Brief Dramas For Worship

Most of these biblically-based dramas offer a woman's point of view about a scripture story or a scripture message. Some of the "main characters" are biblical people and some are contemporary people. The scripts are suitable for both contemporary and traditional worship services.

If you want an intriguing resource that can help you bring a fresh, contemporary perspective to some of Jesus' most enduring stories, then Visualizing The Parables is just what you're looking for. Originally conceived as a Lenten series, this set of brief plays updates five familiar parables, placing them in a modern context that suggests new ways of understanding these familiar texts. Written in an easy, conversational style and easily adapted to your individual circumstances, these scenes are simple to produce and can be used in a variety of settings. In addition to worship services, they are also excellent for classroom use or as openers for church council or congregational meetings -- and they're a great way of involving your church members (especially youth) in programs or worship. Parables dramatized include: * The Ten Bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-12) * The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) * The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) * The Rich Man (Mark 10:17-27) * The Great Banquet (Luke 14:16-24) Lynn Schlessman presents Jesus' words wrapped in packages that invite audiences to hear these parables in a new way, from an angle that feels accessible. The "punch lines" pack a wallop as they invite longtime Christians to "take another look" and encourage folks unfamiliar with the biblical words to get a glimpse of the absolute gift of God's love. Judy Hoshek Assistant to the Bishop, Northeast Ohio Synod Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Lynn Robert Schlessman is the senior pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Avon Lake, Ohio. He has previously served two congregations in North Dakota, and he is a graduate of Wartburg College and Wartburg Seminary.

Slice of life dramas are a tool to capture the imagination of viewers and communicate good news by telling stories that mirror real life. Slice of Life Worship Dramas (Volume 1) contains fifteen short, ready-to-use drama scripts that focus on moments in time and emotions to which people can relate. Themes in volume 1 include second chances, courage, doing good, forgiveness, love, spiritual growth, anxiety, kindness, God’s provision, truth, and more. The DVD included in this book contains live performances of twelve of the dramas, as recorded by the Wooddale Church media staff. Slice of Life Worship Dramas also contains helpful hints to assist in launching a drama ministry, working with church leaders, building a team, choosing scripts, and running effective rehearsals. "Read these scripts, and you will be impressed. Hear these stories, and your heart will be touched. Experience these dramas on the stage, and you will be changed."Leith Anderson, PastorWooddale Church, Eden Prairie, MN "These dramas contain a rare combination of humor, reflection, insight, and development of theological thought that fit in almost any worship context."Dan Collison, Worship Arts PastorWooddale Church, Eden Prairie, MN"Great dramas for worship services are like appetizers before a special meal. Slice of Life Worship Dramas is filled with humorous, powerful, keen dramas that set the table for the main course. I have used many of these stories for my sermons."Joel K. Johnson, Senior PastorWestwood Community Church, Excelsior, MN"Touching our emotions in a short drama is difficult, but Shelly has mastered the art. Slice of life dramas help people feel the truths they long to understand. These short dramas are authentic and create beautiful pictures for the pastor to develop with the sermon."Mark Hostetler, Director of Crosswalk MinistriesCross of Glory Lutheran Church, Brooklyn Center, MN

Brief Dramas for Worship provides dramas that are suitable for both contemporary and traditional worship services. They are appropriate for use instead of a sermon, or as the sermon. Included are questions and comments to use in a discussion following the service so that key insights from the biblical drama can be emphasized. The scripts do NOT require memorization. Each drama includes extensive "helps" which identify possible sets, simple costumes, and a detailed worship outline, including hymn and praise song suggestions, original prayers, etc. These production notes provide effective, professional presentation instructions. Permission is granted to reproduce scripts for use in congregational settings. Most of these biblically-based dramas offer a woman's point of view about a scripture story or a scripture message. Some of the "main characters" are biblical people and others are contemporary people. Dramas include: The Bethlehem Child; Margaret, a Grieving Mother Yearns for Her Wayward Son (Hosea 11:1); Bath Sheba and David; Lydia, Pilate's Wife; Martha, Prescription for Peace; Caroline: A Waitress Receives the Living Water; Eli's Wife: A Husband's Tale Brings Hope for Peace; and, Mattie May: A Mountain Woman's Tale of Gracious Plenty.

Worship dramas that teach through the voices of "real" people.

