Drama Description This is War

1. Kollin Stone

2. Natalie Milligan

3. Cali Milligan

4. Slade Sitz

5. Peyton Milligan

6. Ivan Pearson

7. Caleb Milligan

8. Chase Thompson

9. Kaitlyn Hale

10. Payton Brady

11. Josh Thompson

12. Anna Carter

13. Jon Marshall Milligan

14. Willow Booth

15. Sierra Thompson

16. Gavin Stone

17. Abby Hattenhaur

18. Avery Howard

Next the lights are dimmed & smoke fills the stage with special red lighting as a conversation begins between Satan & a demon. Once again Amanda Milligan is playing the roll of Satan along with Jessie Gilley playing the demon. Satan & the demon talk about the success of their strategy to deceive mankind when it is disrupted by a group of praying Christians. Soon the Refuge Youth Soldiers enter lifting praises to God & soon Satan & His demon is on the run.

The next song, “We are Not Ashamed” features choreograph using praise pennants. In this song Jessie Gilley, Jessie Mann, & Christy Ward are the featured soloists. Then you will pat your foot to the up tempo song entitled “I Go to the Rock” featuring Lauren Robbins.

The final song of the Youth Soldiers set is “For the Sake of the Call” featuring Cydni Gilley as soloist. Her sister, Jessie Gilley, at the end of the song, joins her in singing. During this song the stage goes black with only a black light lighting the stage & the Youth Soldiers do a special choreograph using candles. The following youth, 7^th thru 12^th grades, make up our youth soldiers:

1. Jeremy Mann

2. Ashton McFarland

3. Rachel Lynn

4. Amanda Milligan

5. Marshall Hilliard

6. Jessie Gilley

7. Marie Adams

8. Heather Adams

9. Jesse Mann

10. Ashley Gilliand

11. Cassie Hays

12. Boomer Lynn

13. Cydni Gilley

14. Jacob Gilliand

15. Lauren Robbins

16. Katie Brown

17. Christy Ward

18. Hanna Gatlin

Now the drama presentation begins to turn to a more serious message. It begins with Cassie Hays, appearing in the drama as an angel, singing “If My People Pray”. Soon Jesus, portrayed by Daniel (Boomer) Lynn, joins her in the singing & ends the song with the challenge from 2 Chronicle 7:14. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Jessie Gilley then enters the stage & kneels down praying the prayer of Jabez. An atheist played by Ashton McFarland interrupts her. Along with her is a friend played by Jeremy Mann whose curiosity is raised by the personal relationship that Jessie Gilley has with God. Soon the atheist has all she can take & leaves while Jeremy begins to ask Jessie about her faith in God. Jessie wraps of the performance by describing the importance of prayer by singing the song “On My Knees.”

Next Christy Ward acts out the story of Job from a modern perspective. The scene begins with a conversation between Jesus & Satan about the righteousness that Christy has displayed. Satan accuses Jesus of building a hedge of protection around Christy & it is the only reason that Christy serves God. Jesus allows Satan to attack Christy by destroying her entire family by a tornado. Ashley Gilliland brings this bad news to her. Christy is filled with grief but does not charge God foolishly instead she kneels & worships Him. Once again Jesus & Satan has a conversation & Satan is allowed to attack Christy with cancer. Christy with her body now racked with pain is visited by 3 friends played by Katie Brown, Hattie Gatlin & Marshall Hilliard. These friends challenge Christy’s righteousness & question her integrity. As her friends leave the stage, Christy responds to the accusations by praying for them. Then she begins to sing the title song of the drama “Stand”. During this song Christy begins to find strength to overcome her grief & pain as Jesus stands beside her & comforts her.

Following this scene is the re-enactment of the Prodigal Son or in this case the Prodigal daughter. Jesse Mann plays the prodigal daughter who had left home to travel to Pleasure City but has now returned home to find forgiveness & restoration. She encounters a friend, “Lauren Robbins” who is determine that she is leaving to go to Pleasure City. Jesse tries hard to talk Lauren out of the biggest mistake of her life but Lauren is convinced that she can only find happiness in Pleasure City. She leaves the stage on her journey much to the displeasure of Jesse Mann. As Jesse is praying for Lauren another friend stumbles onto the stage. Cydni Gilley portrays a girl that has found her way back from Pleasure City. She is dirty, tired & dejected. She is afraid there is no forgiveness for her from her friends, family & especially from God. Jesse reassures her that if God could forgive her He will forgive Cydni also. Jesse then sings the song “New Mercy” explaining the forgiveness the God has promised to those who ask. They then leave the stage to get clean up to go to church.

The church scene begins with Pastor Larry Ward singing “Agnus Dei” & is soon joined by a choir lifting praises unto God. Sitting on His throne watching over everything is Jesus along with His angels. Jesus & the angels speak with each other about the services & the presence of those who have been taking a stand for Him. Jessie Gilley begins to sing a solo verse of “Before Your Throne” follow by Jesse Mann singing a verse also. Jesse Mann leaves the stage & walks to the front row & invites Cydni to come to the altar & ask Jesus to forgive her in which she does. Soon Cydni has received Christ as her Savior & stands up & begins to sing a verse of the song about the rivers of forgiveness that God provides for us all.

As the song ends everyone is rejoicing along with the angels in Heaven over the child that has come home & a new name written down in glory. They continue to celebrate Cydni’s conversion with Christy Ward singing “Worthy is the Lamb” followed by an upbeat version of the “Hallelujah Chorus” with solo features from Faith Hall, Harmony West, Melody Couch & Larry Ward. The adults helping in the church scene are:

As the celebration ends Jesus gives the invitation of Matthew 11:28,29: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

Then the stage lights black out & the stage is filled with smoke & red lights as Satan & his demons enters the stage escorting a group of people who have been rejecting Christ. Satan describes how our sins are chains that bounds us up & then he binds each of these individual up with the chains of sin. In mockery he laughs at those bound with the chains of sin as he invites others to join him so he can send them to hell. As he does Jessie Gilley, Jesse Mann & Christy Ward steps forward out of the darkness & takes a stand for Jesus stating, “As for me & my house we are going to serve the Lord.” They begin to sing the song, “My Pledge”. In this song they pledge their loyalty to Jesus & after singing their verse they turn to those who are bond in chains & lead them to the Lord. Upon their acceptance of Christ the chains fall from their wrists & they too turn to lead others to Christ causing their chains to fall. Soon Satan & His demons leave the stage being defeated once again by Jesus Christ. This scene leads us into our invitation for those in the crowd who would like to receive Christ as their Savior.

Director of Junior Cadets – Kristi Thompson, Sharlet Heath, & Roxanne Keiter