Holy Week Journey

This is a unique dramatic reading for use in a worship for all ages which includes some interaction with congregation.

Preparation: minimal-medium

Cast/Characters: 13 adults/youth

Scenes: 13 (5pp)

Main Props: Wooden hammer/block, palm branches (congregation), cloaks (congregation), small smooth stones (congregation), coins, red tablecloth, bread, chalice, flowering branch, lantern/candle, feather, crown of thorns/grave vine wreath, nails/hammer, fabric to tear, hand sized rock.

- a dramatic reading for use in worship with all ages

From the excitement of Palm Sunday, to the sharing of the Last Supper, we begin the hard Holy Week journey through Good Friday to Easter Sunday. And on that journey we encounter humble, ordinary, everyday things like palm branches, cloaks strewn on the ground, a colt, a room, a table, bread, wine, a kiss… all echoing through time, punctuated by the blows of a hammer on rough wood…

This is a story of strong feelings, of a great gathering joy, deep despair, loneliness, but still hope. A series of storytellers take part, each of them carrying a symbol of their part of the tale. When their part of the tale is told they will place their symbol on a small low table and depart from the other storytellers. As the story unfolds and the tellers each leave, it is hoped that there will be a real sense of the abandonment that Jesus experienced as he drew closer to his crucifixion. Yet as these tellers join the rest of the community may we all experience the hopefulness in the gathering, the remembering and the cries of praise that could not be contained as even “stones would shout out.”

Prepare:

• Read through this entire outline. Spend some time reflecting on the story of Christ’s passion and discern the best way to experience that in your church. Adapt this outline according to local needs and traditions.
• You might wish to use this as part of your Palm/Passion Sunday worship, at an all-ages gathering separate from worship, or on Good Friday.
• Arrange for 13 storytellers, striving for a mix of ages and genders. The storytellers need not memorize their parts but should rehearse so they might read with energy and confidence. One storyteller – preferably a woman – will remain seated throughout, while the others will stand to read, and then depart.
• Arrange for someone to lead the songs “Come into the Streets with Me” and “And We Stood Right There.” **
• Arrange for someone to hammer on a block of wood after each part of the story. Give them a copy of this text, ensuring that they are familiar with it.
• Gather the various props needed; see the suggestions with each part of the story. Place a low table in a highly visible spot at the front of the worship area.
• Obtain enough smooth, round stones to give one to each worshipper. (Such stones can usually be purchased at garden shops.)

** Song recordings are available for purchase as MP3 files