Bishop of Derby’s Harvest Appeal 2008
Sudan Harvest Assembly/Family Service talk
Opening song (optional)
Dramatic talk
Speaker: Welcome to our harvest service/assembly. Today we’re thinking about Sudan, a country in Africa. Sudan is the largest country in Africa, and is about the same size as Europe. It is one of Africa’s poorest countries, and one in every ten children born there will die before the age of five.
Cyclist enters from back of assembly hall either riding or walking with bike and shouts to the speaker:
Cyclist: Sorry to interrupt, did you say Sudan?
Speaker: Excuse me!
Cyclist: Did you say Sudan!
Speaker: Never mind what I said, not only are you interrupting my talk, but you dare to enter the assembly hall on/with a bicycle!!!
Cyclist: Oh, yes! Yes, I’m sorry about that but…
Speaker: No buts! Do you mind letting me continue?
Cyclist turns and walks towards exit and Speaker continues
Speaker: The people of Sudan have suffered greatly from a Civil War, which lasted from 1983 to 2005. It’s hard for us to imagine what it must have been like to live in a war zone for twenty years. Millions of people have been unable to grow food or earn money to feed themselves, and so many are starving. Many people were also forced to leave their homes. Some people even had to leave the country and go to Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Egypt. But in 2005 a peace agreement was signed, and has now brought new hope and a chance to start rebuilding communities.
Cyclist stops and turns
Cyclist: You did say Sudan!!
Speaker: For goodness sake, would you please leave, with your bike, and stop interrupting me?
Cyclist: But you don’t understand, my bike is really important.
Speaker: Yes, I am sure it is, but not to me!! Now go!!
Cyclist: But, but….
Speaker: GO!
Cyclist turns away again to walk/ride away and speaker continues
Speaker: Sorry about this, now where was I…? Oh yes. As people in Sudan have begin to rebuild their lives, they have looked to the church – not just to teach the Bible and to pray, but to help with everyday things like health and education. The church has been able to offer practical support and share God’s love. Some of the pastors from the church even teach in the village schools. Children from the village gather under trees and the pastors teach them to read and write….
The Cyclist distracts the speaker again by ringing his bell or riding across the Speaker
Speaker: That is it! Will someone please remove this person and his/her bike….
Cyclist: No! Will you let me explain? I’ve come here today to give you a Harvest gift!
Speaker: Well that’s all well and good, but on a bike? And in the middle of my talk?!
Cyclist: No, you don’t understand, I want to give my bike!!
Speaker: A bike! What does anyone want with a bike, let alone God?
Cyclist: It’s not so much God as the Church in Sudan. You don’t understand, do you?
Speaker: Well obviously not! Go on…
Cyclist: The church in Sudan is doing so much to help people rebuild their lives after the war. They’re training pastors to go out to villages and care for people; teach people about God; help educate children and teach people about health care;
and work to bring peace between different groups. What they’re doing is so important! But how are they meant to travel around? It would take them hours to walk between villages and visit people. So they’re making inroads on bikes, they’re able to reach far more people that way. But they need more! By giving a bike for harvest you’ll help this important work.
Speaker: Bike! Harvest!! Why didn’t you say?
Cyclist: (Looking hurt) I did! And you know God can make inroads in the most unlikely places and with the most unlikely things…
Cyclist places the bike at the front of church and walks off saying goodbye to congregation.
(Nb: You can vary the ways you interrupt the speaker on or with the bike and the suggestions above are just a guideline.)
Speaker: There are many things that the church in Sudan needs to train its pastors. They go to college and study the Bible, and learn how to be good leaders and how to share God’s love more powerfully. Bikes are just one thing that pastors need to help them do that. In Sudan, a bike costs around £50 (UK pounds). But by providing them with a bike along with their training, they can go out and make a real difference.
In recent years, the Bishop of Derby’s harvest appeal has raised from £13,000 to £15,000. The needs of the Sudanese Church are huge – can we this year aim to raise
£20,000? Now that’s a challenge – and a lot of bikes!!
Bible Reading
Jesus also spoke of harvest, but he spoke about the harvest of people as well as crops.
In Luke 10: 2 he says this:
“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”
Sudan is in need of pastors and teachers to go out and work for God to bring new life and hope and peace.
Prayer
We pray for the people of Sudan;
For food to eat and homes to live in;
For schools and hospitals, for churches and government;
for peace, hope and love. Amen.
God of power, whose Holy Spirit renews your people.
May the boldness of the Spirit transform the people of the church in Sudan,
the gentleness of the Spirit lead them,
and the gifts of the Spirit equip them to serve and worship you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Adapted from C of E Common Worship collects)
Closing Song (optional)
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