Broadway Christian Church · Columbia, Missouri
Morning Worship · May 03, 2009
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Prayer of the Day
Gracious God, we give you thanks for the day you have made, for the life you have given, and for the love you have poured out. We thank you for Christ Jesus, our shepherd, and for how he calls us by name, and leads us, and cares for us. May we worship you in truth and righteousness in this hour. Amen.
Scripture
John 10:11-18
Psalm 23
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away – and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I say down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside still waters;
He restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
For is name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
For you are with me;
Your rod and your staff –
They comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life,
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
My whole life long.
Shep Heard
Written by Terry Overfelt and the Broadway Christian Church Puppet Team, 2009
Presented by the Broadway Puppeteers
Narrator: There once was a shepherd who loved her sheep. She had a reliable sidekick and a very impressive Staff.
Shep: Hello, I’m Shep, short for Shepanie.
Rod: And I’m Rod, short for Rodriguez.
Sheep: We’re sheeeeeeep; we’re just shoooooort.
Staff: And we’re the Staff. Introductions are over, back to work. We’ve got sheep to tend here. Let’s prep the turf.
Shep: They are a very impressive Staff. Rod is my new watchman.
Rod: Hola!
Shep: And I am the shepherd. My parents, who were also herders, named me Shep, because it means, “one who guards.” Pretty sure they wanted me to take over the family business.
Rod: It’s true; she really looks out for her sheep.
Sheep: (Singing to the tune of “Barbara Ann”) Baaa, Baaaa, Baaaaaaaaaa, Baaaaa, Baaaaa. We’re lambs!
Sheep Dog: Woof!
Sheep: Baaaaaa.
Sheep Dog: Yelp!
Shep: Now before you get on with the bleating and complaining that we might not know what we’re doing.
Rod: And I don’t know what I’m doing; I’m in training.
Shep: Good help is hard to find. I want you to know that my Great-Grand-Pappy was also named Shep, and he was a herder, too, except Great-Grand-Pappy Shep didn’t herd sheep. He had a much harder job. Take a look at this.
(Video clip is shown of cowboys herding cats instead of cattle.)
Shep: That was my Great-Grand-Pappy who said, “I wouldn’t do nothin’ else.”
Cat: Meow.
Shep: So, herding is in my blood. And as for cats, well, cats have been domesticated now. They don’t need a shepherd.
Rod: (Ranting) Cats don’t listen. No way do they listen. They yawn and stretch, but no listening.
Cat: Meow.
Shep: But you… you sheep need looking after. As strong-willed as you are, you are also susceptible.
Rod: Easy to fleece.
Shep: And you can be, well… sheepish.
Sheep: Yaaaa, Baaa.
Shep: You could be attacked by a wolf at any time. The thing I love about spending my days with you is that you are great listeners. You hear my voice; you love to be near one another; and you know your boundaries.
Rod: Well, most of the time.
Shep: Right, most of the time. Trouble is you like to graze and eat grass.
Rod: And sometimes you get lost because you are looking for sweeter grass down there in the valley, or on the other side of the hill.
Sheep: Green paaaastures, green paaaaastures.
Rod: Hola, I can’t see you when you go over to the other side! I forget all about you. Out of sight, out of mind. That’s why I send this fearful sheep dog with you.
Dog: Woof, (panting) helh, helh, helh.
Sheep: Baaaa.
Dog: Yelp.
Rod: He’s not much help. (Whispers) Afraid of sheep.
Sheep: (giggles)
Shep: The sheep dog may forsake you, and the hired hand might forget about you. But I don’t forget about you. Not me, because even though Rod here is a great help, at the end of the day, he goes home. I, on the other hand, will always look after you, because you are my sheep. You are mine. You can be defenseless, and that’s where I come in with my shepherd’s staff.
Staff: Check!
Shep: That’s the staff.
Rod: So between her – the shepherd, me – Rod, and the Staff, we should comfort you sheep.
