MARY JONES’ WALK OF FAITH
CHARACTERS:
1. Mary Jones (can be divided into 2 roles)
2. Mr. Jones
3. Mrs. Jones (no dialogues)
4. Church Members
5. Mrs. Evans (optional scene)
6. 2-3 Villagers (no dialogues)
7. Rev. Charles
8. Rev. Hughes
9. Other ministers (no dialogues)
10. 4 Narrators
Set: A few chairs in a row at the back throughout skit; small table for Bible (optional)
Props: Few large Bibles, broom/baby doll/basket of eggs, pennies, BALA sign, English candle-stand for Bible table (optional)
NARRATOR 1: A long time ago, a little girl called Mary Jones lived in the far away country of Wales. More than anything in the world, Mary Jones wanted to learn how to read. Why? So she could read the Bible for herself.
The Jones’ family did not have much money. There was no school close to where Mary lived, and so she had not learned to read or write. Like most other people, she only had access to the Bible when she heard it read at church or prayer meeting.
(Stage: Row of chairs with Mary’s family, church members)
Mary went to church every Sunday with her parents. There she would listen to the minister read from the big Bible:
MINISTER: All Scripture is God breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
NARRATOR 2: Mary loved listening to the amazing stories about Noah and his ark, David and Goliath, and the miracles of Jesus. She wanted more. She knew that she needed to read the Bible to get connected to Jesus and to grow as a Christian.
(Church disperses)
One day, when Mary was ten years old, her father came home with wonderful news.
MR. JONES: Mary, a school is opening in our village!
MARY: I can finally learn to read and write! Now I can read the Bible stories myself!
But Mary still didn’t have a Bible of her own. In those days, books were very expensive. * {A kind neighbour called Mrs. Evans, had a Bible in Welsh. She invited Mary to visit her, and spend time reading.
MRS. EVANS: I know how much you love the Bible, Mary. Why don’t you come over to my house, and read from mine?
MARY: Thank you, Mrs. Evans!
(Stage: Mrs. Evans’ house – a chair and Bible for Mary to read)
NARRATOR 3: When Mary went to Mrs. Evans’ house, she saw the Bible on a special table, on a beautifully embroidered cloth. Then and there, she decided:
MARY: I’ll do whatever it takes to get a Bible of my own.
Mary visited Mrs. Evans every weekend, and was amazed as she read the stories of Jesus. The Bible came alive for her. In fact, each hour spent in her Bible only fuelled the fire in Mary’s heart to own a Bible of her own, in the Welsh language.}*
NARRATOR 4: But even though Bibles were incredibly expensive, Mary began to save her pennies.
(Stage: Approx. 3 Villagers giving Mary tasks, money)
Mary did odd jobs around the village for small amounts of money. A penny here, a penny there. She began mending clothes. She raised chickens and sold their eggs. She gathered firewood, and helped local mothers with their chores and watching over their children.
NARRATOR 1: For six long years, Mary saved her pennies. It wasn’t easy. Owning a Bible seemed like an impossible dream. But after 6 years, when she was 15, she finally had enough money to purchase a Bible of her own.
But there were no Bibles in her town that she could buy! Mary would have to travel far away, to a town called a Bala, to buy a Bible. In those days there were no cars or buses. Mary would have to walk.
NARRATOR 2: Even though she was only 15 years old, Mary set out on foot, and walked all day over very rough terrain to get to the town of Bala. It was a trip that would be immortalised in history. She walked a long, long way all day -- about 40 kilometres of rocky mountain paths. She went barefoot, saving her only pair of shoes for when she arrived in town. Tired and hungry, Mary arrived in Bala just as the sun was disappearing behind the hills.
The next morning, Mary raced off to see Reverend Thomas Charles, who would sell her a Bible.
MARY: Good morning Reverend Charles. I’m here to buy a Bible, so I can read it whenever I want to.
REV. CHARLES: I’m so sorry my dear. But I have sold my last Welsh Bible to a friend.
MARY: But I’ve come all this way. I’ve been saving money for six years!
REV. CHARLES: Hmm, I can see the Bible is very important to you! Mary, I will try and get that last Bible back for you.
And so Reverend Charles did just that. Mary could not believe it when he placed the Bible in her hands.
MARY: Oh, thank you Reverend Charles! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
NARRATOR 3: A very happy Mary took her Bible home to her parents. But Mary’s story doesn’t stop there. Reverend Charles kept thinking about Mary and how difficult it was for her to get a Bible. Later he went to a meeting where ministers from all over the country were gathered and he told them Mary’s story.
(Rev. Charles mimes speaking to ministers seated on chairs.)
All the ministers decided to get more Bibles at low prices for the people of Wales. One of the ministers, Reverend Hughes, stood up.
REV.HUGHES: If for Wales, why not for the whole world?
And that is how the first Bible society started. Today there are more than 140 Bible societies all over the world who help people like Mary to get Bibles in their own languages.
NARRATOR 4: Mary could never have dreamt that she would play such an important role in God’s plans for the world. {God spoke to Mary, and made her brave to answer His call to seek Him in deeper ways. She allowed God to draw her out beyond the shore of her comfort zone. Through her brave obedience, He opened a way for all to enter into the riches of His word. God used her to put the story of Jesus into the hands of millions of people. The story of Mary Jones reminds us that we are surrounded by wave after wave of God’s love}. If God could use a humble country girl, I wonder what He might be waiting to do with you?
