IDEAOLOGY
A three-part drama for church worship
based on Matthew 25: 14-30
by
Peter Moreton
1 May 2014
Copyright. 1 May 2014.
All rights reserved.
Peter Moreton
c/o
NOTES
This script is designed to be flexible and, with a little imagination can be tailored to each individual church. Although the piece begins light hearted the performers should try and create a darker sense of foreboding as they reach the end of part two and part three.
The WORSHIP LEADER can be played by anyone, although it would be great if the person playing the role has introduced a little of the service’s proceedings prior to the script’s commencement.
Each of the IDEAS can be played by anyone, male or female, young or old. If you have specific ideas for your local situation, then feel free to make up a rhyme and replace the ones scripted. If you’re struggling to find enough actors, then it’s also possible to perform the script with only three IDEAS by cutting IDEAS TWO, THREE and FIVE.
The dressing up of the ideas in sandwich boards and locks and chains may seem a lot of work, but the image will give strength to the language and make the performance more memorable.
The actors who play JAMES, SALLY and EDWARD should use their own names and play the scenes as themselves.
ADDITIONAL IDEA OPTIONS
All these IDEAS as well those scripted have been devised in response to the Church of England’s findings from the Church Growth Research Programme 2011-2013 as detailed in the ‘From Anecdote to Evidence’ Report. The words in italics should be written on the front of the sandwich boards as described in the script.
I’m sure we could change our lay leaders more regularly. It might help people feel ownership to a greater degree.
I’m sure we could meet to develop our discipleship training. It might encourage newcomers and prove quite sustaining.
I’m sure we could recruit young people into leadership positions. It might liven our church and develop our mission.
I’m sure we could get more people involved in worship leading. Persuasion and encouragement are all they’ll be needing.
I’m sure we could consider worshipping at different times and in different ways. Sundays are not a good time for a lot of people nowadays.
I’m sure we could hold community film nights. The church might be less frightening to strangers if we turn out the lights!
I’m sure we could organise a youth conference or retreat. Sometimes young people need activities to get them off the street.
IDeaology part One
The WORSHIP LEADER interrupts worship with a special notice...(If the notices normally happen early in the service then the WORSHIP LEADER can add his/her notice at the end.) Although the notice is scripted here the WORSHIP LEADER should feel free to script the notice in a way which would fit his/her normal leadership style.
Worship Leader
Brothers and Sisters I have a special notice which I’d like to share with you all and I felt that now would be a good time... so... I’ve not as yet told anyone this but... I’m afraid that personal circumstances are forcing me to leave the area for a while. It’s all a bit sudden, but I’m going to have to be away for a good six months or so. I’m happy to explain why to anyone after the service, but in the meantime I did want to share some ideas with you...
At this point a line of 6 people shuffle/jump into the worship space. They are wearing sandwich boards made from cardboard, string and flip-chart paper. There’s a lot of clinking and jangling. A different idea is written clearly on the front of each sandwich board. The back of each sandwich board has ‘What do you think?’ written at the top but the rest is blank. All the board wearers are tied together at the wrists with bicycle chains or toy handcuffs. The last of the six ideas is wearing a dustbin liner over his sandwich board. Although ideas for each board have been scripted here (the words in italics should be written on the boards), the drama group should feel free to script any of their own ideas which might be better suited to their local situation.
Worship Leader
As you can see I’ve not yet shared these ideas. I’ve been keeping them safe because I’ve spent a lot of time working on them and they’re extremely valuable to me. But the thing is I can’t take them with me. Not really. So, I’m looking for someone to invest in them. In fact...
The WORSHIP LEADER seems to scan the congregation for a responsible person... In this script we’ve called her SALLY, but use the real name of the person playing the role.
Ah yes... Sally!
SALLY jumps up alert and ready.
Yes!
WORSHIP LEADER
Sally, you’re alert and able.
Sally
Thank you!
WORSHIP LEADEr
You’re always ready to step up to the plate and help.
Sally
I do my best!
Worship Leader
Can I introduce you to three of my ideas?
SALLY
I’d love to have a look at your ideas.
WORSHIP LEADER
And James!
JAMES (again use the actor’s real name) is at the back still sorting out the hymn books. He is distracted.
Oh James!
James
What.... Oh... Sorry! Yes!
WORSHIP LEADER
James I know you do your best, but you’re often distracted and maybe not quite on the ball.
James
It’s true. I’m not the most able here. But I try as best I can and I mean well!
WORSHIP LEADER
James, I have some ideas I’d like to share and I’m wondering if you could handle a couple of them.
JAMES
Er... Me? Well, if you’re sure. I mean I’m all for good ideas.
SALLY and JAMES walk up to the front as the WORSHIP LEADER...unlocks a chain of three ideas and leads them towards SALLY who has walked up to join the WORSHIP LEADER.
