UMC pastor honors Black church with Simon of Cyrene musical
Henry Masters (right) confers with cast members Faith Griffin (center) and Brianna Williams during an April 4 rehearsal at Hamilton Park United Methodist Church in Dallas. (Photo by Sam Hodges, United Methodist News)
Henry Masters has a thing for Simon of Cyrene.
Nearly two decades ago, Masters wrote and published a book about the African man summoned from the crowd to carry Jesus’ cross to Calvary. Now, at age 76 and retired as a United Methodist pastor, Masters is producing his own full-length musical about Simon.
Others might write Simon off as a bit-part biblical character. Masters finds him fascinating—and highly relevant in a 21st-century America still struggling with race and racism.