CHARACTERS:
1. Mary Jones (can be divided into 2 roles)
2. Mr. Jones
3. Mrs. Jones (no dialogues)
4. Church Members
5. Mrs. Evans (optional scene)
6. 2-3 Villagers (no dialogues)
7. Rev. Charles
8. Rev. Hughes
9. Other ministers (no dialogues)
10. 4 Narrators
Set: A few chairs in a row at the back throughout skit; small table for Bible (optional)
Props: Few large Bibles, broom/baby doll/basket of eggs, pennies, BALA sign, English candle-stand for Bible table (optional)
NARRATOR 1: A long time ago, a little girl called Mary Jones lived in the far away country of Wales. More than anything in the world, Mary Jones wanted to learn how to read. Why? So she could read the Bible for herself.
The Jones’ family did not have much money. There was no school close to where Mary lived, and so she had not learned to read or write. Like most other people, she only had access to the Bible when she heard it read at church or prayer meeting.
(Stage: Row of chairs with Mary’s family, church members)
Mary went to church every Sunday with her parents. There she would listen to the minister read from the big Bible:
MINISTER: All Scripture is God breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
NARRATOR 2: Mary loved listening to the amazing stories about Noah and his ark, David and Goliath, and the miracles of Jesus. She wanted more. She knew that she needed to read the Bible to get connected to Jesus and to grow as a Christian.
(Church disperses)
One day, when Mary was ten years old, her father came home with wonderful news.
MR. JONES: Mary, a school is opening in our village!
MARY: I can finally learn to read and write! Now I can read the Bible stories myself!
But Mary still didn’t have a Bible of her own. In those days, books were very expensive. * {A kind neighbour called Mrs. Evans, had a Bible in Welsh. She invited Mary to visit her, and spend time reading.
MRS. EVANS: I know how much you love the Bible, Mary. Why don’t you come over to my house, and read from mine?
MARY: Thank you, Mrs. Evans!
(Stage: Mrs. Evans’ house – a chair and Bible for Mary to read)
NARRATOR 3: When Mary went to Mrs. Evans’ house, she saw the Bible on a special table, on a beautifully embroidered cloth. Then and there, she decided:
MARY: I’ll do whatever it takes to get a Bible of my own.
Mary visited Mrs. Evans every weekend, and was amazed as she read the stories of Jesus. The Bible came alive for her. In fact, each hour spent in her Bible only fuelled the fire in Mary’s heart to own a Bible of her own, in the Welsh language.}*
NARRATOR 4: But even though Bibles were incredibly expensive, Mary began to save her pennies.
(Stage: Approx. 3 Villagers giving Mary tasks, money)
Mary did odd jobs around the village for small amounts of money. A penny here, a penny there. She began mending clothes. She raised chickens and sold their eggs. She gathered firewood, and helped local mothers with their chores and watching over their children.
NARRATOR 1: For six long years, Mary saved her pennies. It wasn’t easy. Owning a Bible seemed like an impossible dream. But after 6 years, when she was 15, she finally had enough money to purchase a Bible of her own.
But there were no Bibles in her town that she could buy! Mary would have to travel far away, to a town called a Bala, to buy a Bible. In those days there were no cars or buses. Mary would have to walk.
NARRATOR 2: Even though she was only 15 years old, Mary set out on foot, and walked all day over very rough terrain to get to the town of Bala. It was a trip that would be immortalised in history. She walked a long, long way all day -- about 40 kilometres of rocky mountain paths. She went barefoot, saving her only pair of shoes for when she arrived in town. Tired and hungry, Mary arrived in Bala just as the sun was disappearing behind the hills.
The next morning, Mary raced off to see Reverend Thomas Charles, who would sell her a Bible.
MARY: Good morning Reverend Charles. I’m here to buy a Bible, so I can read it whenever I want to.
REV. CHARLES: I’m so sorry my dear. But I have sold my last Welsh Bible to a friend.
MARY: But I’ve come all this way. I’ve been saving money for six years!
REV. CHARLES: Hmm, I can see the Bible is very important to you! Mary, I will try and get that last Bible back for you.
And so Reverend Charles did just that. Mary could not believe it when he placed the Bible in her hands.
MARY: Oh, thank you Reverend Charles! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
NARRATOR 3: A very happy Mary took her Bible home to her parents. But Mary’s story doesn’t stop there. Reverend Charles kept thinking about Mary and how difficult it was for her to get a Bible. Later he went to a meeting where ministers from all over the country were gathered and he told them Mary’s story.
(Rev. Charles mimes speaking to ministers seated on chairs.)
All the ministers decided to get more Bibles at low prices for the people of Wales. One of the ministers, Reverend Hughes, stood up.
REV.HUGHES: If for Wales, why not for the whole world?
And that is how the first Bible society started. Today there are more than 140 Bible societies all over the world who help people like Mary to get Bibles in their own languages.
NARRATOR 4: Mary could never have dreamt that she would play such an important role in God’s plans for the world. {God spoke to Mary, and made her brave to answer His call to seek Him in deeper ways. She allowed God to draw her out beyond the shore of her comfort zone. Through her brave obedience, He opened a way for all to enter into the riches of His word. God used her to put the story of Jesus into the hands of millions of people. The story of Mary Jones reminds us that we are surrounded by wave after wave of God’s love}. If God could use a humble country girl, I wonder what He might be waiting to do with you?
No comments:
Post a Comment