We searched high and low, but we found them. Ten great tips for incorporating drama (the good kind!) into your ministry and events:

1. Advertise and Announce: Use short skits as announcements for your upcoming events.
2. In Character: Have 2-3 women dress up in character and hand out invitations to your event. We once had an idea submitted for a Women's Health Fair where several women dressed in scrubs and handed out "prescriptions" (invitations) to their event.
3. Monologues: If you have one particularly gifted performer, ask them to perform a monologue (a one person play). There are good scripts out there, but many times a true "drama queen" will have great ideas to create the monologue herself. This is also a great way to use several women over the course of an event like a retreat. The lesson/story each lesson shares builds on the last until they all come together at the end.
4. Dramatic Readings: This is a really easy way to add punch to a retreat or event. Typically there are 2 or more characters or narrators who read the script. For example, a script called "Four Women" is about four women and their relationship with Christ: Mary (His mother), Martha, the woman caught in adultery and a modern day women. Since there is no memorization, a dramatic reading requires little rehearsal, but is very effective. Look in books and magazines for great stories that can be read dramatically. Choose women with confidence and good reading skills.
5. Skits: Tons of fun! Skits are usually informal and can even be presented impromptu with each person reading their part off of the script. Skits can also be used as a fun icebreaker... divide the attendees into small groups and give each group a skit to perform. Or possibly even the same skit, to show how it can be interpreted differently. Women will have a fun time working together to present the skit and personalize the message.
6. One Act Plays: These are not as long as regular plays and feature the action happening mostly in one setting. They take time to pull together, but if you find one that fits with your retreat or event.... they can be amazingly effective in making your topic relevant.
7. Musical Mime: A different way to have special music. Instead of singing, the performer(s) "act" out the lyrics.
8. Video: Consider using dramatic clips from movies or music to enrich a message or program.
9. Sound Effects: I attended a conference where the subject was on the storms of life. As the speaker progressed, there were sound effects in the background of thunder and heavy rain, then wind and finally birds chirping as the "storm cleared." It was very effective! You could do the same with "sound bites" from songs, interjected in the event.
10. PowerPoint: (This technically isn't drama... but it can have a dramatic effect.) Take a laptop and digital camera to your retreat or conference and snap lots of pictures. Drop them into a pre-made PowerPoint template, add some music and viola! You have personal and powerful way to wrap-up your event.

Drama is a great ministry tool. Find fun and creative ways to use it in your next event.

In Him... Robyne Beaubien, Editor

Gingerbread Hunt
Submitted by:Carrin Mahmood
Originally published in: Issue #145, November 21, 2002

Description: This is a Treasure Hunt with a Mission Twist

Procedure:
1. When women arrive they are given a clue which leads them to the first hiding place.
2. At that hiding place they retrieve 3 things, a scripture printed on a festive recipe card with a cookie recipe on the back, an ingredient or utensil for the end project, and the clue to the next spot.
3. Each hiding spot has some crumbs and the clues are written as if they are from the gingerbread man who ran away.
4. When your teams all get to the last spot (the church kitchen) You combine all ingredients and utensils to make gingerbread men.
5. While they are baking you have devotions based on the things that keep us running instead of focusing on Christ.
6. Cookies may be decorated that evening or saved for a children's group to decorate, then packaged and sent to local Mission shelters or other Nursing homes etc.

This event works great with a small group. If you have a lot of women, divide them into smaller teams. Another option is to buy pre-made gingerbread houses and they pick up the pieces at each location and head back to the church to assemble them.

Take a minute to revisit last week's sponsor...

• The Temple, an 11-week video-based Bible study by Laurie Cole
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What ideas, articles, and tips you would like to see in the newsletter?

What material can we cover that will help you in ministry?

What resources are you looking for?

What one thing do you need to know how to do?

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I have some tried and true drama books in my bookcase, but as I looked through them I realized some of them are... well... a little old. So I spent a couple of weeks doing some Internet research and found lots of great information, including these resources.

Books:

Websites:

• DramaMinistry - focused on church ministry, but a good basic resource.
• Bob Snook- lots of scripts and a good resource for research and ideas.
• Lillenas - a company that has been around a long time doing music and drama. They have scripts, drama ministry books, and downloadable sketches.
• Willow Drama - from Willow Creek Association/Church.
• DramaMission - free scripts and links to lots of resources.
• Dave Marsh - free scripts with PowerPoints, sound bites, and graphics.
• Christian Drama and Mime

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