Sheep: Your Rod and your Staaaaaff, they comfort me.
Shep: All the days of your life!
Rod: But not after 5 pm, for me. Quitting time you know. Look at the time. Got to get home to mi casa. Adios.
Staff: Quitting time.
Shep: Adios, Rod, so long Staff. I really appreciate your help. Thanks for working for me. I’ll see you tomorrow. Come on flock. Come, come, doggie. Let’s settle in to rest for the night, over there by the little pond.
Sheep: You leeeeadeth me beside the still waaaaaaters.
Shep: I’ve got to get my shoes off. I’ve worn a hole in the bottom walking you over the stony hills. I’ve got to fix this shoe.
Sheep: You restoreth the soul (sole).
Dog: (Grabs shoe and takes off.)
Shep: Bring me back my shoe!
Narrator: And that’s the way most days went. Rod would arrive to help Shep and, at the end of the day, Rod would go home to his family. The staff would punch out, and Shep would watch over the flock as they rested. The shepherd loves her sheep and is always watching over them. Problem is, in counting them, to make sure they are there all right, she sometimes gets sleepy in the warm night air and moonlight. Wouldn’t you get sleepy counting sheep, too, kids?
Shep: There we go, settle in. Ewe, too.
Female Sheep: Baa.
Shep: Ram?
Male Sheep: Baaaa.
Shep: You’ve been fed and watered, and now it is time to rest. You shouldn’t need a thing.
Sheep: I shall not want.
Shep: (whistles) Come on doggie; let’s watch over these sheep.
Dog: (Whimpers.)
Shep: Don’t worry those sheep can’t hurt you.
Dog: (Whimpers.)
Shep: Now, let’s make sure I haven’t lost anyone…one, two…three… (Yawn). Hey, ewe. Get back in the flock. That’s more like it. Everybody down to rest now.
Narrator: Counting sheep into the night, Shep often felt a bit sleepy. Usually she slept in the morning when Rod and the Staff would arrive for work. But sometimes, in the quiet of the night pasture, it was easy to doze off for a bit.
Shep and Dog: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Narrator: One night, the sheep were approached by another herd, not sheep, but cows. Their leader was quite upset as she approached the resting sheep.
(Soft mooing is heard.)
Dog: (Growls.)
(Strong mooing is heard.)
Dog: (Yelps and dashes off.)
Sheep: Zzzzzzz; baaaaaaaa.
Cow: Pssssst; sheep.
Sheep1: Baaa? Cow? What are you doing? It’s nearly midnight.
Cow: Hello, we want to know if your shepherd will look after us, tooooooo?
Sheep1: Our shepherd, look after you?
Sheep 2: You have your own cattle herder. Go back to your hill.
Sheep 3: Yea, and don’t be leaving any patties here in our soft graaaass.
Cow 2: We’ve been wandering the hills for days and we don’t know what happened to our Cattleman. Moo.
Cow 1: Yea, he said something about working a deal with Western Sizzler, and next thing we knewooo, he was gone. We just wandered off, and now we’re lost. Moo.
Sheep1: That doesn’t sound good. But just the same, we don’t want to (pause) bail you out. Our shepherd is very busy. You should look after yourselves.
Cow 1: But yoooou can’t just turn your backs on us.
Sheep 1: Yes, we can. (All turn backs.) Baaaaa.
Cow 2: How can you dooo this? We’re defenseless animals just like yooou. We need a good shepherd!
Cow 1: She’s right. There has been a big, bad wolf trailing us tonight, and we’re afraid he’s going to snatch one of our baby calves; have himself a hamburger. Moo.
Baby Cows: Mooo, mooove over sheep. We need someone to (singing) “Watch over me, moo.”
Sheep 1: Naaaaaah, no, you don’t. This is ‘udderly’ ridiculous. Let me be absolutely cleeeeaaar.
Sheep 2: Yeaaaa, don’t come a moooosie-ing in here with your wolf at the baaaack door.
