Brief Dramas for Worship: 12 Ready-to-Use Scripts

Introduction

THIS BOOK IS INTENDED for worship leaders, pastors, small group leaders, and others who want to communicate through drama, liturgy, symbols, and silence that Christ is alive, and we can encounter him over and over again. The dramas were not written for scholars, so we have used our imaginations in creating details for some of the stories. We will leave it up to the preachers to bring their best exegetical skills to their sermon preparation. Our hope is to reach hearts and minds by presenting lively characters from the Bible who are not usually in the spotlight.

The resources may be used very simply. Some of the dramas contain descriptions of how to adapt to minimum, medium, or maximum effort, depending on the time and skills of those using the materials. All have been written to be presented using a script. They can be done in reader’s theater style, in which the presenter stands at a podium or pulpit and reads, or with the script hidden. Every script offers a suggestion for hiding the script. It will take some rehearsing to be able to read the script with energy and enthusiasm. It is not intended to sound like a lecture! If the script is memorized, it allows the actor to fully engage the audience with both body movements and facial expressions. Even novice performers can aim for this goal, but the main objective is to stimulate creativity in worship.

The acting skills needed are minimal, with the exception of the dialect used in the drama entitled Mattie May. If untrained persons are using a script for the first time, they should remember to speak very loudly and slowly and yet in a natural way. The dramas are usually short and do not require intricate sets or costumes, although these can add interest if they are used.

To some degree, stage fright can be helpful if it makes us focus and work hard to overcome our natural fear of speaking in front of others. It helps us to remember that we are not just acting a part, we are making an offering of ourselves to God who loves us even if we forget a line or talk too fast. Prayer helps, as does slow, deep breathing. Focus on the theme, not on the audience.

One person can present the drama, though directions are given to show how they can be adapted to more actors. The number of actors available and the needs of the church will determine how the script is used. The dramas were designed for women, but most can be adapted for men.

Aware that churches are using different styles of worship, we have indicated different ways to present the scripts in a variety of services. Some churches use The Revised Common Lectionary, suggested scripture readings for a three-year cycle that can be found at Christian bookstores. The readings for each Sunday and holy days are listed for use in a weekly worship service to provide a systematic approach to the use of Scripture.

The lectionary follows the outline of the Christian year. It is a voluntary tool for planning and leading worship and is used by churches of various denominations. We have listed the Sundays that the Scripture passages appear to assist churches that use the lectionary. We have also included a church year listing of the dramas to provide an overview of the year. See Suggestions for Use During the Church Year in the Appendix.

For churches that use contemporary music, we have made some suggestions from recorded and sheet music. Churches with a praise band can add or change the music.

Most of the dramas have options for stage sets, but no sets are required. The dramas differ in length, so we have indicated the presentation time for each one.

In addition to liturgies for worship, we have included a list of possible uses for each script. There are Bible study guides for many of the dramas and two complete retreats. The dramas themselves dictated the type of guides we included. One written to appeal to youth has a youth Bible study. One designed to assist in creating awareness of the needs of children contains specific suggestions about getting involved in helping children. Some of the dramas led naturally to other liturgies, such as Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant and a foot washing. These are included as options.

Our background as United Methodists led us to select the The United Methodist Hymnal and The United Methodist Book of Worship as resources. The drama about Mary Fletcher represents a piece of Methodist history. Other denominations have resources that can be adapted in place of the suggestions we have given. When possible, we have also used The Faith We Sing, an interdenominational songbook.

The Bible is the heart of worship and church life, and we share with worship leaders and pastors the task of finding fresh ways to help people connect the Bible with their lives. These dramas are designed to make this possible. We hope that the Bible characters will provide ah-ha! moments when worshipers or listeners enter into the passage in a new way.

When we plan worship, we offer ourselves to God’s guidance and pray that God will be glorified. It makes no sense then, if God has done the work, for us to take all of the credit! If an actor did a great job portraying a character from this book or leading a worship liturgy, give praise to God. The goal is to draw people closer to God and to give them a chance for a dramatic encounter.

Worship is fun and creative, whether it is done with a team or alone. It is a joy to find the words, phrases, actions, and themes that let people know they are in God’s direct line of vision. We encourage teams of laity and clergy to work together to plan worship and other events in the life of the church. Don’t be afraid to offer new ways of allowing God’s spirit to minister to people.

Change is difficult for congregations. As trained mediators, the authors have both seen churches in conflict because people have different needs and tastes related to worship. Go slowly with change. Pay attention to resistance and find out what is behind it before proceeding. Care for people more than ideas. However, worship does not need to look and feel the same week after week. Variety keeps it fresh and keeps people on the edge of their seats. Their curiosity will bring them back wondering, What’s going to happen?

In creating the worship and teaching designs, we have tried to look at what happens in the seasons of church life. What rite of passage is suitable for the parishioner who has suffered a painful divorce, lost an unborn child, said good-bye to a grown child, or learned that he or she has cancer? What is the appropriate experience for individuals and churches who struggle with illness or imprisonment? How do churches celebrate their mission focus? How do women go beyond comfort and find empowerment in their faith? How do we ask God for forgiveness? How do we teach what it means to be saved? A church has a life rich with many seasons. God always has something important to communicate, no matter what the season.