WORSHIP LEADER
Sally, here are three ideas that I think might gain your interest.
SALLY
Please, come forward ideas. Don’t be shy, don’t be nervous. I’m dying to hear how your concepts might serve us.
IDEA ONE steps forward.
IDEA ONE
I’m an idea. I’m an idea. I’m precious and I’m dear, but you need not fear for I’m just an idea! I’m sure we could open up our building to the community more. After all, that’s one of the things our building is for.
IDEA TWO
I’m an idea. I’m an idea. I’m precious and I’m dear, so please don’t jeer for I’m just an idea! I’m sure we could make our outside spaces more welcoming. We shouldn’t be frightened if people come in.
IDEA THREE
I’m an idea. I’m an idea. I’m precious and I’m dear, and if I don’t yet seem clear, it’s cos I’m still just an idea. I’m sure we could look for ways to help in the local community. For we know that God’s Kingdom brings peace, joy and unity.
SALLY
What brilliant ideas!
Ideas one, two & Three
Why thank you!
Sally
You’re music to my ears! Come with me; let me introduce you to the world out there. We’ll see if you’ve got legs!
As the IDEAs and SALLY have been speaking the WORSHIP LEADER has unlocked IDEAS FOUR and FIVE.
WOrship leader
James.
James(slightly distracted still)
What? Oh... yes?
Worship Leader
Here’s two ideas for you to think about. I hope you can manage that.
James
I’ll do my best though it’s true to say my inclinations don’t lean that way.
IDEA FOUR
I’m an idea. I’m an idea. I’m precious and I’m dear, so please try not to snicker or sneer for I’m only an idea. I’m sure we could use social media to communicate better. Most people under thirty have never seen a letter!
IDEA FIVE
I’m an idea. I’m an idea. I’m precious and I’m dear, so get your brain in gear for I’m a very good idea. I’m sure we could offer to provide volunteers to help local charities. For many work hard to resolve society’s disparities.
JAMES
These are two beautifully formed ideas!
Ideas Four & Five
Why thank you!
James
And although I’m aware it’s a responsibility! I’ll do my best not to let you down.
Worship Leader
Sally and James I’m trusting you. Speculate and invest and see what you can do. If you share your ideas and spread them around, they tend to light the spark for bigger and better ideas I’ve found.
Sally
We’ll take your ideas and some marker pens and see if they spark any more ideas from them!
(SALLY points at the congregation)
Worship Leader
See what they think and get them to write it. If you come back with more ideas I’ll be delighted. Ideas, they can write on your boards or they can stay in their pew and write it on a post-it note and stick it on you. In the meantime I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest those who can should stand... and sing a hymn!
End of Part One
IDEAOLOgy part two
SALLY & JAMES have returned to the front of the worship space with their IDEAS. During the hymn they have cajoled the congregation into writing down thoughts and more ideas on the boards and on post-it notes. The IDEAS are very proud as they’re now covered in writing!
Sally(she is over the moon and very excited)
I’m happy and joyful and if I’m shouting too loud it’s because I have had such success that you’re bound to be proud. I took your ideas and I showed them around. I gave them an airing and look what I’ve found. The ideas that you gave me left people impressed. They encouraged discussion and urged folk to invest in some thoughts of their own which I have with me here. As a result I’m returning with more brilliant ideas.
James
I was worried, if I shared your ideas, I’d end up with none, but I’m truly amazed at the bounty I’ve won. Apart from the fact that the process was fun, I’m beginning to believe these ideas could be done. There’s a positive energy that’s exciting and strange, like we might make a difference, like we could make a change!
Worship Leader
That’s the spirit my friends. You’ve been trusty and faithful. You left with a saucer and returned with a plateful! Your service commends you and I know now for sure that you’re able to handle ideas by the score. These ideas can’t be buried. We must all of us contrive to follow them through and to keep them alive. Perhaps in a year we should look at these tracts and see if our ponderings have morphed into acts! Take the ideas with you now and leave them with the congregation. Perhaps with prayer and further contemplation they might help us to swallow our fear and our doubt and open our doors and help us look out. But there’s one big idea that I’ve kept to myself. I was hoping to leave it with... Edward... is... is Edward actually asleep?
EDWARD (again use the actor’s real name) is snoring in his chair.
Can someone wake Edward up? Give him a nudge!
Edward
Harrumph! What?
EDWARD begins to wake up.
Worship Leader
Edward!
Edward
Mmm! Oh... yes... sorry!
Worship Leader
Edward have you any idea how much time it takes to put a worship like this together?
Edward
Pardon?
Worship Leader
I know you’ve had a hard week, but... well, so has everyone else frankly and I’ve put a lot of work into this!
Edward
I wasn’t actually sleeping! I was... er... praying! I was praying!
