Burning Swifter, Higher, Stronger, by Marvin Lansverk

Season of Pentecost. Burning Swifter, Higher, Stronger. Acts 2:1-11: The Coming of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost and the Last Day of Sunday School.

Puppets: Barnabas, Olivia, and Lorenzo
People: Kids
Props: Piece of paper
Songs: Music from the Olympics

[Explain to the kids that they are going to be in a parade, they are to hold hands, parade around by front door and back through the middle aisle, waving at the congregation. Arrange for one kid to stay up front, doing summersaults.]

[Olivia, Lorenzo, and Barnabas are up front, Lorenzo in the middle, with the piece of paper]

Barnabas: Buenos dias, boys and girls. How is everybody today?

Olivia: Hi kids. It’s good to see you all here this morning.

Lorenzo: Hola ninos. You all look marvelous this morning, simply marvelous. And a good thing too, since it’s time for our Closing Ceremonies.

Barnabas: Closing Ceremonies?

Lorenzo: Closing Ceremonies! Just like the Olympics. At the end of the Olympics, they have Closing Ceremonies, so at the end of this year’s Sunday School, we too are having Closing Ceremonies. Because the Olympics…and Sunday School are a lot alike, if you think about it.

Olivia: A lot alike?

Lorenzo: Sure. For instance, at the Olympics, they have…medals. And here at Sunday School, our organ…it has…pedals.

And the Olympics is a place where you race. And Sunday School is a place for…grace.

Annnnd, at the Olympics, to watch some events, the audience sits on bleachers. And here at Sunday School, some of our littlest kids—they sit on their teachers.

And finally, at the Olympics, they have the marathon—which takes a really long time. And at Sunday School—we have…the puppet show!

Barnabas: But, but, but…those…all those have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

Lorenzo: At least most of them rhyme!

Olivia: But Closing Ceremonies at the Olympics…those always involve a parade of all the participants, and then there’s a bunch of acrobats in incomprehensible costumes, and then fireworks, and, and, and it all costs millions of dollars to produce. [Pause]

Lorenzo: So?

Olivia: So? We can’t just have a Closing Ceremony, with no budget, with no…rehearsal, as if this were just…one of our regular puppet shows.

Lorenzo: Exactly. Which is why I have it all planned out. Right here.

Barnabas: Let’s see that. [Grab paper] Well I’ll be. He does.

Olivia: Let me see. [Grab paper] OK. So I see we’re going to have a parade of all the kids. That’s ok. And then Katy Dickensheets [Fill in name] is going to do a summersault while wearing a pickle costume. Good. But then what’s all this about fireworks, and fire falling from the sky, and flames?

Lorenzo: Ahh. That’s my secret theme.

Barnabas: Your secret theme?

Lorenzo: Theme. Shh. It’s Pentecost Sunday. So the theme of the closing ceremonies is going to be Pentecost—you know, the day we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven onto Jesus’ followers so they could spread the Good News everywhere throughout the world—with God’s help. It’ll be great. I’ve got kids ready to drop burning pieces of toilet paper from the ceiling, as tongues of flame, and fireworks, the whole deal.

Olivia: Uh uh.

Lorenzo: Uh uh?

Olivia: Uh uh. You can’t have open flames in church, except on the altar. It’s a rule.

Lorenzo: [Surprised] No?! Why not?

Olivia: Too much hairspray. So we’ll have to change that part. Besides, you can’t have tongues in church these days either.

Lorenzo: [Astonished] No tongues? Aye carumba, why not?

Olivia: They’re too….tonguey. We’ll have to switch that to something with less…spit. Something more dry... and generic. Like…cubes.

Barnabas: Cubes could be nice.

Lorenzo: Cubes of flame. Ok.

Olivia: Oh no! Not flames. I said that was too dangerous. We’ll have to switch that to….

Barnabas: I know. How about…air…instead.

Olivia: Great! Ok. Cubes of air. That sounds safe. Then let’s get started.

[Parade begins. Olympic music starts playing on the piano, the kids all parade by waving, with one doing summersaults. In the meantime, Lorenzo, Barnabas, and Olivia move to the pulpit, and begin their commentary]

Lorenzo: It’s good to be in the commentator’s booth with you two again, at the Closing Ceremonies of this year’s Sunday School. Just look at that parade of Bible athletes—with those…er…cubes of air over their heads.

Barnabas: You know, what I like best about these Closing Ceremonies, is that instead of coming in by delegation, as they do at the Opening Ceremony, they are all mixed up together—in a big scrum—as one big happy family.

Lorenzo: Good point, Bob.

Barnabas: Bob?

Lorenzo: Olympic commentators are always named Bob.

Olivia: [Excited] Oh. And look at that. That group is holding hands, and hugging. It’s wonderful how Sunday School brings these kids together.

Lorenzo: Good point, Bob. [Everyone gives each other a weird look; piano music stops]

Barnabas: Oop, but, I see that it’s almost time for the most poignant part of the Closing Ceremony.

Olivia: What’s that, Bob?

Barnabas: The extinguishing of the Olympic flame.

Lorenzo: Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Bob. They may extinguish the flame at the Olympics, but at church…in Sunday School…in real life, that flame, the Holy Spirit, is never extinguished. It burns all year round.

Olivia: [Praying] Thank you Lord, for all your blessings. For your spirit at work in the world and in this church. And thank you for these kids, who are a blessing to us. No one who sees them could not know that you, Lord, are here among us, holding us, celebrating with us, loving us. Amen.

All: Now, was that great Sunday School year, or what!

[Piano reprises Olympic music while everyone clears out]