitar.  Chad and Jordan Chaddock sang a concert version of “A Horse With No Name.” Jeff Biebighauser read poetry by W.H. Auden and Dan Cobbler sang a duet with his father Michael.