Seekers Church Youth Class
Sunday, June 13, 1999

The Time Portal

Concept: 2 clowns from Seekers youth class discover a portal in time that takes them back to the 1^st century. They are asked questions about what the Church is like in the 21st century and come back to ask the Seekers congregation the answers, then take them back to Paul and Lydia.

Roles:

1st Seekers clown – Tobin Marcus
2nd Seekers clown – Andrew Holmes
Lydia – Samantha Grace
Paul – April Sizemore
Clowns in Seekers congregation – Marian Seat, Jennifer Schaefgen, Shoshanna Brady
Props clown – Lauren Seat

Props:

Time portal
Poster board – religious backgrounds
Poster board – methods of evangelism
Poster board – people who've sold all their property

[Marian, Jennifer, Shoshanna and Chris come and sit in the congregation on both sides of the room. Lauren and David Lloyd carry in time portal so that it faces the altar and the center doors, then leave. Lydia (Sam) and Paul (April) come in the door by the piano to between the altar and the time portal, facing the time portal and the double doors.]

[Tobin and Andrew come in center doors and walk around, looking bored.]

Tobin:: What do you wanna do?
Andrew:: I don't know. What do you wanna do?
Tobin:: I don't know. School is ending and there's nothing to do.
Andrew:: Well, I'm going to camp later on.
Tobin:: And Sunday School is ending so I can sleep in.
Andrew:: Yeah, it's really boring in the summer with different teachers every Sunday.
Tobin:: You know, I really liked when Marjory Bankson came to our class and showed us what Lydia and the other women in the early Church were like. She really became the character.
Andrew:: Me too, I'd love to go back in time and really meet Lydia and Paul and some of those early Christians.
Tobin:: Yeah, that would be cool. I wish there was a way to do it. [Sees time portal] What's this? [Looks around both sides of it and through it. Doesn't see anything.]
Andrew:: I don't know. Do you think we should go through it and find out!
Tobin:: Sure, there's a reason it's here.

[Tobin and Andrew go through it, and as they go through it, congregation sings the theme from "The Twilight Zone." Tobin and Andrew see April (Paul) and Sam (Lydia)]

