Acts
of God®
A
Thanksgiving Potluck
An interfaith gathering of all manner of people who
couldn’t have convened on that first day of colonial thanksgiving.
Have dinner with Squanto, Mohammad, Buddha, Miles Standoffish, Jesus,
Abraham, John Lemmon, Elvis Paisely, Marilyn Mango, Al Joyson,
Florence Nightingtempest, Amelia Arrowheart, and others. No turkey.
It’s
a Wonderful Life (Abridged, by Garry Gooding)
George Bailey goes for a swim, discovers the meaning of his
life and lots of other folks’ lives, decides he likes it here on
earth, saves the bank, and does it all in about 20 minutes.
Jesus,
Poppins, and Pan (Quite loosely based on Dickens’ A Christmas Carol)
We encounter Ebenezer Scrooge and the Cratchits but not
much else is familiar. A play in rhymed couplets that is funny,
offbeat, and somehow true to the spirit of Dickens’ original
Christmas classic. Jesus, Mary Poppins, and Peter Pan appear as the
ghosts.
Job: Why Me, God? (The Whole Book)
A good man has all good fortune, then nothing except bad
skin and woe, then all good fortune again; God wagers with the Devil,
and critical friends get their comeuppance. A funny drama.
Joseph,
Mary, and the Birth of Jesus (Matthew 1, except for the Begats)
An angel tells Joseph the truth about Mary and the baby she
is carrying. Joseph overcomes his skepticism and leans toward
happiness about his role as the earthly father to the Son of
God.
Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:26-45)
Mary enjoys a visit with her cousin Elizabeth. They share
jubilant news, discuss the importance of their sons, and experience
the simultaneous bonding of these unborn infants, destined for
greatness.
The Missing Chalice
A surprise turns out to be a shattering experience, an
assistant fears heads are going to roll, a minister panics, and
everyone breathes a bit easier because of one wise bishop’s cool
head, very much in place.
The Three Wise
Men (Matthew)
The three wise men follow a star and Herod gets nervous.
The travelers wind up at the foot of a manger bearing the baby Jesus
and they proceed to give him all their valuables–a considerable
bounty. Having no small compunctions about Herod’s integrity, they
decide not to report back to him. They and the holy family travel to
Egypt, but not necessarily together. When the political climate is
calmer, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph settle in Nazareth.
Welcome to our Church
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John brainstorm about how to tell
the story of Jesus. Their opinions clash and they’re not making
headway when they are visited by a helpful angel with management
training. The gospels will get written, but what about refreshments
after church?
Word Soup: A Change of
Ingredients
George gives us a window into the lives of his friends, two
couples with a history of fighting. One couple is about to take steps
toward a big change that the other couple has already made–and keeps
on making.
