A recent worship service at Heidelberg United Church of Christ was largely based on the story of the blindman as told in John 9:1-41.

The call to worship began with with the plea: "Open our eyes Lord that we might see you."

"Do you know what it is to be blind?" Pastor Karen Yonney asked.

The pastor then had the children close their eyes tightly and she pointed out how dark it was.

The youth group, No Limits, brought a puppet stage to the front of the church. A blind man puppet was on the stage and "the boys," as student Pastor Marcia Green called the two-person crowd, looked over the top. They were later joined by cut-out photos of Pastors Yonney and David Hess, the Lutheran pastor.

The story told the tale of a man who was born blind. Jesus made a paste of spit and dirt; rubbed it on his eyes and told him to wash in a nearby pool.

The man did as he was instructed and could see.

New words had been written to the song "Through Blinded Eyes" by the Who. The new song was a parody called "Behind Blue Eyes," and was played to tell the story of the blind man as the puppets performed.

"No one knows what it's like to be the blind man, to be confined through blind eyes, my dreams as distant as my eyesight seems to be," the song said. "I begged for money (as he tossed some coins to the floor)… my eyes made new. But my dreams, they are unlawful because on the Sabbath I shouldn't see said the Pharisees … but did I follow anything evil.

"No one knows what it's like to be a banned man, to meet the God man, to find new life."

The stage was built by members of the youth group and the puppets were rod puppets built by Green.

Yonney said there are two kinds of blindness: Spiritual blindness and physical blindness.

In spiritual blindness, people are unable to see God. In physical blindness they are unable to see trees or colors.

Which is worse? she asked. "Bring the light of Jesus. He came as a candle that there is hope."

Other songs in the puppet play also fit the blind theme such as "Open the Eyes of my Heart," "I am the Light of the World," and "Be Now my Vision."