LEADING ROLES:
PASTOR MIKE WALKER: Speaks 2275 words. A godly man concerned about the needs of his congregation. (Age= 35-55)
KAREN WICKHAM: Speaks 1519 words. A happy Christian, but judgmental when trials come along. (Age= 40-50)
DARYL EMMERSON: Speaks 1374 words. A pleasant & outgoing Christian who is secretly struggling with homosexual feelings. (19-25, same age as Andrea)
ADAM BAILEY: Speaks 1396 words. Good friend of Daryl, brother of Andrea, soloist in the choir. Always ready to help. (19-25)
IRENE MILLER: Speaks 1208 words. An outwardly joyful Christian who is dealing with a difficult marriage. Karen’s best friend. (30-45)
TODD SANDBERG: Speaks 1110 words. Choir director, friendly and likable, married to Carolyn. (Age= 30-50)
ANDREA BAILEY: Speaks 1019 words. Adam’s sister, Daryl’s best friend & secretly has a crush on Daryl. (Same age as Daryl)
LEANNE: Speaks 987 words. Church secretary, smart & efficient. (25-40)
HARRIET BARBOUGH: Speaks 685 words. A very active member, gets things done & has a strong personality that often offends. Great character role. (40-60)
SUPPORTING CAST:
PASTOR GREG: 603 words. Associate pastor who is called on a lot to help when Mike is just too busy. (30-50)
JUNE WALKER: 589 words. The pastor’s wife. (35-55)
PETE WICKHAAM: 502 words. Karen’s husband, a good man with a dark secret from his past. (40-50)
CAROLYN SANDBERG: 452 words. Todd’s wife. (30-45)
FRANK MILLER: 429 words. Irene’s husband, a soul-winner, yet a controlling and domineering husband. (30-50)
SAM, THE STRANGER: 493 words. Comes looking for a handout. (40-60)
OLIVIA: 407 words. Burdened church employee (20-30)
VINCE CARTER: 405 words. A man wrongly accused. (19-23)
CARRIE WICKHAM: 377 words. Andrea’s friend (19-21)
BARBARA BAILEY: 358 words. Sweet-spirited mother (45-55)
SUMMER PARKS: 320 words. A new girl with a different fashion sense & a heart to please God. (20-30)
BOB BAILEY: 262 words. Andrea’s loving father. (45-55)
JO ELLEN ROBINSON: 230 words. Mother of suicide victim (50-65)
HANK PALMER: 217 words. Concerned choir member (40-65)
SMALLER ROLES:
NITA WICKHAM: 191 words. 15 year old attractive girl.
MRS. EMMERSON: 107 words. Daryl’s concerned mother. (45-60)
AMBER: 68 words. Friend of Carrie and Andrea (19-21)
MR. EMMERSON: 48 words. Daryl’s stoic father. (45-60)
BRYAN MILLER: 44 words. Mouthy youth (10-12)
DENA MILLER: 24 words. Equally mouthy sister (8-10)
WOMAN STRANGER: 11 words. Sam’s strange wife. (40-60)
PHIL ROBINSON: 0 words. Jasper’s father (50-65)
JASPER ROBINSON: 0 words. Suicide victim under sheet
EXTRAS:
CHURCH MEMBERS, WORSHIPERS, HOMELESS PERSON, FUNERAL ATTENDEES, CUSTOMERS AT THE MARKET, CHILDREN, PARAMEDICS
Various scene excerpts:
PASTOR MIKE
This week I had to do something that I never like doing. I conducted the funeral service of a young man from our church. Someone most of us didn’t know very well, even though he was one of us and we saw him here from time to time. There was obviously things troubling him, that no one knew about. Troubles so bad that he felt he couldn’t go on in this life any longer. We tell ourselves, “It was no one’s fault …no one knew.” I was his pastor. Did I help him? It’s too late to help Jasper now, but it’s not too late for you. Maybe you have troubles of your own. Maybe you have something in your life that you are dealing with all alone and you feel that you can’t talk to anyone about it. Well, I want to pray for you. Now, I’m not going to ask you to raise your hand or anything, but I do want you to tell me. You should have received a blank piece of paper in your bulletin today. Whatever it is that you are dealing with, write it down and then place it in the suggestion box in the back of the church. You don’t have to sign your name unless you want to. I will open the box myself and I will read them all and pray over them all. If you are hurting… you need someone on your side… someone praying for you… Jesus cares about whatever it is and He wants to help you. No matter what it might be. Maybe you have a secret sin, a bad habit, a terminal illness… You know, many of us are guilty of just coming here on Sundays and putting on our church faces. We smile and sing songs and hear a sermon and say hello to our friends…but come Monday morning, we are back to reality. And perhaps that reality is something that you are not pleased with and you know the Lord is not pleased with it. But He doesn’t want to condemn you, He wants to lift you out of your pit.
Later:
JUNE
(Approaching)
Are those the papers from this morning? Looks like you got a big response.
PASTOR MIKE
I did. I had no idea how it would go over, and it really did.
JUNE
That’s good, right?
PASTOR MIKE
It’s great. But that means all these people are struggling in our church.
