THE NEW HOME

A PLAY ABOUT TAKING CARE OF GOD’S EARTH

INSPIRED BY GENESIS CHAPTERS 1 AND 2

CHARACTERS

NARRATOR

GRANDMA DIVINE

GRANDPA DIVINE

ADAM PEOPLE

EVE DIVINE-PEOPLE

LITTLE EVIE

ADAM JUNIOR

The set is crowded with plants and stuffed animals. The narrator comes on stage. Grandma and Grandpa are on one side of the stage and Adam and Eve are on the other side.

Narrator: Once upon a time there was a lovely couple, Grandma and Grandpa Divine. (Grandma and Grandpa turn and wave to the congregation) They had built a beautiful house with a great yard. They were getting older and decided to move to a swinging retirement community in another state. So they called their daughter, Eve Divine-People (Eve waves), and her spouse, Adam People (Adam waves). (Grandma and Grandpa and Eve and Adam pantomime a phone conversation) The Divines told Eve and Adam they were giving them all of their property and the lovely house. Eve and Adam were of course very pleased. (Eve and Adam hug each other and dance around) Moving day came and Grandma and Grandpa had the pleasure of showing Eve and Adam around their new home.

The two couples walk around the stage pointing at things.

Eve: Gosh Mom and Dad, this is such a great place! So much room!

Grandma: Well dear, we hope you and Adam will have lots of children and raise a nice family here.

Grandpa: There are fruit trees in the front, and a large vegetable garden. Why we even have some livestock in the back. You certainly won’t be hungry here.

Adam: There’s even a stream stocked with fish!

Grandma: Well, we’re very pleased with the place. We built it ourselves, you know, and when we were done we thought how good it all was. Your father is quite a carpenter.

Grandpa: Well, your mother did all the electrical work herself. But, it’s all yours now. We hope you’ll be very happy here.

Eve and Adam: I’m sure we will!

Everyone exits. The stage crew clears most of the plants and stuffed animals. Some dead plants are brought on. Trash is strewn around the stage. Adam, Eve, Adam Jr. and Little Evie come on stage.

Narrator: The People family took no time getting comfortable in their new home and yard. Soon they had children, Adam Jr. (Adam Jr. waves) and Little Evie (Little Evie waves). They enjoyed all of the wonderful things Grandma and Grandpa Divine had built and left for them to use. Unfortunately, they didn’t take very good care of their home and things began to go wrong.

Eve: Adam Jr., go out to the freezer and get some steaks for dinner.

Adam Jr.: But Mom, all the steaks are gone. In fact, all of the livestock is gone. Dad shot it last winter and we’ve eaten it all. I could go get some vegetables from the garden.

Adam: No son, remember last year when I changed the oil in the car and you and your sister accidentally spilled the old oil all over the garden? Well, nothing seems to be growing out there anymore. I’ll go get some fruit off the trees in the front.

Little Evie: But Dad, don’t you remember, Adam Jr. and I needed more room to play out front and you chopped down the fruit trees? Gosh, it’s dark in here.

Eve: Yes it is. I don’t know what’s wrong with the lights, they simply won’t turn on anymore. The heater isn’t working either; it’s awfully cold in here.

Adam: The whole house is falling apart. The roof leaks. The water pipes burst last winter in the freeze. I thought you said your parents knew how to build. They didn’t do a very good job.

Eve: How dare you insult my parents.

Little Evie: If Grandma was such a good electrician, why won’t the lights work?

Adam Jr.: Don’t blame Grandma! Anyway, if it’s dark I don’t have to look at your ugly face!

The whole family begins arguing and continues as they walk off stage. After a minute Grandma and Grandpa come on the stage and look around.

Grandma: This place is a mess. It’s so dark; all the light bulbs are burned out. You’d think grown adults would change a light bulb once in awhile.

Grandpa: And it’s so cold. The pilot light has blown out on the furnace. I called the electric company to come and relight it. Where is everybody?

The rest of the family comes on stage.

Eve: Mom, Dad, we’re so glad to see you. Did you bring us some food?

Adam: This place you built is sure a mess. Why didn’t you build it any better?

Grandpa: Hold it. This place was well stocked and in perfect shape when we gave it to you.

Adam Jr.: Sure it was Grandpa, but then everything ran out!

Grandma: Well, it wouldn’t have if you had been more careful.

Little Evie: But we thought there was an unlimited supply.

Grandma: No, Little Evie. There is no such thing as an unlimited supply, except of love. But things like animals and vegetables need to be taken care of.

Adam Jr.: What are we going to do?

Grandpa: Some things are lost forever, but we may be able to save some seed from the fruit trees and the garden and plant more.

Adam: But that will take forever!

Grandpa: Yes, it will take a long time to restore the damage you’ve done.

Eve: Mom and Dad, would you stay here and take care of our home?

Grandma: No, but we’ll teach you how. You’ll learn. You may even come to love it as much as your Grandpa and I do.

The whole People Family: We’ll try.

They all exit except the narrator.

Narrator: We’d love to tell you that everyone lived happily ever after, but the story is still going on so we don’t know how it’s going to end.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for light and darkness. Help us to appreciate each day as it comes.

God, thank you for the air we breath and the earth we walk on. Help us not to destroy the atmosphere and not to clutter the earth with litter and trash.

God, thank you for the flowers and trees, for fruit and vegetables. Help us not to destroy the rain forest, which helps us survive. Help us to be more aware of what we put into the ground and the water.

God, thank you for the sun and its warmth, for the moon and its light, and the starts and their beauty. Help us to appreciate the beauty of the universe.

God, thank you for the fish and the birds and animals. Help us to not pollute their homes and their environment with our toxic chemicals.

God, thank you for creating humans. Help us to not destroy ourselves with addictive drugs and warfare.

God, thank you for rest. Help us to take the time out of our busy lives to just enjoy all that you have made and to give you thanks. Amen.

THE END

Deepening Faith: Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice

Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press