Crowd: (Each person selects a phrase and repeats at random) Let him be crucified! Death! Crucify him! Let him die! Away with him!

Pilate: Why. What evil has he done?

Crowd: (At random) Let him be crucified! Away with him! Crucify him! Let him die!

Narrator 1: So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd.

Based on Matthew's gospel, And Him Crucified is a complete worship service in readers' theater format. It brings the events of Jesus' last days into the lives of your congregation. It needs few rehearsals and no costumes or experienced actors. A vivid and powerful picture of the crucifixion of Jesus is drawn from these pages. Six readers and two narrators are recommended, however you may use nearly 25 different speaking parts. The theater is part of the complete order of service, lasting about one hour.

The service includes suggested choir anthems.

Bettie Scott, Wilmington, Delaware, is a musician and pastor's wife. She is a graduate of Westminster Choir College and holds a master's in music education from Temple University. She has taught in public and private schools and at Temple.