JUNE
Your prayer list has just gotten a lot longer and you probably don’t even know who most of them are.
PASTOR MIKE
(He is not shocked, but just shows concern)
Listen to this:
(Reads them)
I am addicted to internet porn. (Picks up another paper and reads) I think I might be gay. (Yet another paper and reads) I am involved in an immoral relationship with a married man in this church.
JUNE
Oh my gosh! I wonder who that is!
PASTOR MIKE
No…don’t do that. Don’t wonder. It will drive you crazy trying to do that, and it’s best you don’t know, anyway.
JUNE
All those people are in our church!
PASTOR MIKE
There are a lot more like that. Many of them are asking for prayer for an illness or for rebellious children, and a few that want to overcome addictions to alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Just because people are Christians or they go to church, doesn’t mean that they don’t have the same things going on in their lives as people in the world.
JUNE
So we have a gay person in our church?
PASTOR MIKE
It said, “I think I might be gay”. Sounds like someone who is confused and struggling with things. The fact that this person actually wrote it down is a good sign.
Later:
OLIVIA
Thanks so much for doing this, Leanne.
LEANNE
No problem. I’m just sorry we didn’t get to talk much at lunch. I think we picked a place that was too crowded and noisy.
OLIVIA
Seems like I was just too nervous to bring it up, anyway. Can I just tell you now?
LEANNE
Well, sure. Of course you can. I think we’re alone in here. You probably should get started, so it will get easier quicker.
OLIVIA
I know, I should just say it, huh? Plus, we’ve used up our lunch hour.
LEANNE
Oh, I told Mike that we were having an important talk, and he said not worry about the time.
OLIVIA
Really? He is such a nice man. You know, he has helped me so much. (Pause) Remember the Sunday that he had people write stuff on papers and put them in the suggestion box?
LEANNE
Oh yeah. I did one myself. Did you?
OLIVIA
Yeah. I did something a few years ago that I just can’t seem to get over. It really bothers me.
LEANNE
And you need to tell somebody?
OLIVIA
Yeah. I think I do.
LEANNE
Are you sure that I am the person who should hear this?
OLIVIA
It doesn’t matter. The whole world could know. I don’t want the whole world to know, but the point is…most people don’t care. (Pause) I had an abortion.
LEANNE
I see.
OLIVIA
Now you’re going to judge me.
LEANNE
No. That’s not my job. God is the judge, not me. And I believe scripture when it says “There is therefore now no condemnation…”
OLIVIA
I quote that verse all the time. I have to believe that God forgives me for what I have done.
LEANNE
Of course He does. Now, you probably know that I am opposed to abortion. I believe in the sanctity of life.
OLIVIA
Oh, I know. So do I. That makes it even worse. Some women can do it and not have a conscience about it. But it tears me up.
LEANNE
Did you know the Lord then?
OLIVIA
I was seeking the Lord. I don’t believe I was saved yet. I think if I had the Holy Spirit, I would have known not to go through with it. Still…God was speaking to me… because I did wrestle with the idea. I just made the wrong decision.
LEANNE
I take it you weren’t married.
OLIVIA
No, I’ve never been married. You think I will find a good Christian husband who will want me after what I have done?
LEANNE
Well…if he doesn’t…then you don’t want him, either. Olivia, I really believe we all have stuff in our lives that we wish we could go back and fix…or change. Stuff that we are ashamed of. Maybe we are still dealing with it. I think we are all messed up a little bit…in one way or another.
OLIVIA
Some of us more than others.
LEANNE
Perhaps. Or at least we probably think we are the more messed up ones. But that is the beauty of God’s forgiveness. It doesn’t matter what we have done… He loves us and takes us in His arms and forgives us and assures us that it is all covered by the blood of Jesus.
OLIVIA
Thank you, Leanne.
Later:
ADAM
So, Vince…I saw you sitting with Rachel the other night…are you two dating?
VINCE
No. Nothing like that. I’m just not ready for that stuff yet. I would really like to just forget the whole dating scene.
ADAM
I hear you. I’m the same way. Well, I’m that way until I meet a really sweet girl and then I start changing my tune.
VINCE
Well…you know me. I used to be really into girls… a lot! That was all I could think about all through high school. But I just want to concentrate on my walk with the Lord right now.
ADAM
You know what I believe…the kind of girl who is attracted to a godly man, you know, a guy who is trying to put God first in his life… well that is the kind of girl that you want for a wife.
VINCE
Yeah… it’s like you are both so into God that you barely even notice each other… but some how God brings you together anyway. But then how do you deal with the whole dating thing? I mean, you want to get to know her….
ADAM
You sound like you’ve been there. My idea is to be friends. Make friends with her and get to know her in a group…as one of your friends.
VINCE
Sounds like you’ve been giving this some thought. That’s probably good advice.
Pastor Greg enters
ADAM
Hey, Pastor Greg!
GREG
Hi guys. Uh…Vince? Can I talk to you for a moment?
VINCE
Sure. What’s up?
Greg takes Vince and they start to walk away slowly. Adam keeps his distance so that he can’t hear them.