Sheep 1: Got thaaaaat right, keep moooooving, right on awaaay from here.
(Wolf howls in distance.)
Dog: Huh?
Sheep 1: Scraaaaaaaaam! Keep waaalking; eventually you'll maaaaake progress.
Sheep 3: Wait though, sheep are wolf food, too. Maybe we should all stick together. Safety in numbers, you know.
Cow 1: Nooo, the sheep are right. We can’t risk their lives, too. Stay close, everyone, bovinely close.
Cow 2: Keep moooving. Calves in the middle.
Calf: Moo.
Cow 1: Hooves up; let’s go.
Cows: We’ve got to Mmoooooovit, Mmmmmooooovit, Mmmmmmovvvvoit!
Sheep 2: That was close. I do hope they’ll be okaaaay.
Sheep 3: Those little ones were awfully cute. Baaaa.
Sheep 1: Baaaa is right, baaaaad idea to even think about asking Shep to protect them, too. What have I told you about being over extended?
Sheep 2: You are right. I’ll bet Shep is already exhausted from looking aaaafter us.
Sheep 3: Yaaaaaaaa, I’m sure they’ll be alright. Maybe we should have sent our sheep dog.
Sheep 1: Our sheep dog? He won’t even stay with us.
Narrator: Shep had taken a little cat nap,
Cat: Meow.
Dog: Arf? Huh?
Narrator: Cat napping – another something her great-grand-pappy had taught her. She missed the whole visit from the cow herd. She startled awake from her power nap and went to counting the sheep again. By this time, the cows were over the next hill.
Shep: One, two, three…yawn, seems like everyone is safe. I thought I might have heard a wolf howl. I’d better be especially watchful in this dark valley.
Sheep: We feareth no evil.
Narrator: On into the night, Shepanie kept watch over the flock.
Sheep: (singing) While Shepanie watched her flocks by night, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa, baa.
Shep: Well, it’s just about dawn. I guess Rod and the Staff will be coming soon, and I can get some real rest.
(Rooster crows.)
Rod: Buenos Dias mis Amigos.
Staff 1: Good morning, Rod.
Staff 2: Nice to see you.
Staff 3: Another day, another dollar. Let’s see what’s on the docket for today.
Rod: Today we will walk the sheep.
Staff: Check.
Rod: We will feed the sheep.
Staff: Check.
Rod: And we will look for a greener pastures.
Staff: Check.
Rod: Let’s go let Shepanie know we are here. She must be tired after tending the sheep all night.
Narrator: And so Rod and the staff went to find Shep. She was leading the sheep right towards them.
Shep: Good morning, Rod, Staff. Good to see you. Here are the sheep, safe and sound.
Staff: Good morning.
Rod: Buenos Dias, boss. Time for you to go and rest, and we’ll look after the sheep today.
Shep: Great, I’m bushed. Hey, be on the lookout for a wolf. I thought I heard one howl in the night.
(Wolf howls.)
Shep: Oh, and watch where you walk. I stepped in a cow patty. Wonder where that came from?
Rod: Good morning sheepy, sheepy, sheepy. Today we are all going to be nary busy. Let’s start with getting you something to eat. What have we got?
Staff 1: Sweet hay.
Staff 2: Silage.
Staff 3: And root crops.
Sheep: You prepare a table before me.
(Distant wolf howl is heard.)
Dog: Huh?
Sheep: In the presence of mine enemies.
Rod: Did you hear that wolf howl, kids?
Staff: We did, indeed, Sir.
Rod: I’m out of here. I didn’t sign up for “Dances with Wolves.” I’m taking a sick day. (Cough) So very sick.
Staff 1: Good idea, Sir.
Staff 2: Anyway, according to my chart, today is Sunday. Isn’t it, kids? .
Staff 3: Clearly, a day of rest.
All Staff: Time to go.
Sheep: Waaaaaait, come baaaaaack, fearing eeeeeevil, fearing eeeeevil!
