I grew up watching Mr Rogers’ Neighbourhood. I also grew up with Bugs Bunny slapstick comedy, WWF Wrestling, and The Flintstones family; but Mr Rogers settled into my imagination and gave me something more. He was slow, unassuming, kind, attentive, generous and surprising. In a world of entertainment driven by action cartoons and toy advertisements, how did Mr. Rogers seem to capture the attention of a generation?
Recently there has been a growing and renewed interest in the life and work of Mr. Rogers. Books about his faith and beginnings as a Presbyterian minister, his enduring belief in the simple act of respecting the voice of children, and his ability to give neighbours a depth of attention and care seemed to set Fred Rogers apart. Author Gavin Edwards’ book, “Kindness and Wonder: Why Mr. Rogers Matters Now More Than Ever” tries to capture the core vision of Mr. Rogers. Edwards offers ten discoveries or principles that he believes translate well from the life of Mr. Rogers to our own. They are an invitation to:
1. Be deep and simple
2. Be kind to strangers
3. Make a joyful noise
4. Tell the truth
5. Connect with other people every way you can
6. Love your neighbors
7. Find the light in the darkness
8. Always see the very best in other people
9. Accept the changing seasons
10. Share what you’ve learned (all your life)
A documentary highlighting his life and legacy, “Won’t You Be My Neighbour” came out last year with glowing reviews. This month another film hits the theatres. “A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood” staring Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers will take viewers on another journey into the life of Mr. Rogers in a way that has never been done before.
So we’re doing something quite special to celebrate. On November 24th at 9:30 am, the same weekend that the film is released in theatres, Lake Ridge Community Church has booked a whole theatre at East Hills Cineplex Cinemas to screen “A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood.” We hope that this morning will be a chance for everyone who grew up with Mr. Rogers or who long to explore the themes of neighbourhood and kindness, to join us. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at lakeridgecommunity.com.
Even better, we’re also giving away 4 free tickets for this film. Simply let us know which neighbour you want to bring!
How to enter:
1. Follow @lakeridgecommunity on Facebook or Instagram
2. Like the giveaway post.
3. Tag a neighbour (two) who you’d like to bring to the movies and tell us why.
Giveaway will end on Tuesday, November 19 at 6 pm MST. Neighbourhoods are a primary place where we discover all that is good and beautiful in others, and in ourselves. Join us on November 24th for “A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood” with a couple hundred of your neighbours. It’s going to be a very special day.
