1 Corinthians 12:12-31 – Team Spirit

This would make a great assembly on themes of teamwork, tolerance, valuing others etc. Or get the youth group to do it just before the reading on Sunday.

Team Spirit

The parts of the body are squabbling over who is the most important part. So when Wanda the White Blood Cell arrives, no-one thinks she is very useful, but they soon realise how much they need her!

The science bit: White Blood Cells are a vital part of our immune system. They fight off infections and literally eat germs!

Characters (alter names to suit)

Bod the Body – jovial, shows Wanda around
Wanda the White Blood Cell – humble, carries brush and dustpan, dressed in white
Brian the Brain – snooty and intellectual, carries large book
Freda the Foot – sporty and strong, carries walking boots
Ethel the Eye – nosey and gossipy, carries binoculars
Andy the Hand – neat and fussy, carries tweezers

Brian, Freda, Ethel and Andy all need bits of green paper for ‘germs’. They can lick the paper and stick it to their faces when they need to be ill.

Brian, Freda, Ethel and Andy are sitting on four chairs across the stage, each engrossed with their prop. The ‘germs’ are hidden.

Script

[enter Bod and Wanda]

Bod: I’m very pleased you’ve come to join Team Body, as we like to call it. You’ll find we’re a friendly bunch here. We all pull together, work as a one. After all, there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team spirit’, eh?

Wanda: Er yes there is …

Bod: So let me introduce you to everyone who works here. Who’s going to be first?

Brian: Duh, me, of course. I’m Brian. Brian the Brain and I’m the most important person in ‘Team Body’ (if you can call this bunch of underlings a team). I’m in charge. I control everything. I decide everything. Any questions? No. Good. And you are …?

Wanda: Er … I’m Wanda. Very honoured to meet you Mr Brain, sir.

Brian: Yes, I’m sure you are.

Bod: Let’s leave Brian to get on. He’s a very busy chap, you know. Terribly important. Who’s next? Ah yes, Freda.

Freda: Hello. I’m Freda the Foot. I’ll get you anywhere you need to go. Nice to meet you. Wanda, was it? What do you do?

Wanda: Hello Freda. I’m afraid I don’t do anything very important, not like you and Mr Brain.

Freda: Brian? Oh, don’t mind him. Bit of a big head if you ask me. I mean, he can think lots of things, but he can’t actually do any of them. “We’re hungry”, he thinks to himself, but how’s he going to get to the kitchen? You tell me that!

Wanda: Well, yes, I suppose he can’t.

Freda: Too right he can’t, not without me. And he thinks he’s such a clever clogs … ha ha clogs, gettit?

Bod: Moving along swiftly, this is Ethel the Eye. Say hello, Ethel.

Ethel: Eh? [looking at Wanda through binoculars] Good grief! You’re huge! [looking properly] Oh no, you’re not. You’re tiny. What are you exactly?

Wanda: Well, I’m just a cell, really.

Ethel: Just a cell? A teeny, weeny, insignificant, need-a-microscope-to-see-it cell? Is that all?

Wanda: Ummn, yes. I think so.

Ethel: [to Bod] Why would we need a new team member who is just a cell? I am composed of thousands of highly specialised cells. Why does the body need one more? What does it do anyway?

Bod: Wanda cleans things up, don’t you Wanda? Show Ethel your brush and dustpan. See?

Ethel: Of course I can see. I’m the eye! But cleaning up? That’s not a very useful job, is it? Can’t you take this Wanda-thing back and bring something better? And not another appendix. We’re still trying to find a use for the last one.

Bod: No, I really do think that Wanda would be very helpful in our body. You’re very good at your job, aren’t you, Wanda?

Wanda: Oh yes, I can clean things up in a jiffy!

Ethel: Well, you make sure you keep out of my way. I have an important job to do. I need to spy out something to eat!

Bod: Only one member of the team left. This is …

Andy: … Andy, I’m very ‘andy! Ha ha ha! Oh, do you mind very much? You have a hair out of place. [adjusts Wanda’s hair with tweezers] Oh, and that one too … and this one … and just one more … and …

Bod: This is Wanda. She’s joining the team.

Andy: It’s lovely to meet you dear. Don’t mind the others. They all think they’re the bee knees, but when push comes to shove, they can’t lift a finger without me.

Brian: Oh, really? You think I need a silly hand with your silly fingers?

Andy: Well I don’t need you, you big bag of jelly! I can pick what food to eat all by myself.

Ethel: Yeah, you’re right! I don’t need old blobby brain telling me what to do either. Hey Andy, I’ve found food. Get me that fuzzy green thing.

Andy: What this? [mimes taking bite] You can have it if you can catch it. Oh wait, you can’t catch. Shame.

Freda: Hey, gimme some of that!

Brian: Don’t be stupid!

All 4: [squabbling] Who made you boss? I don’t need you! Oy, gimme that! Why don’t you mind your own business? Stop shoving! etc

Bod: STOP! Sit down the lot of you. [taking Wanda to the front, others sit and cover themselves with germs, acting ill] I’m so sorry Wanda. What a dreadful body you must think us. I’d like to say we’re not usually like this, but to be honest, this is pretty normal. Will you still come to work with us, please? I know we need you here as part of the body, even if these four think we don’t.

Wanda: Oh, alright. If you’re sure you want me.

Bod: We do, we do, we do! I’ll see if the rest of the body can be a bit more civilised this time. [turning to look] Oh! Whatever is the matter?

Brian: I’m not feeling very well. I have a dreadful headache. I think that food we ate was mouldy.

Freda: It’s made us ill! I’m hot and achy and my big toe is throbbing!

Ethel: I can’t see! It’s all gone blurry and there are big spots everywhere!

Andy: I’m shaking and shivering and I feel dreadful!

Bod: Oh No! We’re ill! Whatever are we going to do?

Wanda: [like a superhero] Stand back! Wanda the White Blood Cell to the rescue!

[Wanda sweeps all the germs off the other four and immediately they feel better]

Bod: Wanda, that was wonderful! [all congratulating Wanda] You are such a valuable member of the body. It just goes to show, there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team spirit’, but there certainly is a ‘U’, eh?

Wanda: Er no there isn’t …

Reading

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a New Century Version

A person’s body is one thing, but it has many parts. Though there are many parts to a body, all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that also. Some of us are Jews, and some are Greeks. Some of us are slaves, and some are free. But we were all baptized into one body through one Spirit. And we were all made to share in the one Spirit.

The human body has many parts. The foot might say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body.” But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. The ear might say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body.” But saying this would not stop the ear from being a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not be able to smell. If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But truly God put all the parts, each one of them, in the body as he wanted them. So then there are many parts, but only one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the foot, “I don’t need you!” No! Those parts of the body that seem to be the weaker are really necessary. And the parts of the body we think are less deserving are the parts to which we give the most honour. We give special respect to the parts we want to hide. The more respectable parts of our body need no special care. But God put the body together and gave more honour to the parts that need it so our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honoured, all the other parts share its honour.

Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body. In the church God has given a place first to apostles, second to prophets, and third to teachers. Then God has given a place to those who do miracles, those who have gifts of healing, those who can help others, those who are able to govern, and those who can speak in different languages. Not all are apostles. Not all are prophets. Not all are teachers. Not all do miracles. Not all have gifts of healing. Not all speak in different languages. Not all interpret those languages. But you should truly want to have the greater gifts.