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Page 1. Title Page The Island of the Trees
Pages 2-3.Once upon a time there was a peaceful lake with an
island at its center.
(Drawing of a lake with a low lying island with trees on it)
Pages -!.
"ll around the shores of the lake there were man# people. "ll of
these people were in
trou$le and needed help. Onl# there was no one there to help
them.
(Drawing of the same island but from farther away. In the
foreground are silhouettes of
people. Their body language shows that they are troubled.)
Pages %-&.
The people on the island had the knowledge and a$ilit# to help
the people on the shore'
$ut the# were too $us#. The# were caring for their trees.
()rawing of people on the island mo*ing wheel$arrows' weeding
around the trees'
pruning $ranches' etc. The trees are well spaced' and the whole
atmosphere should looklike a neat cit# park. "t no point in the
stor# should the trees $e shown with an# fruit.+
The trees were *er# important to the people. ,*er#one had their
own trees to take care of'
and e*er#one thought his trees were the most important.
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The island people used to $e concerned a$out the people on the
shore $ut as the# $ecame$usier with their trees the# forgot how to
hear their cries for help.
/ut 0od heard them
()rawing of the sk# from $elow clouds with some ra#s of sunlight
coming through.+
Pages 1-11.
The ord spoke to 4is people on the island. 5ou must go to the
shore and help those
people. /ut the# did not hear 4im. The# were too $us# with their
trees.
(Drawing angled from above upper left corner has light shining
down - rest of picture
shows people still tending their trees.)
Pages 12613.
Three times the ord spoke to them. Three times the# did not
listen. That was when the
water $egan to rise on the island.
(Drawing of water around the base of smaller trees near the
shore. There should be a
few rings around each tree to indicate movement of the
water)
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Pages 1-1!.
7hen the people saw this the# $ecame afraid and pra#ed to 0od
for help.
(Drawing of the people kneeling to pray silhouetted with their
trees behind them.)
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0od answered them. 7hat do #ou want' m# children8 4e asked
9escue us: ;ake a $ridge to the shore so that we can lea*e now'
and return when thewaters su$side.
(Drawing of the people looking up toward the upper right corner
where there is
brightness. !n older man toward the front is gesturing with his
arm spread someindicating a bridge. Trees are still in the
background.)
0od did not answer. The water continued to rise.
Pages 1-1.
"gain' the people called out to 0od' 4elp us or we die:0od
answered' /e still and listen.
It was hard for the people to $e still after $eing so $us# for
so long. It took a while for
e*er#one to $e o' 4e said' ?ut down #our trees and make $oats
for #oursel*es. Then #ou will $e
a$le to reach the people on the shore.
(Drawing front on and looking down like the view a parent would
have when looking
down at young children. The peoples& faces should show
varying emotions from shock
and fear to sadness and one man on the right should be turning
away ready to obey.)
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Page 2.
@ome people were reluctant to cut down their trees. The# had put
so much work into
them. Others set to work with aA and saw. @till the people on
the shore cried out "nd thewater continued to rise.
()rawing of people among the trees 6 @ome are standing $etween
the trees and thosewho wish to cut them down. One woman is
literall# hugging her tree while near$# a man
is swinging an aA at the $ase of a tree. In the $ackground two
men are using a crosscut
saw. ,*er#one is in water up to their knees+
Page 2!.
This little stor# has some o$*ious s#m$olism. The people on the
shore are all the hurting
people who ha*e not heard the 0ospel #et. The island is the
church' the people there are?hristians. The trees are all the
distractions that we allow to take up our time and energ#.
The# ha*e man# names fa*orite church programs or ministries'
personal preferences and
agendas' and' sadl#' our own attitudes. 7e nurse and nurture
these trees' getting
continuall# more caught up in them. ;eanwhile' the world is
d#ing and we wonder wh#the church is so ineffecti*e.
This stor# is $ased upon a prophetic utterance gi*en to a church
in ;assachusetts. It was
gi*en as a warning. One #ear later the church was no longer
there.
;a#$e #our church is like the people on the island. If so' itBs
time to cut down some of#our trees.
