Scripturepicture Plays: Introduction and Guidebook with Pictures and Scripts

By Bill Ramsay

The ScripturePicture plays are twelve dramatic presentations of miracles, parables, and events recorded in the Gospels. More than just entertainment, they are carefully crafted Bible studies in a form that invites participation, reflection, and understanding. The Christmas story, the healing of the man born blind, the parable of the prodigal son, the accounts of the empty tomb, and other scriptures come alive through the actual pictures of the events and the accounts of those who were there at the time. They can be used as dramatic productions for the church and community, as a tool for Christian education, as a resource for Bible study groups, or for individual meditation and enjoyment. They are flexible and easy to use alone or as part of a worship service, choir concert, church camp, or other activity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Aug 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781532003585

Bill Ramsay

Bill Ramsay and Rose Moore came to Berea College, Kentucky in 1948. They were seventeen years old. In four years they would marry and in eighteen more years, with a family of six children, move back to Berea. Born during the Great Depression, Rose came from a small farm family in East Tennessee and Bill grew up in a steel town in Pennsylvania and then on a small farm in Georgia. After military service and graduate school, they settled in Oak Ridge, Tennessee where Bill worked for the Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies. Rose helped establish a childbirth education program in Oak Ridge and became active in the national movement, serving on the board of the International Childbirth Education Association. Both were involved in the struggle for civil rights. Rose also taught literacy to children and adults. In 1965, Bill and colleagues started community development internship programs, and they coined the term service-learning which has been adopted by programs across the country. They moved to Atlanta to expand service-learning at the Southern Regional Education Board. Rose became a certified Laubach Teacher Trainer. Moving to Berea College in 1970, Bill served as Dean of Labor and as a Vice President. Rose organized a host family program for international students. Bill was involved in the formation of NSEA, the National Student Employment Association, and served as president in 1988-89, He served on the Berea school board and, later, as president of the board of Pine Mountain Settlement School. Throughout their years they were active in church. Primarily, they were a family. They enjoyed their children, watching them grow, marry, and have children of their own. With 22 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren as of January 2018, they are assured that their legacy of family values and Christian service will continue beyond their time.

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Copyright © 2016 Bill Ramsay.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

RSV - [Scripture quotations are]from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NRSV - [Scripture quotations are]from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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Dedication

The ScripturePicture Plays are dedicated to all those who would know the messages of the Bible more intimately and will share them with others.

Acknowledgements

The creation of ScripturePicture Plays has been a family affair. Daughters Laura Compton and Jennifer Rose Escobar helped with editing and especially with music suggestions. Laura, a veteran church musician, composed the music for Love Has Come To Stay. Rose Moore Ramsay, my wife of 63 years, gave encouragement and read all the scripts, making corrections and suggestions. Nephew, Martin Ramsay, lent advice and guided the publication process. The Pictures used were posed by friends and family, with photographer Elisabeth Skeese, at Happiness Hills Farm, managed by daughter Jennifer, her husband Alfredo Escobar and daughters Lydia and Isabel. Eldest son, Bill E. Ramsay, gave critical help with computer issues. Grandson Jonathan Ramsay worked on presentation.

The whole idea seemed possible because of the wonderful men, who over 25 years were the disciples in the annual presentation at the Berea United Methodist Church, of Lord, Is It I? based on the da Vinci painting and Biblical account of the Last Supper. These churchmen - a local physician, mail carrier, forestry researcher, computer technician, store manager, retired missionary, construction worker, and others - became Peter, James, John, Simon the Zealot and the other disciples. They made real Jesus’ calling his followers from ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Bill Ramsay

Author

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Preface

ScripturePicture Plays Introduction and Guidebook

Suggestions for Use

Production Notes

The Pictures and Plays

Section 1   Christmas Season

The Innkeeper’s Wife

The Innkeeper’s Wife

Epiphany

Caspar

Melchior

Balthazar

Joseph

Section 2   Easter Season

The Love He Gives to Me

Simon the Leper

Thomas

Lazarus

Martha

Judas

Andrew

Mary

He Is Risen!

Peter

Mary Magdalene

John

Section 3   Miracles

The Bread Of Life

Galilean Man And Wife

Jonathan

Andrew

Mother of Jonathan

Pharisee

Woman of Galilee

Philip

Light of the World

Athaliah, The Blind Man

Young Boy

Nathanael

Mother Of The Blind Man

Philip

Pharisee

John

Peace Be Still

Simon the Zealot

James, Son of Zebedee

Matthew

Section 4   Parables

Who Is My Neighbor?

Lawyer

Two Sons

Servant

Younger Son

Father

Older Brother

Servant

Section 5   Lessons

As Little Children

Thaddeus

Mother

Children

Peter

Redeemed

James

Woman

Who Then Can Be Saved?

