Dr. Jennie Pardoe

Director’s Note

Have you ever felt like you are doing everything right, but you aren’t receiving the blessings or answers to your questions in the manner that you expected? That is the plight of many women in our play. In As It Is In Heaven, Arlene Hutton examines women of faith through the lens of the Shaker Religion and shows that God speaks to each of us in different ways. For example, Hannah struggles when she doesn’t see the visions that others are blessed with, Jane wonders why she has lost all five of her children, Phebe tries so hard to be a leader but can’t shake her temper, and Fanny wonders why she can see angels but can’t understand what they are saying to her.

Our religion and manner of worship may differ from the Shakers in many ways. For example, we do not believe that Mother Ann Lee was the second coming of Christ, and we do not dance through our hymns during church services. But, we have much in common with our Shaker brothers and sisters. For example, we believe that there is a Heavenly Mother who works alongside our Heavenly Father and who loves us deeply, we believe through Christ we are saved, and we believe that God still speaks to us today. 

Just like members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the members of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing (the Shakers) believe that we are blessed with “gifts” from God. Many of these gifts may be big and visible, but they may also be simple in nature. In his famous hymn, “Simple Gifts,” Elder Joseph Brackett revealed that the ability to simply be yourself and avoid the pitfalls of comparison to others is one of the greatest spiritual gifts that we can receive. Knowing we are children of God provides us with deep and powerful connections to heaven. For the Shakers, gifts often had physical manifestations. An example of this can be seen in the play when a few of the girls receive “spinning gifts.” In the Shaker context, that means that they are literally being moved by God, and the physical act of spinning is deepening their connection with their Heavenly Parents. I invite you to ponder the gifts that you have been given and how God has moved you and spoken to you in your life as you enjoy As It Is In Heaven.

-Jennie Pardoe

Director