Prayer Chain Problems

Prayer Chain Problems© is a lighthearted comedy about a serious situation that quickly spins into hilarious chaos. When a church member calls the pastor to request urgent prayer for his sick wife, the message winds its way through the church prayer chain... and gets wildly distorted along the way. What starts as chest pains somehow turns into full-on community quarantine — complete with rumors of airborne diseases and total panic.

With a cast of colorful church characters and fast-paced phone tag, this play pokes gentle fun at how even our best intentions can go off the rails. Audiences will laugh, relate, and walk away reminded of the power of clarity — and prayer.

Cast: 8 m or f adult age

• James Franklin
• Pastor Thomas
• Ida Shields
• Doris
• Clarence Adams
• Sarah Williams
• Judy Thompson
• Offstage voice of Jeannie Franklin

Bible Reference: James 5:16

Set:

• blank stage with 2 areas somewhat distanced, isolated from each other by lighting.
• Each area has a phone on a table

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX:

• phone ringing
• phone beep

Props:

• 2 phones

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions: none

Time: 18

Sample of script:

ights up on Pastor

Pastor picks up phone

PASTOR:
Hello, Pastor Thomas here.

JAMES:
Pastor Thomas . . . . Sorry to bother you, it’s James Franklin . . .

PASTOR:
James, how are you?

JAMES:
I am fine Pastor, fine, but it’s my wife Jeannie, she’s not at all well . .

PASTOR:
Sorry to hear that James, been a lot of colds and flu going around the last week or so and . . .

JAMES:
No Pastor, this is more than just a cold, Jeannie is real sick, got chest pains, some numbness . . There’s a lot of heart problems in Jeannie’s family . . . I am worried.

PASTOR:
As you should be James, but have you called the doctor, the ambulance?

JAMES:
Yes Pastor, the ambulance is on its way, doctor is waiting at the hospital . .

PASTOR:
Good . . good . . .

JAMES:
What I called about Pastor, do you think maybe we could have our church family pray for Jeannie?

PASTOR:
Say no more James, of course I will call the head of our church prayer chain and get things started. . . Now you get back to Jeannie, let her know we will all be praying for her. . . I will call you in the morning and if Jeannie is in the hospital I would like to come around and spend some time with the two of you.

JAMES:
That is so very kind of you Pastor . . .

PASTOR:
Not another word, you look after Jeannie.

James hangs up phone, leaves stage. Pastor looks up number, dials, waits.

SFX:
phone ringing

Lights come up on Ida, picks up phone

IDA:
Ida Shields speaking . . .

PASTOR:
Good evening Mrs. Shields, Pastor Thomas here.

IDA:
Oh Pastor, what a coincidence, I was just remembering you and your good wife in my prayers tonight and I . . .

PASTOR:
That is very nice of you Mrs. Shields but I wanted to . .

IDA:
Not another word Pastor, why you must remember when you first came to Elm Street Community Church I told you that you would be in my daily prayers and never once have I neglected that.

PASTOR:
I am grateful for that Mrs. Shields but what I . .

IDA:
Not one time, even though I must say that my duties as the head of the Women’s Missionary Support and also head of the church prayer chain keeps me more than just a bit busy and . .

PASTOR:
Well Mrs. Shields . . .

IDA:
Plus with my . . .

PASTOR:
Mrs. Shields . . . Mrs. Shields . . .

IDA:
And . . .

PASTOR:
Listen, Mrs. Shields, I have a prayer request and . . .

IDA:
Done, done, done! . . Like I said, I pray for you and Mrs. Thomas and the little ones every single day and . .

PASTOR:
You are not listening Mrs. Shields! . . Listen please! . . . The prayer request is for Jeannie Franklin. . . James Franklin called, Jeannie is on her way to the hospital, she is . .

IDA, thinks:
Jeannie Franklin . . let me see . . Jeannie is the new one in old Widow Edwards’ house I believe.

PASTOR:
The Franklins have lived there and been part of our church for 3 years.

IDA:
I thought so, I can’t say I know Jeannie . . she never comes to Women’s Missionary functions . . mind you few of the young ones do.

PASTOR:
Mrs. Shield, it is essential that we mobilize the Prayer Chain and raise up prayers for Jeannie.

IDA:
Of course Pastor, I will get on it immediately. Now tell me the details . .

PASTOR:
Jeannie is having chest pains, her family is prone to heart problems. And Jeannie is on her way to the hospital now, the doctors will meet her there.

IDA:
Oh my, that is serious! . . I will call the first person on the prayer chain, not a minute to waste. . . Thank you for letting me know Pastor.

Lights down on Pastor. Ida puts on glasses, picks up a paper, dials, waits.

SFX:
phone ringing

Lights up on Doris, answers phone

DORIS:
Doris speaking.

IDA:
Doris, it is Ida Shields from the church.

DORIS:
Oh Mrs. Shields, I can explain, I was for sure intending on coming to the Women’s Missionary banquet but I had to . .

IDA:
Doris, that is another matter for another time. . . Right at the moment the priority is the prayer chain matters. . . And right now we are praying for young Jeannie Franklin.

DORIS:
Sorry I don’t believe I know her.

IDA:
Perhaps, and if so, that doesn’t matter. . . . What does matter is that Jeannie is having chest pains and her husband James told us that there is a lot of heart issues in her family. Jeannie is in an ambulance on her way to the hospital where the doctors are waiting to work with her. . . . Now do you have the facts?

DORIS:
Yes, yes, I have it, . . . .

IDA:
Good then, this is priority, we need everyone in the church to be in prayer.

DORIS:
I will get on it immediately.

Lights down on Ida. Doris hangs up phone, picks up paper, reads, dials, waits.

SFX:
phone ringing

Lights up on Clarence

CLARENCE:
Hi, you have reached Clarence Adams.

DORIS:
This is Doris, calling on behalf of Elm Street Community Church prayer chain.

CLARENCE:
Hi Doris, thanks for calling, how can I help?

DORIS:
Well Jeannie Franklin has been taken to the hospital, some chest problems.

CLARENCE:
Oh no! . . . How is James taking all this?

DORIS:
I understand that James rode to the hospital in the ambulance with Jeannie, the doctors were waiting there.

CLARENCE:
You said it was chest problems, what kind of chest problems?

DORIS:
Not sure but there has been a lot of colds and flu lately so wouldn’t be surprised if it was pneumonia. They say Jeannie’s family has a history of chest problems.

CLARENCE:
Wow, I sure feel for James, I will get on the prayer chain right away.

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