Mime Ministry
"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." -- II Corinithians 5:17
House of Bread Mime Ministry & Youth Mimes is directed by Bro. Timothy La Vergne, II and supported by many Youth Advisors. The vision of House of Bread Mime Ministry (HOBMM) is to demonstrate God's love locally, regionally, nationally and globally.
Our mission is to minister to the nations, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ on every occasion, as we bring the art of mime to a greater level of acceptance and appreciation. HOBMM will achieve this mission by integrating mime with skits, drama, dance and real-life testimonies into a combined form of worship and praise unto Jesus Christ.
- To share the message of salvation with all audiences
- To edify, serve, and support each member of the ministry
- To participate in activities designed to serve, support and uplift communities
Mime is a powerful expression of worship through dance and interpretation. Here at Bethlehem, we have been blessed to have a young team of, well, mimes, to bless not only those in church, but those in the surrounding neighborhoods as well through their numerous, well-choreographed performances at servces and special events.
Mrs. Donna Darwin Ilochi, a born-again Christian of Pittsburgh, PA, was lying on her bed one evening meditating upon a talent she could do for parent’s night at the Temple Christian Academy. While listening to a gospel tape by Larnell Harris and praying, she saw a vision of a person doing creative movements to a gospel song with a white painted face, flowing black clothing loosely fitting and white gloves. She also saw a spotlight shining upon the person.
This was the vision for the mime ministry; but not the same as Marcel Marceau, the founder of Miming. Instead, the Lord showed her a mixture of sign language and mime. It was similar to a Hawaiian dance, telling a story with your hands. It was acting out words to songs giving the visual effect. We have been traditionally preached to and sung to so much, until she saw a need for a different way of communicating the gospel through miming.
After viewing Mrs. Ilochi’s performances during the year of 1982 at Christian Temple Church in Pittsburgh, Rev. John T. Davidson, Jr., who was the Youth Director of Christian Temple Church at the time, caught the miming ministry as a tool of ministry for the members of his youth church. With the assistance of Marie Jones, Tracey Williams and Dorian Thomas, Rev. Davidson developed a mime ministry, which they later called Creative Expression.
It should be noted that the existing mime ministries, today, in the black churches in the Greater Pittsburgh community, came from the above beginnings.
Ministering mime is interpreting gospel music, using illustrations and non-verbal methods to allow the congregation to understand what you are doing just like Ezekiel demonstrated in the Old Testament.
Bethlehem Baptist Church ~ 1415 Franklin Ave, Bonham, Texas 75418
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