Summary: The setting is in church on a very busy night. Jenny has committed to do several different types of service and doesn’t get any one thing completed appropriately. She is cheerful and bubbly throughout the drama, happy to be in the service of the King, but oblivious to her short-comings.
Style: Dramatic with a light touch. Duration: 8min
Actors: 4F
Scripture: Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men”.
Characters
Jane: leader of the worship music team
Jenny: church member with too much on her plate
Kate: worship music team member and fellow committee member with Jenny
Anne: non-speaking worship music team member
Props:
microphones
plastic tub of cookie dough
music sheets or books
folder with loose papers
day planner
cell phone
Script
(Lights. Jane, Kate, and Anne are on the stage, finishing the song, “Give of Your Best to the Master”. During the last phrase, Jenny dashes in, picks up her music and joins in while still wearing her coat. At the end of the song, the worship team looks at her uncomfortably.)
Jenny: (flustered) Jane, I didn’t get that last bit of harmony. What are those notes?
Jane/leader: (patient but slightly annoyed) It’s in thirds, just like the first part of the number.
Jenny: I’m sorry I was late and missed the first half of the rehearsal. It won’t take me too long to come up to tempo with all of you. You won’t believe my evening! The soccer schedule was changed and my car was soooooo dirty from all the running to the sports fields, that I just had to run it through the car wash. I was checking Deb’s math homework during the wax cycle when I realized that this was Thursday and I was supposed to be here. So then I drove through the fast food place but the line was soooooo long so I called home on my cell phone and told the kids to be ready in 5 minutes. Well, when I got home, Scott could only find one shin guard so I had to help him wade through his room. We had to eat in the car again. Boy, I’m glad to be here and have a little rest from everything! Do you know how long our rehearsal will last? I have to be back at the soccer field in 45 minutes. So what were those notes anyway? Don’t worry about me, I’ll have my part ready long before Sunday!
(The team hurriedly goes over the last phrases)
Jane: Let’s take a 5 minute break. OK?!
(Jane exits; other Kate and Anne hang back a bit, taking extra time to put away their music.)
Jenny: (spots Sharon, who is unseen and really not there, at the back of the sanctuary) Oh Sharon, yoo-hoo, Sharon! I know that I said I’d bring cookies for you tonight but, well, you just wouldn’t believe how wild this night has been so far! I didn’t get time to bake them but I did get the frozen dough thawed. You can just pop the cookie dough balls into the oven at 350 and they will be freshly baked and yummy! You have two ovens in the kitchen, right? It will only take you half the time, then!
(Jenny pulls a tub of cookie dough out of her bag and turns to Anne.)
Jenny: Hey, would you please take this back to Sharon on your way to the water fountain? Thanks bunches & bunches!
(Jenny doesn’t wait for an answer and thrusts the tub into the hands of the dumbfounded musician. Anne exits with the cookie dough. Jenny turns to Kate.)
Jenny: Kate, weren’t we supposed to go over the new youth curriculum by tomorrow? Have you read it yet? I’m scanned it yesterday during Kent’s basketball game. That was a great game…… they won it in overtime! It was tied, with 10 seconds left and Steve hit both foul shots to win it for us. Well, anyway, I think I have an understanding of the proposed curriculum even though I haven’t read it thoroughly. What do you think of it? Hey, since we are both here, we can have our meeting right now!
(Jenny pulls out a folder with papers hanging out. The Kate is flabbergasted at it all.)
Jenny: Did you read it?
Kate: (stammering and caught off-guard) Well, I don’t have my set with me but I remember that the Scripture references checked out and I thought the teaching outlines were fantastic. I do have a question for the Pastors about one of the lessons. Before we approve the curriculum, I want to discuss it with them.
Jenny: (happy and excited) Good! Then it is settled…… We submit it to the Pastors and, if they approve it, we approve it! That was easy! I didn’t even have to read it after all!
(Kate shakes her head sadly and walks away.)
(Jenny pulls out her day planner)
Jenny: Now let me check my schedule. I certainly don’t want to miss anything this week. I want to keep my service to God as a top priority! Hmmmmm….. oh, no….. I’m supposed to help in the nursery during Sunday School this week. I am soooo tired. I really don’t want to do it this Sunday. What can I do……. what can I do……. (voice fades)
(Jenny is restless & concentrating hard, contemplating her next step. She suddenly has a bright idea and pulls out her cell phone. She quickly dials a number.)
Jenny: Hello, Suzy? This is Jenny. Hey, I don’t think I should be in the nursery this Sunday. I’ve been fighting a bad cough all week and I certainly don’t want to spread any germs to those precious, little angels. Can you find someone else to help this Sunday? (Jenny pauses, listening to the Suzy’s response) Yes, I know that Sunday is 3 days away but I hear that it can take a couple of weeks to shake this bug. (pause) Yes, I’ll take care of myself…… and thanks for the prayers! ‘Bye!
(Jenny looks at her watch.)
Jenny: Hey, that’s not too bad! I did the worship team practice, delivered the cookies, finished the curriculum meeting, and covered my nursery shift in less than 10 minutes. Now that’s what I call “Giving Your Best to the Master”. Those were the best 10 minutes of my day!
(smiles happily, freezes for light down; exits after lights down)
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© Copyright Claudia Rudolph, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
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