Tobin:: Hey, where did you come from?
April:: I came from Tarsus. I'm Paul.
Sam:: And I came from Philippi. I'm Lydia. Where did you come from?
Tobin and Andrew:: We're from Washington, DC
Paul and Lydia:: Where is that?
Tobin and Andrew:: It's in between Philadelphia and Alexandria.
Paul to Lydia:: Well, that must mean they're from Egypt!
Tobin and Andrew:: Well, not really Egypt. Where are we?
Paul and Lydia:: Jerusalem, of course.
Tobin and Andrew:: Jerusalem!
Paul:: Where did you think you were?
Tobin to Andrew:: Something's not right. Don't try to explain yet. Let me think this through.
Paul:: Are you Christian? Have you heard the good news about Christ Jesus?
Tobin and Andrew:: Yes, we're Christian. We're part of the Seekers Church.
Lydia:: Why do you call it the Seekers Church? Haven't you found the Messiah yet?
Andrew to Tobin:: You know, I never thought about it. Why do we call it the Seekers Church?
Tobin:: I don't know. Maybe it's because Jesus said, "Seek and ye shall find."
Paul to Lydia [slowly, trying to remember]:: I've never heard the council here in Jerusalem mention the Seekers Church. And I've never heard Silas or Barnabas or John Mark or the apostles mention it.
Andrew to Tobin:: Something's strange. They said we're in Jerusalem. He said he's Paul, and he's talking as it if he was the Apostle Paul, the one in the Bible. And remember we heard about Lydia from Marjory. Do you think she's that Lydia?
Tobin to Andrew:: Do you think we went back in time somehow? Maybe we went through a time portal. Is that cool, or what!
Andrew:: You may be right. [To Lydia] We seem to have lost track of time in our journey. Can you tell me what year it is?
Lydia [as if talking to a stupid child]:: It's the 13th year of the reign of the Emperor Nero, of course. We Christians also count it as 50 years after Christ Jesus rose from the dead
Tobin to Andrew:: Wow. We did go back through a time portal.
Paul:: What are you talking about?
Andrew:: We measure time from Jesus birth. Almost the whole world measures time from Jesus birth. We're from the future. Almost 21 centuries from your time.
Lydia:: You say you are Christians. Has Jesus come again during that time?
Tobin:: Well, he hasn't come back in his body. At least, if he did nobody knew it. Millions of people have seen him in visions. We think he is always present with us, like the Holy Spirit.
Paul:: What is the Church like?
Andrew:: Well, Christianity has spread all over the world. Not just around the Mediterranean, but all through Europe and North and South America and Australia. And there are Christians throughout Asia and Africa, too.
Paul:: North and South America and Australia? I've never heard of such places. Are you sure there are Christians there?
Tobin:: Sure I'm sure. Although I have to admit, there are Christians who only go to church on Christmas and Easter, and there are Christians who don't act like Christians.
Paul [sadly] to Lydia:: Some things haven't changed. I can't believe that Christians still act as badly as the ungodly after 2,000 years.
Lydia:: Who is the emperor now?
Tobin:: Nobody. There is no emperor.
Lydia [shocked]:: No emperor? Has Rome gone back to being a republic?
Tobin [laughing]:: No. The Roman Empire has been gone about 500 years. Rome is part of a country called Italy. The United States rules the world now.
Lydia:: And is there an emperor of the United States?
Tobin:: Well, there's a real rich guy named Bill Gates who controls … oh, never mind, it will take too long to explain.
Paul:: Tell me about your church?
Andrew:: Well, it's probably a bit different from the ones you're familiar with.
Lydia:: How does the Seekers Church treat women? Paul, here, thinks it's all right to have women in the churches, so long as they keep to their place.
Tobin:: Well, Seekers really welcomes women. In fact, there are more women who are members of Seekers then men. We have two women, Sonya and Kate, on the leadership team.
Paul [scandalized]:: You mean you actually have women leading the church?
Andrew:: Sure. They preach and run the worship and read the Scripture during worship and everything. And we don't always call God "Him" either. We use inclusive language.
Paul [shocked]:: Didn't you read my letter to the Church at Corinth? I warned about women speaking in public in the Church.
Lydia:: Yes you did, and because of that in some places the men are not acting towards us like we are brothers and sisters in Christ, but like they are masters and we are slaves. And I think you need to pray about that.
Paul:: I did pray about it, and the Holy Spirit guided my words. But I will write again and tell men to act towards women like brothers, and husbands should promise to love their wives like Christ loved the Church.
Lydia:: Well, I know a lot of wives who are waiting to be loved like that. [To Tobin and Andrew] I think I could get to like this Seekers church of yours if it treats women so well. Did your congregation read the letters I wrote?
Tobin:: No. We never knew you wrote any letters! They've been lost to history. We only have Paul's letters. [Paul preens a little.] Maybe women would have had a better time in the Church over the centuries if we'd had your letters.
Paul [anxious to change the subject]:: Does your church include slaves and Greeks as well as free men and Jews?
Tobin [to Andrew]:: I've never heard about Greeks in Seekers. I know Deborah and Jeffrey have Jewish roots, but do we have any Greeks?
Andrew:: Maybe we'd better go back and ask.
Tobin to Paul and Lydia:: We're going to get more information about Seekers for you. Excuse us. We'll be right back.

[They go back through the time portal as congregation chants the "Twilight Zone" theme]

Andrew to Marian, Jennifer, Shoshanna and Chris in congregation:: Guess what! You'll never guess.

[Marian, Jennifer, Shoshanna and Chris make several guesses. Andrew shakes his head each time]

Andrew:: We found a time portal and went back in time. We've been talking to Saint Paul and Lydia from the early church.
Marian [disbelieving]:: Right. Sure you did.
Tobin:: No, really, we did. And they asked us about Seekers. They want to know if we have any Greeks in Seekers?
Jennifer:: Let's ask and find out. [Turns to section of congregation] Hey, do we have any Greeks in Seekers?

