Lay preacher Rosalie Sugrue's 14 short plays and meditations are ideal to present in church. They encourage us to engage with Bible and historical characters and explore important themes. Staging is simple. Few props or costumes are required. Most of the plays work best with a combination of children and adults.
This revised and expanded 2021 edition includes two new plays: How Lay Preaching Began & Go and Tell, a new Advent Prayer and a new section Story Telling in Church with tips about dramatizing Bible readings and other stories.
The plays include:
- Mary Jones' Walk: Relive the story of the 15-year-old Welsh girl who walked 25 miles in search of a Bible and helped inspire the founding of Bible Society.
- Easter Women [Adults]: Listen in on five women who may have shared a room on that Saturday night so long ago: Mary of Nazareth - the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene alias Mary of Bethany, the 'other' Mary, Joanna and Salome.
- ANZAC Day: Two children learn more about their family connection with World War One. Suitable for presenting in church when reflecting on war.
- [New] How Lay Preaching Began: A dialogue between John Wesley and his mother Susanna Wesley. John is upset that Thomas Maxwell, a layperson, has preached at The Foundery without his permission. It also includes notes about Susanna's later years, The Foundery and Lay Preachers.
- [New] Go and Tell: The Woman of Samaria meets other village women at the well and explains how her meeting with Jesus has changed her life. She also regains the friendship of these women who had previously shunned her.
- A Peace Presentation [Adults]: Monologues of two women from the scrolls of Hebrew Scriptures and two from the pages of New Zealand history. Ordinary women who by wit and will were each peace achievers.
- Mahlah & Sisters: A justice issue Bible story for any time of year. Five capable daughters successfully lobby for women to be able to own land.
- Mahlah & Sisters (B) - The Daughters of Zelophehad: The same story told in less words. For devotions at fellowships, house groups and youth groups.
- Christmas Women [Adults]: Multiple uses during Advent. Five meditations of women sharing their encounters with Mary for use in advent worship: Elizabeth (Mary's cousin) talks with Anna; Anne (Mary's mother); Woman Traveller; Inn-keeper's Wife; Anna (the prophetess).
- No Room: Makes a thought-provoking link between refugees arriving by boat at Christmas Island and Mary & Joseph finding no room at the inn.
