The Retirement Party

A heartfelt drama written for the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church's 1998/99 Missions Conference Programs. The script is a fictional retirement party honoring Sam Jenkins, a lifelong missionary who has faithfully served "the Boss" (a symbolic reference to God). Through the celebration, the audience hears of Sam’s lifelong commitment to ministry, the challenges he faced, and the faith that sustained him and his family.

Cast:

• 1 (monolog)
• any number of non-speaking others who crowd around the actor

Bible Reference: Matthew 25:21

Set:

• a few chairs at Down Stage Center, backs to the audience.

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX: none

Props: none

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions: none

Time: 5

Sample of script:

Peter moves to Upstage Center, speaks.

Let’s everyone find a chair, ‘bout time we got started with the celebrations. Now then, for you who don’t know me, my name is Simon Peters. I’m kind of in charge of these retirement parties around here. The Boss, who all of you know, is right over there in the corner, (points to an off-stage location), asked me to welcome you here tonight. Our special guest tonight is Sam Jenkins.

Sam, will you stand so’s everyone knows who you are. First off, some background on Sam. Sam came to us as a youngster, let’s see, (checks his notes), just 14, he’s been working for the Boss ever since. Like so many of our good people, Sam was encouraged by his Mom to come to us. Why, I remember the retirement party we had here for Sam’s Dad, back in, let’s see, (checks his notes), ‘18. Sam’s Dad was one of the Boss’s boys too, was in charge of a small flock in, let’s see, (checks his notes), Ontario at the time of his retirement. Good man, that Archibald. Worked long and hard for the Boss.

Archibald encouraged Sam to get his schooling, Sam went to a college in, let’s see, (checks his notes), Talahassee. I’m gonna tell you, that college has prepared a lot of workers for our Boss, and it still does today. After college, Sam signed up with us, looking after a field in South America. As would be the case with all of his assignments over the years, Sam gave his very best to each of the Boss’s people.

Times were often tough, but Sam knew Who he was working for. Long about that time, Sam met another of our workers, Monica Davis. Wasn’t long before she became known as Monica Jenkins. I remember the Boss telling me that Sam talked lots to Him about Monica, wanted to be sure that the Boss felt that Monica was the right one for Sam, and for the work that Sam was doing for us. Boss always kinda snickered about that, said Sam didn’t realize until much later that it was the Boss Himself who arranged for Sam and Monica to meet and fall in love.

Fact is, the Boss had this planned right from the very beginning.Sam and Monica, they had a lot of strengths and qualities. Probably one of the best was that they knew they should never go too long without discussing things with the Boss. Never a day went by they didn’t chat. It was, let’s see, (checks his notes), in ‘83 that Sam and Monica talked with the Boss about starting a family of their own.

Boss was tickled about that, I’ll tell you. Little Martin was the apple of Sam’s eye, for sure! Then, long about three years old, Martin started having dizzy spells, losing weight. Sam and Monica took little Martin back to Canada, to a doctor. But nothing helped. Martin had his retirement.

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