[Marian, Jennifer, Shoshanna and Chris ask their sections of the congregation if there are Greeks in Seekers. They compare notes.]

Shoshanna to Tobin:: Nope, no Greeks.
Andrew:: Well, what religions did people have before they came to Seekers? Maybe that's like what Paul meant when he asked about Jews and Greeks.
Chris:: Well, there may not be other religions but there are other denominations within Christianity. Let's ask.

[Trish puts up chart on double door. Marian, Jennifer, Shoshanna and Chris ask congregation what denominations they are from. They call these out to Lauren, who writes them down. When they are finished, Andrew takes down the chart and rolls it up.]

Andrew to Tobin:: Paul was pretty shocked about the way women in Seekers are treated as equals. We'll have to watch what we say about Seekers.
Tobin:: Come on; let's go back.

[Andrew and Tobin re-enter the time portal as the congregation sings the "Twilight Zone" theme]

Andrew to Paul:: Sorry, there are no Greeks in Seekers, although we do have people with Jewish roots.
Paul:: No Greeks?
Andrew:: And there haven't been any slaves in the world — at least not legally. We haven't had them in our country for about 140 years. But we have people in Seekers Church from different religious backgrounds.
Tobin:: Yeah, we have people who used to be [reads from chart]. And some who say they're still Catholic.
Lydia.: I never heard of those religions.
Andrew:: Well, they're all part of Christianity. There have been some splits in Christianity over 2100 years.
Paul [shocked, angry, hurt]:: Splits. You mean that they didn't read my letters about keeping unity in the church?
Andrew:: No, they read them. They just thought that the Holy Spirit was leading them apart.
Paul [sadly, can hardly believe what he is hearing]:: Are there other groups that you include that are different?
Tobin:: Well, we're open to gays and lesbians, homosexuals, and transgendered people.
Andrew to Tobin:: I told you to be careful what we said.
Paul [shocked and angry]:: Oh my. Didn't you read my letters to the churches at Corinth and Rome! You can't have fornicators in the church!
Andrew:: Yes, everyone reads them. But we look at sexuality as one of God's gifts to us, and we emphasize how God loves everyone. We have a small group that studies and prays about and teaches about spirituality and sexuality.; Tobin [trying to change the subject]:; And we think God really loves children and youth, so our Church involves us in worship and teaches us the Bible stories.
Lydia:: I like that. [To Paul] We should do more of that. [To Tobin] Do you worship at the temple or in houses?
Tobin:: In a house.
Andrew:: Well, it's a real big house; it has 3 floors and a basement. It has 2 staircases and about 20 rooms.
Paul:: How often do people in Seekers preach at the synagogue?
Tobin:: I don't know. We'd better go back and ask.
Andrew:: We'll be right back.

[Andrew and Tobin go through the time portal as the congregation sings the "Twilight Zone" theme]

Tobin:: Hey, does anyone in Seekers preach at a synagogue? Paul wants to know.

[Marian, Jennifer, Shoshanna and Chris ask congregation if they preach at synagogues.]

Marian to Tobin:: No. Nobody seems to preach at the synagogues. But Marjory has preached to the Virginia Theological Seminary and Deborah has art at Wesley Seminary. Do those count?
Andrew:: Maybe Paul wants to know how we evangelize, you know, how we tell people about Jesus.
Jennifer:: We'd better ask people.

[Marian, Jennifer, Shoshanna and Chris ask congregation how they evangelize. Lauren posts a chart on the double doors. The clowns call out methods to her and she writes them down]

Shoshanna to Tobin:: [Reads methods from chart. Makes sure to mention that Seekers tell people about books about the Church of the Savior, that we sometimes pass out flyers about the School of Christian Living at the Potter's House, and have the website.]
Andrew:: I don't think Paul is going to like this. I don't think we should read this.