In Worship Innovations: Easy Bible Drama, you will meet Bible persons just outside their recorded stories. Listen to Sarah and Isaac on the evening he returns from Mount Moriah; watch Joseph (in Potiphar's jail) confront Satan about whether integrity pays. Agonize with Anne (the mother of Mary) as she sends her daughter off to register for taxes in Bethlehem; hear the private conversation of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea following Nicodemus' secret meeting with Jesus. Each of these fifteen sketches raises issues and questions designed to take readers deeper into a study of the Bible story itself. They can form the heart of a dynamic worship service, inspire a sermon, brighten a Bible study, or energize a personal walk in the word of God. Also included is "Everything You Need To Know About Easy Bible Drama," a chapter of "how-to's" for any church that wants to initiate the use of drama in worship. Any worship leader who has ever looked for thoughtful and inspiring Bible drama will profit from Worship Innovations: Easy Bible Drama by Janet Burton. Yes, the drama is easy, but it is also wonderfully creative. The stories are short and the settings simple, but still thought-provoking for both actors and audience.... Burton tells you how to recruit actors, schedule rehearsals, make costumes, and build settings.... These simple dramas will make your worship and praise deep for the heart, and inspiring for the mind. Michael Schooler Educator, Musician, and Worship Leader Giddings, Texas Janet Burton has been a pastor's wife and Christian educator for 45 years. For 20 of those years she served as Minister of Education at Woodlawn Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, where her husband was pastor. She has been a regular faculty leader in the area of adult ministries at Glorieta Baptist Conference Center, and in churches throughout Texas, New Mexico, and other midwest and southern states. Author of three books and a contributor to five others, Mrs. Burton's specialty is Sunday School Bible study curriculum. In addition, she has contributed weekly or monthly columns to three Christian newspapers. Burton studied Christian education at Wheaton College in Illinois, and at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. She is also the author of Worship Innovations: Hanging The Greens For Christmas (CSS).

SERVE A NEW MIXED MENU OF WORSHIP Worship Feast:A Broad Menu of Extraordinary Worship DramasServe an extraordinary worship experience to your youth. Engage them, and move them. Make an impact.Sometimes all you need to complete a meaningful worhip experience is a new skit that's easy to pull off... ...a drama that youth will love to perform, and one that will challenge actors and audience alike to ask serious questions about maintaining a life of faith in a not-so-faith-friendly world. With Worship Feast Dramas you will get a diverse variety of skits - both long and short - in one resource! These skits have been field-tested with real youth in real situations.Skits include -- Teach Me To Pray Survivor The Pizza Party McJesus To Go The Workers at the Mall The Sabbath Zone Sail Away ...and many more. The current generation of young people doesn't know a time when information wasn't coming at them from every direction. They multi-task every second of their waking lives.To meet their needs in worship, we offer a variety of postmodern worship--a multi-sensory, whole-person experience. Postmodern young people are not content to be observers of worship. They want all-out participation in soul-shaping, heart-waking praise to their Creator. Postmodern worship experiences offer moments of transformation by meeting God through all of the senses. Worship Feast Dramas was especially designed for youth workers and pastors who want to reach young people in their worship services by taking the sacred traditions of the worshiping church...and blending them with current experiences. Serve youth a worship menu that leaves them inspired...and full.

Slice of life dramas are a tool to capture the imagination of viewers and communicate good news by telling stories that mirror real life. Slice of Life Worship Dramas (Volume 2) contains fifteen short, ready-to-use drama scripts that focus on moments in time and emotions to which people can relate. Themes in volume 2 include God’s power, sin, transformation, temptation, integrity, outreach, patience, missions, trust, grief, and more. The DVD included in this book contains live performances of twelve of the dramas, as recorded by the Wooddale Church media staff. Slice of Life Worship Dramas also contains helpful hints to assist in launching a drama ministry, working with church leaders, building a team, choosing scripts, and running effective rehearsals. "Read these scripts, and you will be impressed. Hear these stories, and your heart will be touched. Experience these dramas on the stage, and you will be changed."Leith Anderson, PastorWooddale Church, Eden Prairie, MN "These dramas contain a rare combination of humor, reflection, insight, and development of theological thought that fit in almost any worship context."Dan Collison, Worship Arts PastorWooddale Church, Eden Prairie, MN"Great dramas for worship services are like appetizers before a special meal. Slice of Life Worship Dramas is filled with humorous, powerful, keen dramas that set the table for the main course. I have used many of these stories for my sermons."Joel K. Johnson, Senior PastorWestwood Community Church, Excelsior, MN"Touching our emotions in a short drama is difficult, but Shelly has mastered the art. Slice of life dramas help people feel the truths they long to understand. These short dramas are authentic and create beautiful pictures for the pastor to develop with the sermon."Mark Hostetler, Director of Crosswalk MinistriesCross of Glory Lutheran Church, Brooklyn Center, MN