Page 56 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2022 - Online Magazine
P. 56
Exceptional
SENIORS
Puppet Master
on a MISSION
Helen Stephenson
by Granddaughter D’Lea Jordan
her boys’ growing up years and also known as Papa Jack and
beyond. She also volunteered to help Grandmommy, took their
teach Vacation Bible School as she grandchildren with them to church
was raising her boys and continues to help out with the puppet ministry.
to help teach VBS now, over 50 years Jack and Helen led the puppet
later. ministry at Lubbock First Church
of the Nazarene for about 20 years
Her ministry to children changed until Jack could no longer continue
when she remarried in her fifties, in due to health reasons; he passed
1988. Helen was a part of a square- away in 2009.
dancing group where she met Jack
Stephenson. Jack was involved in a Helen decided to continue the
puppet ministry at his church, First puppet ministry at the church she’d
Church of the Nazarene. Long story raised her boys in, Wilson First
short, Helen not only fell in love Baptist. Helen and Jack's puppet
with Jack; she also fell in love with ministry legacy continues as Helen’s
puppet ministry. granddaughters, Amber and Jenna,
help her with the ministry. Even
Jack wrote his own puppet scripts Amber's husband, Cody, and her
and was the voice of a popular mother-in-law, Brenda, contribute.
ne of the best things about puppet named Al. Helen’s voice
Lubbock is the abundance of could often be Currently, Helen and
Orural farming communities heard as “Whiskers her team put on a
that surround us. These tight- the Mouse.” The puppet show during the
knit, hard-working communities talented performer Sunday morning service
have frequently been known to and artist has at First Baptist Wilson
produce some talented and creative created some of the every 1st Sunday.
artists and musicians. The town of puppets herself and During Christmas
Wilson has produced a wonderful made all of their time and the 4th of
performer of another genre— clothes, as well as July, folks are treated
puppetry. Helen Stephenson has all of the props. She to special blacklight
lived in Wilson, Texas almost all her also built the current performances.
life. puppet stage and Sometimes, Helen
sewed together the and her team take the
She raised her three boys in Wilson, backdrops. show on the road. They
seeing to it that they attended have put on shows at
church regularly. Helen taught Over the years, the nursing home in
children’s Sunday School through Jack and Helen, Tahoka, at the park in
56 Lubbock Senior Link