[Andrew and Tobin go through the time portal as the congregation sings the "Twilight Zone" theme]

Paul:: Well, how do you spread the gospel?
Tobin:: Well, we don't preach at synagogues. And actually we don't preach in the marketplaces either. [Repeats what Shoshanna said]
Andrew [chiming in]:: But when people do find out about the Seekers Church, they seem like it a lot. People think we have a lot of community.
Paul:: Are you sure your Seekers Church is Christian? You say you have women in leadership roles, you don't have Greeks, you have weird ideas about sexuality, and you don't preach in the synagogues and marketplaces.
Tobin:: We're a Christian Church, but I admit that we're a bit different than a lot of Christian churches.
Lydia:: How do you take care of the widows and orphans in the community?
Tobin:: I don't think we have any orphans. And the widows mostly have a pension and Social Security, so we don't give them much. But we do give generously to poor people and to groups that do good things in the world. People give a tenth of their income.
Lydia:: What are some of the groups that do good things?
Andrew:: Mostly they're groups that help poor and abused children and their families or that help women get social justice.
Lydia:: I think I really like your church.
Paul:: You said people give a tithe. Don't people sell all the property they have and give the money to the community?
Andrew [sighing]:: We'll be right back.

[Andrew and Tobin go through the time portal as the congregation sings the "Twilight Zone" theme]

Chris:: What is it this time?
Tobin:: Paul asked us if we sell everything we have, all our possessions, and give the money to the community.
Marian:: Wow! I never heard that in Seekers, but let's ask.

[Marian, Jennifer, Shoshanna and Chris ask congregation about selling all their possessions. Lauren posts a chart on the double doors. No one has sold all they have]

Jennifer:: Nope. Nobody here has ever sold all they have to give the money to the congregation.
Shosanna:: But people in Seekers are generous.
Chris:: Yeah, they prefer to be generous rather than giving out of duty.
Andrew [sighing]:: Wait till Paul hears this! I don't think we need the chart

[Andrew and Tobin go through the time portal as the congregation sings the "Twilight Zone" theme]

Paul:: Well?
Andrew:: Nobody in Seekers has ever sold all the possessions they owned to give the money to the congregation. People prefer to be generous rather than giving out of duty.
Paul [shocked]:: Well I never heard of such a thing. You mean they're not struck dead like Ananias and Sapphira? What does your bishop say about that?
Tobin:: We don't have a bishop. All the members meet every month to make decisions.
Lydia:: Doesn't that take a lot longer to make decisions?
Andrew:: Yes. Actually, they seem to spend a lot of time deciding how they are going to decide. Like, we're trying to buy a building where we can worship and have classes, and by the time all the members meet to decide whether to buy it, the building is already sold to somebody else.
Paul:: Do you have deacons?
Tobin:: Huh? What's a deacon?
Paul:: Someone who takes care of the community.
Andrew:: Well, we meet in small groups, and small groups take care of the community. One group plans the worship, and another organizes the classes in what we call the School of Christian Living. Another works on music for worship and another organizes the confirmation classes for youth. And if a person feels that God is calling him or her to take responsibility for doing something, usually he or she just does it.
Paul:: That's interesting. That's the first thing that's really made me hope for your church.
Tobin:: We've got to be going. Our Seekers worship will be over soon and my mom will be looking for me.
Andrew:: Yeah, my folks and my sister too.
Paul:: Come here a minute. [Whispers in Tobin's ear]
Lydia:: Paul, you wait here. I'm going with them to visit this Seekers Church. I can't wait to see women preaching during worship and leading the congregation!

[Andrew, Tobin and Lydia go through the time portal as the congregation sings the "Twilight Zone" theme. Marian, Jennifer and Shoshanna take Lydia to greet women in the congregation, and then escort her out the double doors]

Andrew:: What did Paul tell you?
Tobin:: He wants to know if there is any man who wants to come back and spend time with him. He said he'll teach him how to evangelize!
Chris:: I know just the person. [Gets Dan Phillips and takes him to the time portal]. Go on, you'll meet and old friend of yours, the Apostle Paul. [Chris, Tobin, and Andrew exit the double doors]

[Dan steps through the time portal as the congregation sings the "Twilight Zone" theme.]

Paul:: Have you read my letters? [Paul leads Dan to exit the side door by the piano.]
Dan:: Oh, are they yours? Never mind, it's a long story.

[Lauren and David take the time portal out the double doors.]

[All re-enter to take a bow]