Idea for Children’s Story

Peace&Justice Sunday
September 30, 2007

Characters: Choir director — Jan Buerge
Men in Choir — Mike Peters, Bob Carlson, Jim Martin
Inmate in Choir — Victor Torreros (wearing mask)
Sunday School Teacher — Phyllis Carlson
Kids in Class — Emma Campbell, Joel Campbell, Hannah Schrag, Jason Leuenberg, Marina Kaufman, Andrew Moore, Jacob Kaufman, etc.
Police Officer — Phil Rhoads

Preparation: Children to make wadded-up paper balls, put equally into 2 buckets. One bucket will be for the Police Officer and one for the Inmate in the Choir.

Introduction: Phil will ask the Children if they know any of the sayings of Jesus. If no one can think of any, Phil will give examples, like “I was hungry and you gave me (food), I thirsty and you gave me (something to drink), I was a stranger and you (welcomed me), I was naked and gave me (clothing), I was sick and you (took care of me), I was in prison and you (visited me).” Phil will ask the Children if they know who Paul was and if they know any of Paul’s sayings. Phil will suggest, “if your enemies are hungry, (feed them), if they are thirsty, give them (something to drink).” Phil will explain to Children that today we are going to try to imagine what Jesus meant when he said to “Love Your Neighbor” and “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’ but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Scene 1: Children sit on floor of sanctuary facing the altar. Choir lines up on the podium facing the congregation. Choir director and choir pantomime directing and singing. Recorded music from East Hill Singers (“Holy, Holy, Holy”) plays from sound system.

Scene 2: Children sit on podium around their Sunday School Teacher who is on a chair. Inmate enters from off-stage with his bucket of paper balls. He throws paper balls at children and the teacher. Anyone hit with a paper ball pretends to be wounded. Choir director enters from off-stage and observes with horror what is happening and runs for help. Police Officer enteres from off-stage with his bucket of paper balls. He holds up one ball and yells menacingly (in pantomime). Choir director and choir members enter from off-stage. Director and one member calmly surround the Police Officer to block him from Inmate. The other two choir members surround the Inmate and block him from the Police Officer and from the Sunday School Class. The Inmate kicks over his bucket and throws down his remaining paper balls on the floor. Everyone stares at the Police Officer and after a pause, he quietly lays down his bucket and his remaining paper balls on the floor. Then everyone except the Police Officer and the Inmate kneel and pray. The Police Officer motions to the Inmate, and they walk together slowly off-stage.

Ending: Jan gives each child and each adult in the skit a set of Peace Stickers to pass among all the members of the Congregation. The Police Officer and Inmate (with mask removed) join in passing out the Peace Stickers.