Narrator: As Rod and the Staff left the sheep, they were quite afraid. They didn’t want to be left all alone.
Sheep 3: Oh, no! Now we are left alone.
Sheep 2: I smell mutton.
Sheep 3: No use calling Shep. She’ll never hear us this time of day. She was counting on Rod and the Staff to look after us. She’ll beeeee sound asleeeeeep.
Sheep 1: Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.
Sheep 2: Wish those cows would come baaaaaack.
Sheep 1: The cows? What would they do?
Sheep 2: Well, they might stand with us against our enemies. They might help us make some noise and scare the wolf away.
Sheep 3: Let’s call in the blaaaaack and white units!
Sheep 2 and 3: Cows, Cows!
Sheep 1: Cowherd! Cowherd!
Sheep 2: No need to call me that. I’m not ashamed to admit my fear. I’m scared, really scaaaaaaaared.
Sheep 1: No, I’m calling in the whole herd of cows…cowherd!
Sheep 3: Good idea, Cowherd!
All: COWHERD!
Sheep 2: Last night, they headed that way.
Sheep 1: Look! Let’s go over that hill and see if they are grazing there. Huuuuuury.
Narrator: So the sheep stampeded over the hill to make a plea with the cows for help. They found the cows grazing there, but the cows were not so glad to see them.
Cow 1: So let me get this right. The wolf is now on your tails, and yoooou come to us for help?
Cow 2: That’s just not right. Mmmoo! Mmmmoo!
Sheep 1: I know; you offered your hooves in solidarity and numbers yesterday, asked us to join forces, and have our shepherd care for you, too.
Cow 1: You said yooou didn’t want us around, that your shepherd probably wouldn’t care for us.
Sheep 2: Well, we were not telling the truth about that. Our shepherd will care for you. Our shepherd and her family have cared for all kinds of critters in the past.
Sheep 3: That’s right, even cats.
Cat: Meow.
Dog: Huh?
Cows: Cats?! Your shepherds cared for cats?
Cow 2: Then they will surely care for cows, too.
Sheep 1: Our shepherd cares about everyone! So please forgive us and join with us. The wolf is coming this way, and he sounds hungry! We're at a historical crossroads.
(Wolf howls.)
Dog: Huh?
Cow 1: No time toooo waste, here’s the plan.
Narrator: So the sheep and the cows joined forces. Maybe together they could be stronger. They worked on a plan to shame the wolf into leaving them alone. But they were going to need our help. Are you willing to help kids? Great! Now when the hiding cows hold up the sign that says “Moooo,” you say “Mooo!” That will shame the wolf. When they hold up a sign that says “Yaaaaay!” you cheer on the nice animals. OK? Let’s practice.
(Sign) Mooooooo. (Kids say, “MOOO!”)
(Sign) Yaaay. (Kids say, “YAAAY!”)
Narrator: OK, great. We’re ready. Here comes the wolf.
Wolf: (singing to self) Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf, the Big Bad Wolf? Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
Sheep: Meeeee, mmeeeeee, meeeeeeee, meeeeeee, baaaaaaa!
Cows hold up sign: Moo! (Wolf reacts.)
Wolf: Aha!) Yummy prey!
Sheep: Praaay! Now I lay me down, I’m sheep.
Wolf: Howl-dy there, sheep.
Cows hold up sign: Moo! (Wolf reacts.)
Wolf: Where you herded? I’ve been following you as you crossed to this hill.
Cows hold up sign: Moo! (Wolf reacts.)
Sheep 2: We just thought we’d graaaze over here for a while,
Sheep 3: Why don’t you leave us in peace?
Wolf: Well what’s your herdry? I’d like to have you all for breakfast.
Cows hold up sign: Moo! (Wolf reacts.)
Sheep 2: We already haaaaaave breakfast plans; thank you.
Sheep 1: Have your Staff call our Staff and make an appointment for sometime next week.
