"Say 'Let There Be . . .'" Audio & Blog Premiere

Our new audio series entitled “Say 'Let There Be . . .'” is now being released program by program. The introductory program is titled “The Call to Action”. In 14 minutes it introduces the series by calling you to find and bring your vision into the material world as a concrete mission.
The series bears the name which is the essence of our discussion over the next 10 or more episodes. It is calling you to do what God, the Creator originally did, to bring into being what was not there. The words "Let there be" are some of the first words of the Bible and represent the expression which God made to begin all that we know as reality. In this series we are drawing attention to the image of God in human beings, the likeness of God in us which empowers us to create what was not there before.
The introductory program can be played on our new Say “Let There Be . . .” blog devoted to the series. Click here to listen and browse the blog. http://saylettherebe.blogspot.com
The episodes planned cover a range of topics from both the current lessons being learned and 40 years life experiences of Mark and Donna Turner. Episodes will include 1. Call to Action; 2.Finding Your Vision; 3.Describe Your Vision as a Project; 4.Money Management; 5.Simplifying, Outsourcing, Debt; 6.Types of Income; 7.Your Own Business; 8.Building Your Team; 9.Expanding Your Business Right; 10.Partnering with God to Execute the Plan.

Minds Dwell On These Things

We are reviving our disciplines of creating productive “mental environments” (attitudes). This consists of disciplining our minds to celebrate all the good that we have had and are experiencing, to remind ourselves of all the good God has done through all of history and our lives. We acknowledge all our wonderful accomplishments and gain confidence that we can do even more. Reaffirming the good liberates our thinking so we are able to create with God solutions to many problems.

Surrounding us is a world which insists on being what it calls “realistic” . What the systems of this world and those loyal to them mean by “realistic” is to keep your mind on your job, pay your bills, keep the money flowing to the creditors. They emphasize the bad things happening around the world and keep the majority of humanity focused on difficulties, mistakes and problems. Remembering the good, looking for the redemptive, and just being happy to have hope is all considered self-deluding and pitiful. Not hip.

Horizon Gate is about counteracting the forces that enslave people's minds like that. Our vision is to make beauty and show it in such a way that opens eyes and breaks bondage. We are not about just helping people get comfortable in their prison cells. Because of our perspective we find opposition and unbelief. We encounter hardships because of devoting our time and energies to this unconventional mission and some people feel sorry for us.

But, we call you to a higher vision. Rather than just feeling sorry for the troubles, please, by praying for the good to happen and being a participant in the solutions, help us keep looking up and being faithful to the heavenly vision.

First of Three Vision Components

We have been promoting our three-part vision: the Production Gathering, the Film-Gallery-Café, and Funding by Financial Health. What would a “production gathering” be like?

Think of a retreat in which participants are provided with an array of helps, programmed and free form, to refresh their perspective on life, inspire them to accomplish their dreams and spark new ideas. Focus that kind of a retreat to the needs of practicing artists with a select few younger, promising artists.

This would not just be a vacation, but a working retreat in which the artists are selected to fill positions in a film production, the center around which the retreat is organized. Experienced professionals would work for pay and agree to mentor the tuition paying younger artists who have been invited based on their portfolio and application. Scholarships would be available. The younger artists would be challenged to rise to the working professional level.

The retreat aspect of the event would strive to remove negative pressure that is common to commercial productions and to promote a freedom of creativity. Hosted in a place close to nature, intense periods of shooting, performance and post production, would be interspersed with enrichment times. These would include live musicians entertaining during meal breaks and evenings, inspirational presentations from specialists in related fields, and recreational facilities. Room and board would be provided with ample staffing to attend to each individual's needs.

The number and type of residents, as well as the length of time scheduled, would vary depending on the demands of the given screenplay. Short films using a wide variety of art forms would be the preferred project. As each phase of production progresses every artist would be involved either as observer, or as worker, the whole group traveling together to the finished product.

By the time of celebrating the final product each resident will have experienced renewal, enlightened perspective on their career and craft, and formed special bonds with other artists. The gathering will have profound effect on the artists and their creations for the rest of their lives. The films produced at the gatherings will have a life at film festivals, distribution avenues and at Horizon Gate's Film-Gallery-Café.

