SpiriTed to use music, humor, uplifting messages in program

Shannon Clary
Wed, 25 Sep 2013 04:18:50 +0000
Campus, ascension lutheran church, humor, inspirational, janet clazy, jonathan cring, spiriTed

Jonathan Cring, 62, and Janet Clazzy, 60, of SpiriTed. They will perform 7 p.m. Friday at Acension Lutheran Church.
Credit: Courtesy of Steve Kimbrell

Midterm blues got you feeling down? A motivational program combining music and humor might be the lift you need to get through it.

Messages designed to uplift will be delivered 7 p.m. Friday at the Ascension Lutheran Church by the duo known as SpiriTed as they tour the country hoping to inspire and entertain.

SpiriTed has traveled from coast to coast on a continuous tour for the past three years.

“We travel around the country trying to convince people we have more in common than differences,” said Janet Clazzy, 60, the female member of the team.

Her counterpart is Jonathan Cring, 62, musician, author and creator of SpiriTed. Cring plays piano, sings and shares stories with the audience.

“The stories are humorous. They will make you laugh and some might make you cry. But they will always make you think,” Clazzy said. “He comes up with (thoughts) you have never thought of before.”

Clazzy contributes by playing the oboe and the WX-5 wind machine, a horn-like device that can sound like a number of different instruments.

“I go through seven different instruments in a minute and a half,” Clazzy said

At their performance Friday, Clazzy said they intend to focus on a seven-word theme: “No one is better than anyone else.”

“Jonathan makes the point that when we think we are better than someone else, we cannot connect with each other. But he delivers it with humor and in a personal kind of way, and it will be surrounded by gorgeous music,” Clazzy said.

This will be the third year the Ascension Church has hosted a SpiriTed event in Columbus, according to Pastor Tim Muller of Ascension Chruch.

“It is a wonderful and unique performance. Our audience has overflowed with praise about the event in the past,” he said.

Muller said he thinks the duo will appeal to students as well.

“We are all in need of some quirky inspiration. Jonathan tells jokes that are modern and the music has a pop sound to it as well. They present a fresh view of everyday life that appeals across age ranges.”

Pastor Jason Fairbanks of the First United Congregational Church of Christ in Lake Worth, Fla. hosted SpiriTed earlier in the year. He said though they often perform in churches, their messages are meant to inspire people of all lifestyles.

“There were people there with different levels of education and different spiritual beliefs, and everyone found something with which they could connect,” Fairbanks said in an email. “What Jonathan and Janet do is much more than a performance. They evoke many different emotions and allow the opportunity to view subjects of life and faith in a refreshing way.”

Clazzy said they are happy to travel and motivate all kinds of people in churches and schools across the country.

“We are enjoying our last little bit of youth trying to do something meaningful,” Clazzy said.

Ascension Church is located at 1479 Morse Road in Columbus. The event is free.