Prayer Chain Problems

Someone is seriously ill and calls for prayer support through the church prayer chain. Unfortunately along the way the message gets . . . muffled. What happens is hilarious and . .  a bit silly.
A comedy that pokes fun at ourselves.
Bible Reference:     James 5:/p>

 

Cast:         8, male or female, adult age

James Franklin
Pastor Thomas
Ida Shields
Doris
Clarence Adams
Sarah Williams
Judy Thompson

Offstage voice of Jeannie Franklin

 

Set:         blank stage with 2 areas which can be somewhat distanced and isolated from each other by lighting. Each area has a phone on a table

 

Lighting:    would be useful is the 2 acting areas can be somewhat isolated with lighting

 

Sound:      SFX of phone ringing
SFX of phone beep

 

Costumes:   standard

 

Props:       2 phones

 

Time:       18

 

Sample of script:

 

lights up on James, picks up phone, dials, waits

 

SFX:         phone ringing

 

lights 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 . .

 

Ids, 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 a paper, dials, waits,

 

SFX:         phone ringing

 

lights up on Doris, answers phone

 

Doris:        Doris speaking.

 

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Someone is seriously ill and calls for prayer support through the church prayer chain.

Unfortunately along the way the message gets . . . muffled. What happens is hilarious and . .  a bit silly.
A comedy that pokes fun at ourselves.

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:

lights 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 . .

Ids, 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 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.