 |  April 25, 2002 |
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by A. Victoria Hunter
A few weeks before Assembly, the Rev. Per Harling was cautiously optimistic about the Assembly debut of a 20-minute musical he wrote.
"I really hope 'Fly, Pretty Angels, Fly' will be able to communicate its message in the big hall of the United Methodist Women Assembly," said Mr. Harling, who is from Sweden. "The play was originally written for a local church with small resources."
"Fly, Pretty Angels, Fly" will be performed at the opening worship service tonight as an invitation to communion. The musical's songs call worshipers to consider the state of the earth and living things, and our responsibility for God's Creation.
A scene from "Fly, Pretty Angels, Fly" during its debut at Assembly 2002 on Thursday, April 25. Photo by Ed Moultrie, GBGM.
Mr. Harling wrote "Fly, Pretty Angels, Fly" first in Swedish then translated it into English. The play begins with a group of bored kids sitting around the church steps. Someone suggests they play heaven. Anything can happen in a musical. In "Fly, Pretty Angel, Fly," the children transform themselves into angels. They persuade Holly, the cleaning lady, to play God.
"It's the feast of heaven -- an intro to the feast," Mr. Harling said. "The angels fly out to the congregation and they bring to Holly God, the earth, water and air. The elements talk about what has happened to them. Then people are invited to God's feast."
Out of the mouths of children and Holly God, Assembly participants will get a vision of heaven mixed with tongue-in-cheek humor.
For instance at one point Holly God says, "Well rich people often have a hard time. Put them beside the poor people. They need each other."
Mr. Harling credits a Swedish bishop for the concept for the musical, which began when the bishop asked children to write to him to express their visions of heaven. He didn't expect many letters but he got thousands. Many of the children said they'd like heaven to be a place to get away from allergies, environmental pollution, bullying and loneliness. The bishop was interested in environmental issues and asked Mr. Harling to stress these concerns.
Mr. Harling shared the simple but profound message of "Fly, Pretty Angels, Fly":
"Take care of each other and the earth on which we live."
Mr. Harling, who has been writing songs since his teen years, estimated he's written about 600 songs.
"I am still far away from Charles Wesley who wrote more than 7,000 songs," he said.
"Being clergy and writing music is not really a unique thing," Mr. Harling said. "Music has been important through all my life, and being a theologian and preacher, I am used to using words and bringing words and music together. It is the most important way of communication today."
He sees songs as repeated communication, since songs often are used many times, compared to sermons that are delivered once.
"If the combination of good lyrics and good music reaches the hearts of people, it will stay there," he said.
Writing for children is not new for Mr. Harling.
"A long time ago I wrote children's songs but this is the first musical about and for children," he said.
Ordained in 1975, Mr. Harling is a Lutheran pastor, author and composer. He is no stranger to United Methodist circles as he has been part of the General Board of Global Ministries's Global Praise team since its beginnings and helped lead music at the Women's Division 2000 National Gathering for Teens and College/University women in United Methodist Women. He wrote the theme song, "Rise Up Young Woman," for that event.
He led music with fellow Assembly song leader Helen H. Cha-Pyo at that event and at the General Board of Global Ministries International Youth Mission Conference three years ago.
Adapted for the web from Response Daily.
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