GREG
Vince…I’ve got to ask you a strange question. Have you written any letters to Nita Wickham?
VINCE
Nita Wickham? Why would I write to Nita…?
GREG
Someone has written her a letter that was full of inappropriate content…
VINCE
And you think it was me?
GREG
No. I don’t think it was you. Your name came up because of something that happened with her sister, Carrie.
VINCE
That was years ago! I was 16!
GREG
Well, no one is saying that you did it…but we are trying to find out who did and someone remembered that incident.
VINCE
Hey…I learned my lesson back then. And I apologized! Do they think that I would do that again? My gosh…Nita is what? 15?
GREG
Something like that. But she is very upset and so are her parents.
VINCE
What did the letter say?
GREG
I can’t tell you that, Vince. I just had to ask you. You can see why. You’ve denied it, so that’s where we are.
VINCE
Of course I deny it. Man! You do one bad thing when you are a kid and it comes back to haunt you as an adult!
GREG
That was the only bad thing you did as a kid?
VINCE
Why? What else do you got on me?
GREG
Nothing. That just sounded funny. I wouldn’t worry about it, Vince. I’ll talk to you later.
Greg exits. Adam approaches.
ADAM
Things okay?
VINCE
I don’t know. That was the weirdest thing. I made a mistake back when I was 16, and suddenly, they bring it back up and suspect me again.
ADAM
What are you talking about?
VINCE
Oh…I wrote an inappropriate letter to Carrie Wickham back when we were in high school. I got in big trouble for it. I apologized, and it was all over with. Needless to say, Carrie and I never dated. But I don’t think she held that against me.
ADAM
So, what’s going on now?
VINCE
I guess Nita got one, too, and so they suspect me. They think I’m writing bad letters to teenage girls!
ADAM
Well you didn’t so I don’t think you have anything to worry about.
VINCE
But they think I did! Someone told Greg to talk to me! It was probably Mrs. Wickham. She never did forgive me for that. That woman can still not look me in the face to this day. Talk about holding a grudge!
ADAM
Come on, Pal. Don’t let it get you down.
VINCE
You know what? Now I don’t even want to stay for the service tonight. When we’re done here, I’m just gonna go.
ADAM
No man…don’t do that. Come on. You need to stay.
VINCE
I won’t be able to concentrate. I’m not in the right frame of mind right now.
ADAM
Tell you what…we’ll go sit in your car for a bit and we’ll pray about it. We’ll pray that the real culprit will come forward. Besides, you sound like you need some prayer right now, dude.
VINCE
Okay.
Adam puts his arm around Vince’s shoulder.
Later:
ANDREA
You creep! You big, lying, double crossing jerk! How could you do that??
ADAM
What are you going on about?
ANDREA
You told! You told Daryl’s secret! Now he hates me! He never wants to speak to me ever again! I just lost my best friend because of you!
ADAM
What? Did he actually say that? Because that doesn’t sound like him.
ANDREA
No…but I’m sure that’s how he feels. I can’t believe you told!
ADAM
But I didn’t! Believe me, I didn’t!!
ANDREA
Then how did it get out?
ADAM
It wasn’t me! I have not told a soul! God can strike me dead if I am lying!
ANDREA
Then how? He said that his parents knew and they cornered him and started asking questions.
ADAM
They’re his parents…maybe they just figured it out.
ANDREA
Come on Adam! The parents are always the last to know!
ADAM
It does seem weird.
ANDREA
He said they even knew about our conversation. And he said that Pastor Mike called and asked him to stop working with the junior high kids.
ADAM
You’re kidding! He loves working with those guys! Why would Pastor Mike do that?
ANDREA
Because someone called him and complained and threatened him or something. I don’t know. Daryl was very upset. I tried to tell him that I didn’t say anything, but he said no one else knew.
ADAM
Pastor Mike knew.
ANDREA
But he didn’t know that Daryl and I talked about it. Besides, someone in the church called Pastor Mike. It could be all over the whole church by now…and Daryl thinks it’s all my fault!
ADAM
Come on, Andie…this is Daryl we’re talking about here. He’s like the nicest guy we know! He’s not going to be mad at you.
ANDREA
That makes it all the more terrible…because he is nice and he’s my best friend and he trusted me, and I broke that trust. I didn’t keep my promise…and I told you! Now everyone in church is going to know about his problem and I don’t know if I can live with that! I hurt him, Adam!
ADAM
Man, this is bad. I feel just awful. Did you tell him that I know, too?
ANDREA
Yes. So, now he thinks that you told. And he’s mad at me for telling you.
ADAM
Great. You and I are probably his two closest friends. How can we convince him that we didn’t tell anyone?
ANDREA
I just don’t get it. Did Mom or Dad overhear our conversation?
ADAM
But that doesn’t sound like either one of them. Calling the pastor?
ANDREA
Then who?
ADAM
Where did you and Daryl talk?
ANDREA
In the front seat of his car! Believe me, no one else heard that conversation! It’s as if someone planted a bug in my room or something.
ADAM
Man…all I can think about is us losing Daryl’s friendship, and that is so selfish. What about what he must be going through? He won’t want to show his face at our church ever again!
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.