Horizon Gate Flowchart: a Snapshot of Our Soul

The arrows in this flowchart show that our vision is to draw us all into a nurturing community. People hear about our mission through presentations (top), or get to know us through our art (bottom). We educate one another in our individual areas of knowledge including the arts, writing, filmmaking, spiritual growth, and financial health.

The growing Horizon Gate Community rallies together in the "Production Gathering" to make films. These artistic statements are experienced in many ways such as our "Film-Gallery-Café", film festivals, and on-line distribution.

Our prayer is that these films will draw many to God and that our artistic community will provide them fellowship, personal growth, and fulfilling work.

Increased Seekers Expected for Christmas, Make Plans for Them Now

This year more people than usual will be ready to remember the Truth in Christmas. Now is the time to get ready for increased numbers of people looking for more than consumer goods as the reason for the season. It takes care and planning well in advance to provide the rich and meaningful experience people will be looking for in Christmas '09.

We have the tools and the plan to lead people on the path to renewed insight and faith this year.

People will rally around our script for a great, intergenerational play. They will grow individually and as a community by working together and presenting the story to the larger community of family and friends.

Our “Word Show” workshop kicks off the experience by helping the group discover the joy of story telling. The workshop opens the inner workings of the script. It gets the group on their feet using new tricks to bring out the meaning of the story. By the end of the workshop your team will be ready to continue the fun through the process of preparing the story for the Christmas season.

Mark and Donna Turner personally apply their 40 years experience (apiece) in stage and film to guide the Word Show workshop weekend. But they do not just leave the team to fend for themselves after that. They remain available by phone to answer questions and coach the leadership through the whole process.

By the time the play has been presented the cast and crew will have grown personally and corporately in new appreciation of the advent message. The audience will be illuminated by the story and by the change in those who tell it.

A discount is offered of up to 45% on day, or day-and-evening Word Show sessions if booked by September 1.

Call 760-765-3884 now to learn how you can bring this wonderful experience to your community, or e-mail your inquiries to markanddonna@horizongate.org.

Play Capsulizes Age of Misinformation and Greed

Mark Turner wrote a play in 1990 which still addresses today's issues 20 years later.

In “The Lost Kids Spy Christmas” the old crook, Ananiah, has a nice gig going with a gang of kids to shoplift and some sly stooges to cash the merchandise. He is growing “the baby”, as they say, an ironic reference to his dearest thing in the advent season, his horde of cash, not the Christ Child. His conspiracy to obscure Christmas from the street kids is not that far off from today's realities.

He is staunch in defending his nest egg even when the pressure of police and double-crossing crooks bring him to the brink. It is his gang of street kids who get to his heart when they beg him to help save a real baby entrusted to them. When he joins the children in the rescue he recalls the choices he made as a kid.

Even though it is not “fair” and you could say it is too sappy to be “real”, he repents. He lets himself give away his fake baby of greed, admit who the real baby of Christmas is and escapes his just deserts. It's--not--fair!

These days the pressure is mounting and we tend to get that hording attitude which guards the little wealth we manage to keep. We think of revenge on the crooks that are getting away with millions. But here is a story about grace that extends even to the worst of us.

And that's why we are talking about Christmas in July. It is time to prepare to extend grace to an undeserving world in elaborate displays of love by producing this play in your communities. We have the script, music and sound effects along with our personal consultation ready to help you provide this act of love in your home town.

Call 760-765-3884, or e-mail markanddonna@horizongate.org to get started.

"Word Show" to Kick Off Productions

Our Word Show workshop is an excellent way to pull your group together and lay a strong foundation for your production of Mark Turner's play “The Lost Kids Spy Christmas”. Mark and Donna Turner come to your group and personally help dissect the play, learn what makes it a good story and show you how to tell it effectively.

Using the tools of playwrights, actors and directors, you identify key building blocks of the story. You discover what makes the characters tick. In longer workshops you play theater games to build story telling skills. Through Word Show everyone involved in your play gains the insight needed to do their best in the ensemble for the most meaningful presentation of the story.

The audience gains so much more when this kind of preparation backs up your performances.

The workshop can be limited to 2 hours, fill a day or take an evening and a day. It establishes exercises and disciplines which carry on through the rehearsal schedule and the Turners remain accessible for coaching by phone.

Word Show is a valuable way to approach any of the many script packages we offer. The “Lost Kids” script package comes complete with music and sound effects CD's.

To book a Word Show workshop contact markanddonn@horizongate.org , or call 760-765-3884