The Good Shepherd and World Communion
Scripture
Psalm 23, John 10, Matthew 18
Material
The basket for The Good Shepherd and World Communion is on one of the New Testament
shelves.
It contains:
 wooden table
 small box containing
o paten
o chalice
 wooden Good Shepherd figure
 small box containing
o 10 wooden sheep
 small box containing
o 10 wooden figures
You’ll also need the 2 circles covered in green felt and the wooden sheepfold.
Movements
Words
Walk slowly to the shelf and pick
up the basket with the materials
for The Good Shepherd and
World Communion. Carry it
carefully to the circle and set the
basket beside you. Get the
two felt-covered circles and the
sheepfold. Place the two circles
in the center of the circle,
touching each other. Set up the
sheepfold on the circle to your
right. Sit quietly while you feel
the story forming in you.
There was once someone who did such wonderful things
and said such amazing things that people wondered who
he was. Finally they just couldn’t help it. They had to ask
him who he was.
1
Place the Good Shepherd figure
at the open gate of the
sheepfold.
When they asked him who he was, he said, “I am the Good
Shepherd.”
Place the sheep in the
sheepfold one at a time,
stroking each one on the back
as you place it.
“I know each one of my sheep by name, and they know the
sound of my voice.”
Move the Good Shepherd
around the right side of the
sheepfold to a position at the
bottom of the circle in front of
you. Then go back and move
each one of the sheep to catch
up with him. They stay in single
file. Keep silence while you are
doing this and just enjoy
watching the sheep.
“When I take the sheep from the sheepfold, they follow
me.”
2
Move the Good Shepherd from
the bottom position on the right
circle to the top position on the
left circle. Take your time.
“I walk in front of the sheep to show them the way.”
Move the sheep up to where the
Good Shepherd is. Move them
one at a time. Think about what
is happening as you move them
from one circle to the other.
“I show them the way to the good grass.”
Without saying anything else,
move the Good Shepherd to the
bottom position of the left-hand
circle and move the sheep so
that they are spread out equally
now around the circle but still
turned as if they are following
around the edge of the circle.
When all the sheep are in
position, turn the Good
Shepherd to face the center of
the circle. Turn all the sheep so
they are facing the center.
Place the table in front of the
Good Shepherd.
This is the table of the Good Shepherd.
Place the chalice and paten on
the table.
A special plate and a special cup are on this table. Here
the Good Shepherd feeds his sheep.
3
Remove the Good Shepherd.
Bring out the priest and move
the priest into the position
behind the table where the
Good Shepherd was.
Sometimes someone comes to read the very words of the
Good Shepherd and to give us the bread and the wine.
Take one of the adult human
figures from the basket. Show it
to the children, then put it
between the sheep. Continue
doing this until all the adults
from around the world are in
place.
Sometimes the people of the world come to this table…
Take out the child figures and
put them by the adult figures.
… even the children come.
Sit back and look at the people
of the world around the table for
a moment, then begin the
wondering.

I wonder if you have ever come close to this table?

I wonder where this table could really be?

I wonder if the people are happy around this table?

I wonder if you have ever heard the words of the
Good Shepherd?
4

I wonder if you have ever come close to the bread
and wine?

I wonder where the bread and wine could really be?

I wonder where this whole place could really be?
After the wondering is over, put
the story away carefully. Return
the lesson to its spot on the
shelf. Then return to your spot
in the circle and dismiss the
children one by one to do their
work.
Jerome W. Berryman, The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 4: 20 Presentations for Spring (2003),
pp. 91-98.
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