A few years ago, my Sunday School class used a Bible study curriculum based on “The Andy Griffith Show.” It was fun, a nice change of pace from more serious material, but it always managed to tie the moral lesson from an episode of the show in with some Bible passage.

There were several different versions of that idea floating around at the time; the one we used featured a video tape in which the episodes were introduced by comedian Dennis Swanberg. (No offense, Dennis, but you have a hideous-looking web site.) Some of my classmates thought Swanberg was goofy, but I enjoyed his introductions, which often featured razor-sharp impressions of “Andy Griffith Show” characters. (He also did a hilarious Billy Graham impression in one introduction.)

Later, I happened to run across “Swan’s Place,” a TV show featuring Swanberg, on one of those televangelist channels.

Well, Dennis Swanberg is going to be appearing here in Shelbyville December 19, at the big Baptist church right across the street from the newspaper. They’re doing it as a dinner show. Even though I’m a United Methodist, they not only let me in the office but sold me a ticket. I’m looking forward to it.