Wolf: No time like the present.
Cows hold up sign: Moo! (Wolf reacts.)
Wolf: What is that moooo-ing going on? You’d think there were cows around here. I stalked, I mean, ah, walked to visit those lady cows last night, but I never could quite get in touch with them. But I’m starving. Enough of the chit-chat. Let’s one of us eat!
Cows hold up sign: Moo! (Wolf reacts.)
Sheep 2: Well maybe, we could all get in touch with you, NOW!
Sheep 3: Calling all cows, calling all cows! Sheep need assistance. Maaaaday, Maaaaday!
Narrator: With the call for help, the cows stampeded forward, and they sheep and cows together all circled the wolf and started bleating and mooing him.
Sheep 1: This is our moment. This is our time. Shame on you, Big Bad Wolf!
Cow 1: Whooooo doooo you think yooooo are?
Wolf: Um, the wolf? Big and baa….
Sheep 2: Baaaaaaad is right. Your behavior is very, very baaaaad.
Cow 2: We defenseless animals have had enough of you, and we aren’t going to take it anymore.
Sheep 2: We’re calling on our shepherd.
Wolf: She won’t hear you. She’s resting, and I saw the Staff and Rod take off with my first howl.
Sheep 3: They were just the hired help. They were afraid, but when we call on our Shepherd, she will come.
Sheep 2: She will hear us.
Sheep 3: She loves us.
Sheep 1: She will look after us, and we will defeat you.
Wolf: She’ll never hear you on this hill while she’s sleeping. Now, who’s first?
Cow 1: Oh, she’ll hear us all, all right. We’re all going to call her. Aren’t we, kids?
Cows 2 and 3, Sheep 1 and 2: Here goes…
Cows hold up sign: Yaaay! (Wolf reacts.)
Wolf: Hooooooowly cow!
Cows and Sheep: Shep, help us; come quick! Wolf, wolf, mooo, baaaaa, Yaaaa!
Narrator: And with that, the cows and sheep joined together with you! The cry rang out over the fields. Shep heard ! She came running to protect her beloved flock. She knew the voice of her sheep, and she recognized the other as some cows in need of her help.
Cows hold up sign: Yaaay! (Wolf reacts.)
Shep: Sheep, what is going on here? Where is Rod? Where is my Staff? The cows have come home? And you, Big Bad Wolf, just what do you think you’re doing here? You will not get my flock. Now scram before I lit into you.
Wolf: Hooooowl. ls that for ruining my breakfast? It was gonna be steak and gyros, too! I’m going to go and find a cat.
Cat: (Viciously) Meow.
Wolf: Or maybe just an apple.
Cows hold up sign: Yaaaa!
Sheep: My cup overflows! My cup overflows!
Shep: I heard you, and your friends. It was quite a commotion coming across the meadow. I knew you were in trouble. I’m just glad I got here in time. I guess when the wolf came, Rod and the Staff got afraid?
Sheep and Cows: Baaaaaa. Moooooo.
Shep: They are, after all, just the hired help. I understand why they would be afraid to face a wolf. I’m going to have to recruit some new helpers, though. I’ve got to be able to trust someone to care for you. Let’s go back to our ever-growing ranch – the sheep and cattle ranch and call some of those names of people looking for work. Seems I remember someone named Shirley, another, Mercy, and one named Goodness.
Sheep: Shirley goodness and mercy will follow me.
Sheep and Cows: All the days of my life.
Shep: I need to make sure the cat is in, too.
Dog: Woof.
Cat: Meow.
Shep: Well, I’ll be. He’s a cat herder, like his great-grand-doggie.
Narrator: So that’s our story of how Shepanie’s family expanded into the cattle business. They’re still known as great shepherds.
Benediction
Good Shepherd, thank you for guiding and caring for us. You make a way for us that is paved with goodness and mercy. May we always hear and know your voice. Keep us in your care that we might dwell in your heart forever. Amen.