Zacchaeus

Joanna

Matthew

Benjamin

Susanna

James the Younger

Comments About the Plays

Preface

Doing the research and writing the ScripturePicture Plays was the culmination of years of unconscious preparation. Finally, after more than 80 years of living, I felt the compulsion and inspiration to put my mind to work and my pen to paper to realize an idea that had lingered long in my thoughts.

Both drama and Bible study have been part of our lives from the beginning. I say our because Rose and I have been married more than 60 years and are truly part of each other. We met in the drama club at college and will act our parts together until our final curtain is drawn and we are invited to an eternal curtain call. Through many years we have produced countless little dramas at home, at church, at work and in community, although neither of us ever held any position in theater since college.

We have also been part of wonderful fellowships for Bible study as well as our having personal and family meditations. Not pretending to be Bible scholars or teachers, like my Scottish ancestor William M. Ramsay, we have read widely and shared freely our thoughts, ideas and questions with fellow seekers. We rely on scripture for guidance, inspiration hope and wisdom and wish this for others.

When our local Berea United Methodist Church began to produce the drama, Lord, Is It I? (by Frederick S. Thompson) in the early 1980’s, I became involved. I had the privilege of serving as director for most of the 25 consecutive years it was presented for the church and community. Rehearsals were Bible studies as we tried to understand and accurately present scripture and faithfully portray the disciples.

I was impressed by the power and simplicity of presenting a picture and having the characters step out to give their accounts of the event. I thought the format could be used for other scriptural passages, particularly miracles, parables and events reported in the gospels.. I toyed with the idea of writing some such plays and, after a few years actually wrote The Innkeeper’s Wife, presenting a different perspective on the manger scene. It was successfully done at church as part of a worship service. Others encouraged me to continue writing and I did sketches of feeding the multitude and the woman caught in adultery, which were used but not fully developed. Then, in the spring of 2015, at age 83 I felt the need to get to work on the plays. I ended up writing a total of twelve, all taken from miracles, parables and events recorded in the gospels.

It was fascinating to read the Bible from the perspective of those who were present as they were identified, or imagined to round out the story. A lot of questions arose that caused me to dig deeper in both Old Testament and New Testament and histories of Bible times. For example the gospel of John chapter 12 reports the dinner where Martha served and Lazarus was present and Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with nard. In both Mark and Matthew the incident is reported as being at the house of Simon the Leper. In Mark it is Jesus’s head that is anointed rather than his feet. Luke is silent in this matter. Who was Simon the Leper? If he was a leper how could he host a meal? What was his relationship with Martha, Lazarus and Mary? Where did Mary get the expensive ointment? Why was Thomas worried and Judas upset? Creating a plausible history and set of relationships, while being true to scripture, was a challenge resulting in The Love He Gives To Me. The scriptural messages are clear enough but contexts are important.

My hope is that those who take parts in one of the plays, those who watch a production and those who just read them for study and pleasure will be led to delving more deeply into scripture, and that they will gain new insights as they look at Jesus through the eyes of those who were with him. With the disciples and others we all have to answer the question, Who do you say that I am?

ScripturePicture Plays

Introduction and Guidebook

ScripturePicture Plays feature scenes from the Gospels in the Bible, each showing a miracle, parable or event reported in scripture. Each is presented as a picture or tableau from which the characters step out of the picture to tell their stories. Actual scriptural passages are used as much as possible along with other words given to the characters to make the story flow and hang together. Some relationships are invented to make plausible connections among characters. All stories have Jesus at the center, either in the picture or as the author of the parable. The intent of the plays is to hear Jesus’ words as they were heard by the people who followed him, and expressed by them with their perceptions. Jesus, himself, never speaks, but his words come alive through the shared observations, memories and insights of those who did hear him directly.

The plays are not sequential; each play stands alone. The plays range from short presentations with only one speaker to longer presentations with up to eight speaking parts. Non-speaking parts, besides Jesus, can be added to the pictures to include others as is appropriate to the group and setting.

Suggestions for Use

This means for teaching scripture in dramatic fashion is very flexible and can be used in various settings and ways. The use of scenery for the picture can vary from essentially nothing but a little space to more complex sets and backdrops. The plays can be stand-alone presentations or used in combination with other programs. Costumes are important if the play is produced for an audience. For a Bible study group costumes are unnecessary. Suggested uses are listed below:

Church or Community Programs. The plays are most effective as presentations in sanctuaries, fellowship halls, community centers or other such settings with a stage or raised platform, congregation or audience seating, lighting, music and audio capabilities.

Vacation Bible School, Church Camp or Sunday School Class. As a project of the school or class it can involve the members in a meaningful way as characters or audience to stimulate study, teaching and sharing.

Bible Study or Other Church Group. Just learning or reading the scripts can be a basis for serious Bible study. A Bible study guide and scripture references are provided with each script. Having the group then present the play to others can add focus, enjoyment, meaning and impact.

Worship Services or Choir Concerts. Some of the plays lend themselves to being incorporated in a worship service or a choir concert. This can add a dramatic visual component to the program as well as engaging other