Worship Leader
You were snoring!
Edward
Oh! Sorry!
WORSHIP LEADER
I even got it to rhyme and everything!
EDWARD
What?
Worship Leader
Have you any idea how difficult it is to find a rhyme for invest?
EDWARD
You seem stressed!
Worship Leader
Edward!... (he controls his annoyance) I’ve got an idea I want to share with you!
EDWARd
Why?
Worship Leader
What?
EDWARD
Why?
WORSHIP LEADER
I just have, all right!
EDWARD
Whatever!
EDWARD makes his way reluctantly to the front. The WORSHIP LEADER brings the final idea forward.
Worship Leader
This idea’s very valuable to me. It’s not entirely new but it’s something I think we should definitely do! It’s just a thought that I’ve been hoping to flag and I guess it’s time to let it out the bag.
The WORSHIP LEADER tears the dustbin liner off IDEA SIX. Underneath written on his board are the words“We should take more risks!” IDEA SIX steps forward
IDEA SIX
I’m an idea, I’m an idea and I’m precious and I’m dear. But what do you think of this? WE SHOULD TAKE MORE RISKS!
EDWARD
Right!.. And what do you want me to do?
Worship Leader
Well... I want you to take this idea away and invest in it. It’s valuable and it could just lead to other better ideas.
EDWARD
Can’t you keep it to yourself?
Worship Leader
I’m going away!
Edward
Where?
Worship Leader
Look you’re ruining the sketch.
EDWARD
No I’m not!
Worship Leader
Well you’re not making much of an effort!
Edward
Really?.. Well... I’m not ruining your sketch... on my brain your idea’s etched... even though the premise is too far-fetched and all the rhyming’s badly stretched.
Worship Leader
Just take the blooming idea will you?!
EDWARD takes IDEA SIX and goes to hide in the pulpit, if there is one, or else behind something that’s in full view of the congregation.
EDWARD
All right! All right! To be nice wouldn’t kill you! You’re fast with your anger! Your annoyance is clear! Heaven knows what you’ll do if I spoil your idea!
WORSHIP LEADER
It’s in your care now!
EDWARD hides
Worship Leader
Don’t throw it away!
(The WORSHIP LEADER suddenly becomes pleasant again)
And now Brothers and Sisters I suggest we all pray!
End of part two
Ideaology part three
It’s later on in the service and hopefully by now EDWARD and IDEA SIX will be out of the congregation’s mind. Again the WORSHIP LEADER interrupts the service.
Worship Leader
That reminds me... Edward?
There is no sign of EDWARD
Edward!
Edward(clearly waking up)
Wha....? Oh.
(he peeks up from where he’s been hiding)
Yes? What is it?
Worship Leader
That idea that I gave you, did you show it around? I’m interested to know if there’s anything you’ve found?
EDWARD
Well I knew you were angry, so it made sense to me, to keep your precious idea protected and under lock and key. You’re creative with ideas but I still think it’s odd that you should impose them on others. It’s not like you’re God! I know what you’re like, yes, and what you can do. You draw plenty from nothing and many from few. So I hid over there with the idea that you gave me, cos I know if I lost it there’d be nothing could save me.
Worship Leader
So! I take profit from nothing? You’re starting to rancour? What do you take me for?.. A banker! If your perception of me should lead you to fear. You might have at least speculated on my idea! I never asked you to somehow find food in dry sand. I charged you to spread my idea through the land. At first I believed you were unable and hazy, but now I’ve discovered you’re just downright lazy! You were right to be frightened for it’s patently clear you are not to be trusted...
The WORSHIP LEADER snatches back IDEA SIX
...and you have no idea.... Sally?
SALLY suddenly stands up with herthree ideas.
James
Did you call?
Worship Leader
Will you come back out here? I’ve another idea that I’m aching to share.
SALLY
Another idea, but I have threealready!
Worship Leader
There’s more where they came from for you’re trustworthy and steady. I have no hesitation in giving you more. Whereas Edward now you’ve nothing. You should get out of that door. I gave you your chance with my biggest idea, but you showed it no interest and there’s no place for you here.
EDWARD
But I kept your idea safe and sound underground.
Worship Leader
You were idle and complacent and your fear let you down.
EDWARD
This doesn’t seem right I did as much as I dared!
Worship Leader
You can wail all you like! You showed no sign you cared. You hid and you left my idea in the lurch, now you’ve nothing of value to offer this church. It’s not a matter of whether you have or you don’t! What matters is whether you will or you won’t!
EDWARD
Can’t you give me a chance to turn over a new leaf?
Worship Leader
All I can hear is the grinding of teeth. The message in Matthew is chilling and stark. If you squander opportunity you’ll be left in the dark!
The scene is interrupted by a READER who stands in the congregation and reads from the Bible.
READER
“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”