BY SCOTT STIFFLER | Some people practice religion by parking themselves in the a pew twice a year: Once in the winter, to celebrate the Christ Child’s birth, and once in the spring, to mourn the death of a preachy 33-year-old who healed the sick, fed the hungry, and made a lot people quite cross along the way. Then there are those who heed the command to love, and bring church with them as they go forth to spread the word.

In the latter camp resides NYC’s own Reverend Billy, whose anti-consumerism ministry was built by unsolicited appearances at retail stores, in bank branches, and on Black Friday waiting lines. By his side, with a song in their hearts: The Stop Shopping Choir–a robe-wearing, “Amen”-giving group prone to proselytize, testify, and keep the beat as Reverend Billy struts and sermonizes.

Over the course of two-plus decades, that “less is more” message has evolved into a plea for planetary health and wellness. Contemporary services have focused on calling out global warming, species extinction, and the plundering of natural resources as necessary evils that fuel our consumer culture. Reverend Billy and Choir still deliver the same witchy brew of performance art, activism, and revival tent  intensity–but the stakes have been raised to global proportions.

“Consumerism is causing climate change,” says Reverend Billy, “but now the Earth is unraveling that toxic economy, with a global heatwave featuring cities bursting into flames and 220 mph wind.” 

Just in the nick of time, that message is getting in front of more eyeballs than ever. Wrote Reverend Billy, in a recent email to his flock, “Our work has reached over 500,000 people directly this year, as host [aka the opening act] to Neil Young and Daryl Hannah’s Love Earth Tour…in 32 cities across North America, performing a shorter version of the Can We Be Strange Enough… show. The challenge was to inspire a great number of people who are not necessarily environmentally inclined. Watch the set HERE.”

And so–with the rally cry refrain of “Earthalujah!”–our indefatigable troupe of mission-focused troubadours have returned to their home base of NYC for three holiday performances at the 500-seat Quaker Meeting House on the edge of the East Village and Gramercy.

With free admission and a “no one will be turned away” door policy, your attendance will play no small part in ensuring Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir get their sober, letter-to-Santa wish–which, Kringle’s people (and Rev.’s pr material) says, reads as, “We hope in this time of total emergency that our plea to conscience and activism awakened some of those folks out there.”  

“Can We Be Strange Enough To Change Enough?” is performed on Sunday, December 7, 14, & 21, at the Quaker Meeting House (15 Rutherford St, east of Union Sq. 15th St. btw. 2nd & 3rd Aves.). Directed by Savitri D. Totally Free Admission & ADA Accessible (RSVPs are optional via clicking here). To visit the artists online, click here. 

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