The Wickenby Shepherds

The Winkenby Shepherds is a humorous fantasy skit about pastor appreciation, told through narration and pantomime. The story follows Miss McMurch, an over-committed church member who falls asleep with the flu and wakes up in the whimsical town of Winkenby. There, she encounters Phil and the Winkenbites, a peculiar group of townspeople with odd customs and exaggerated costumes.

Miss McMurch soon witnesses how the Winkenby Shepherds (pastors) are tirelessly serving their people but shrinking away from exhaustion due to a lack of support and encouragement. After experiencing this firsthand, she sneezes herself back home—only to be greeted by her own pastor, who has brought her food from the church. This encounter convicts her heart, leading her to realize that pastors also need to be fed—spiritually, emotionally, and physically—by their congregation.

Through comedy, rhyme, and over-the-top pantomime, the skit delivers a powerful message on the importance of appreciating and caring for pastors, reminding the audience that just as shepherds feed their flocks, the flock must also nourish their shepherd.

A "Suess-like" fantasy about pastor appreciation. 

Biblical Reference:

🔹 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 – "Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other."

🔹 Hebrews 13:17 – "Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you."

Run-Time: Approximately 12-15 minutes (depending on pacing and pantomime interactions).

Cast: 9
1 Man & 1 Woman (Narrators )
Mimes:
Miss McMurch
Phil
Preacher 1
Replacement Preacher
3 Winkenbites

Costuming is very “Dr. Suess-ish”. McMurch wears a night shirt, Phil wears a brightly colored vest, perhaps wild golf type knickers & a bowler hat. One of the Winkenbites wears polka-dot (very large polka-dots) tights. The Winkenbites wear flowerpots on their heads, with a silk flower in them, with huge bows to tie them on. Then, when they sit at the TV trays, the “hats” come off and became table decorations - “very Winkenby-ish”) The Preachers wear bright colored satin ribbon for clerical collars. Or completely change that – however , have fun with the costumes!

Props: a couch, end table, quilt, 3 TV trays.

The Winkenby Shepherds

A Humorous Fantasy

Scene 1: McMurch’s Busy Life

(Stage is set with a simple couch and an end table. McMurch enters center stage.)

M:

"Attend to the tale of a girl named McMurch,
who wasn’t quite busy enough in her church.
Ceramics and Puppets and Creative Dancing,
Advanced Bible Verse, and a course in Horse Prancing."

(As each course is mentioned, McMurch mimes the activity: working with puppets, doing a dance step, reading a Bible, and high-stepping like a prancing horse.)

W:

"She took all these courses and would have been glad
to take even more, were they offered."

M & W: (together, shaking heads)

"How sad."

M:

"One day, our fair subject, quite weak from the flu,
lay down on the couch for a curative snooze.
As she sawed logs, not quite fit as a fiddle,
someone sat down, with an—"

W: (interrupts, loudly)

"Ooof!" 

M: On her middle.  She awoke with a start, and startled the sitter, Who cried out in shock pulled her sleeve back and bit her!

Scene 2: Entering Winkenby

(McMurch puts a hand to her brow and backs up onto the couch, miming exhaustion. As she lies down, Phil enters from stage right, wide-eyed, sneaking, and skulking in a half-crouch.)

W: (recoiling, shocked, and pulling up her sleeve as if bitten)

"Get out of here! Buzz off! You’ve caused me alarm!
It’s illegal to squish me then bite on my arm!"

M: (Phil, extending a hand, sheepishly)

"So sorry I bit you. Bad form, you poor creature.
What’s say we make up? My name’s Phil – pleased ta meetcher."

W: (crossing arms, frowning)

"Don’t try your politeness on me, you rude man!
Get off of my middle! Un-dent my divan!"

M: As they arose from their crouch, she grew quiet as a mouse.  While she still had her couch, sh could not find her house!

(Phil and McMurch both stand up. McMurch looks around, confused.)

(We are now in the fantasy world of Winkenby. McMurch realizes her house is gone. Phil acts normal—after all, this is his home. McMurch looks around in amazement, trying to figure out what happened.)

W: (looking around, confused)

"This is odd."

M: She exclaimed.  

(We are now in the fantasy world of Winkenby. McMurch realizes her house is gone. Phil is acting normal, after all, this is his home. McMurch is looking around in amazement, trying to figure out what happened.)

W: "This is not my hometown."

M: (nodding knowingly)

"Why, of course not. It’s Winkenby South. Do calm down."
So she wandered around with her newfound friend, Phil, gazing down at the town from high on Winkenby Hill.

(McMurch and Phil mime walking along, almost like a forward “moon-walk,” taking in the whimsical town.)

W: (curious, looking around)

"I guess you should show me around –
Clue me in on this strange kind of place where I’ve never been."

M: (smiling, gesturing to the town)

So they wandered serenely to take in the sights. And some strange ones were found, (some in polka-dot tights).  One in particular caught her attention by feeding the folks like a fast food convention.

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