Pod the Alien Sketch : ‘Alpha’

Introduction and entrance (Compere, talking, is interrupted by spaceship landing sound effects, What’s that noise? I think there’s something happening outside, lets take a look on the college’s security camera.. Overlay external photo of college with spaceship slide, landing. Look, can you see. I think it must be some kind of Spaceship. Who do you think it could be? Take suggestions from the children. Yes it’s Pod our friend from Outer Space. OHP off.

Hello Pod
Hello everyone
I must say Pod, I’m impressed that you found us. I mean, I know you’ve been to Kingfield AND Brookwood before, but how did you manage to find us here?
It wasn’t hard you know, after all there are lots of signs to the college. The tricky bit is finding Earth. After all, I do try to get here most weeks you know
You mean you get lost?
Well not so much lost, more … distracted
Mmm. I’ve met a lot of people like that, when it comes to making friends with Jesus
How do you mean?
Well no one likes to admit that they are lost. After all, if Jesus is only one who can show us God the Father, then any one who misses Jesus must be lost. But you don’t hear many people saying ‘I’m lost” do you.
No.
No. What you do hear them saying is “I haven’t got time”, or “how do you know that Jesus really lived?”, or “aren’t all religions really the same?”. No, you see people like to be distracted. They don’t like to think of themselves as lost.
Oooh, you’re very religious aren’t you. I thought we were talking about how I got here.
Well how you got here might be interesting, but a more important question is .. do you know where you are going?
When I die?
No, I mean can you find your way back home?
Home to Jesus, do you mean?
No, back to space where you came from?
I think I was following you better when you were talking about Jesus, you know.
OK. I agree, what would you like to know about Jesus then.
I was hoping you would get around to asking me that. Well what I want to know is this.
Yes
How is anybody going to find out how wonderful Jesus is, if you are all hidden away inside this college?
Ah, I can see that you don’t really understand about church Pod. Did you think that Church only happens on Sunday?
No no no, I not stupid you know: There’s Christmas day too.
No Pod, what you’re talking about are times when we all meet together. We don’t stop being the church when we drive home. You see the church is the people, not just the meetings. There are lots of us here that talk to our friends and families about how wonderful Jesus is through the week, when we are just on our own. And all of us say something to those around us, about how important we think Jesus is, by the way we live our lives.
Ah I see, so what happens if someone wants to find out more about Jesus than they can get from sitting watching you?
Well we might invite them along on a Sunday, or maybe to an Alpha course.
Ah yes the Alpha course, I’ve heard of that. They’re really good aren’t they! I’ve heard that they’re really interesting.
That’s right.
And people make lots of new friends
Always.
And they’re not at all cringey; and just the sort of thing that people can trust their friends too.
Absolutely.
Can children invite their friends to Alpha too?
No, but they could invite their friends parents! (to the children) Couldn’t you children! Any way there’s something special for the children every Sunday in Leading Lights. They can always invite their friends to that.
Brilliant, well that just about covers everyone, I bet that you can’t wait to get out of here and start talking to people now! Well I won’t hold you up any longer. But before I go I must tell you that I’ve learnt some thing important on this visit, that although you meet together every Sunday, Jesus can work in each one of you on the days in between to show others how wonderful He is. Well I must go, good bye now.

Standard exit (Spaceship takes off on OHP overlay to accompanying sound effects through PA.)

© M Day 17-Aug-1999