These services are designed to connect a human ache with the utterly unfathomable love of God. If they do not fit the circumstances of your congregation, feel free to change them to better serve your purposes. Give special care to express grace and not judgment, to provide hope and not despair.

We hope our ideas will stimulate creativity in others. We would be pleased if those who use this book for worship or other church events would give credit to the publisher, but then use their own creativity to adapt the materials to their own setting. We suggest that those who wish to adapt the pieces in this book consider carefully the power of silence, symbols, and action. Often these have as much or more power than words. Don’t be afraid to leave open spaces in which God can interact with people! We’ve discovered that God can use a grave cloth, a pitcher of water, or a broom to reach people if they are receptive. If the symbols that we’ve chosen don’t speak to you or for you, please select your own.

Thank you for being part of an effort to create places where people make a divine connection. We believe God says Bravo! when you invite others to open their hearts for dramatic encounters.

As they say in show business, Break a leg!

CHAPTER 1

The Bethlehem Child: Children in Poverty

By Brenda Motley Newman

(Four short monologues that portray the voices of children caught in the cycle of poverty and violence.)

Stage Setting: A large box is placed at the front of the sanctuary. Use microphones for all of the speakers, especially for children and youth. Use the altar table or set up a separate table filled with childhood items. Include items that span from early childhood into the teen years, such as building blocks, stuffed animals, books, balls, a trophy or two, a portable CD player, etc.

Props: Large (refrigerator or dryer) box, bookbags, books, composition books, old robes, blankets, small table with work tools, a piece of cloth, childhood items placed on a central table.

Costume: Speakers wear worn-looking jeans and casual (even torn) shirts.

Presentation: The following speakers take turns using the box: a teenage girl, a teenage boy, two preteen female speakers, and a young boy (not a speaking part) for the four presentations. The reading parts may be presented by one to four readers (preferably older teens or adults).

Presentation time: Fifteen minutes.

Scripts

The Bethlehem Child Theme: (Print this in the bulletin or announce the theme verbally.)

The Bethlehem child is every child born into poverty and violence. It is every child whose life is full of hardship. It is every child who does not receive the basics of food, clothing, and shelter. It is every child who longs for a secure home and who longs for good news. At this season of Advent, we remember that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, into poverty and violence. Throughout the generations, Bethlehem has been filled with all of the reasons God needed to send Jesus into the world—poverty, oppression, abuse, rejection, hatred, and violence. Today, millions long for a secure home, and we all cherish good news.

Monologue 1: A Teen from Bethlehem: No More Bus Rides

(Reader states the title as the presenter gets into place. A teenage girl places a bookbag beside her in the box. She pulls a book out of her bag, with the script hidden in the book.)

Teenage Girl: I am supposed to be on the school bus right now, but I can’t make myself get on. I don’t think Mama will find me here under the back porch. I don’t know if you heard the news the other day. Another suicide bomber blew up a bus carrying Israeli school children and commuters in Jerusalem. That was my bus. I wasn’t on it that day because I was sick. My best friend died that day. Why was she killed? She never hurt anyone. She was nice to everyone. She was almost the smartest student in the school. (Open a book or shift position some.)

Mama didn’t make me go to school for two weeks. We cried a lot and went to the services for those who were killed. But now Mama and Papa say we have to go. Why? I don’t want to go to school without my best friend. I don’t think I can ever ride the bus again. Why should I go to school anyway? If I don’t die on the school bus, I’ll get blown up while shopping one day, or when I get my first job, or when I am out with friends at a nightclub. My cousin died last year at a nightclub. It was her first trip; she was celebrating her twenty-first birthday. My uncle died two years ago. He was on a bus too. (Pause a moment.) I don’t think Mama will find me here. I think I’ll read for a while.

Reader (Older teen.): The world continues to be devastated by violence and poverty. There are youth, such as those who live in Afghanistan, Bosnia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Northern Ireland, and on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, who have known little else but violence. They have personally witnessed the death of too many people. Children who grow up in violence live with fear, depression, and very low expectations for the future.

Youth around the globe have not only witnessed acts of violence but also have become soldiers. Jane Springer, in the book Listen to Us: The World’s Working Children, dedicates a section to children who work in the military. She notes that children are often kidnapped and forced to become soldiers or join the armies at young ages because their families have been killed, and it is a way to survive. Springer concludes, If they manage to survive, former child soldiers are often traumatized by the violence they have seen. They may experience nightmares, insomnia (inability to go to sleep), headaches and crying. Other children with brutal war experience become so used to violence that they lose any inhibitions about it and continue to commit violent acts.¹

There are other equally brutal forms of child labor around the world. Innocence is also stolen from children in the form of child slavery, trafficking, prostitution, and pornography. The Anti-Slavery Society notes that there are an estimated 200 million child laborers in the world. This is today’s world of nine-year-old coal miners and eight-year-old prostitutes and of little girls who work in twelve-hour shifts in sweatshops.²

How can the children of the world become compassionate, productive adults when they have known