Community stories

Living a shared story

A group of leaders from a community organization are gathered in a room together. Before we have gathered, I have been in contact to hear something of the group’s aims for the day – perhaps to set clear goals for the organization’s activities for the next 12 – 18 months. I have devised a series of sessions for the day that will help the group to remember what brought them into the organization and keeps them coming back; reflect on the strengths and the challenges within and surrounding the organization at present; and to re-imagine the future, where you would like to go and how you might begin to move in that direction together.

The group will be invited to work together, and individually, as I facilitate conversations that draw on the insights and experiences of each member of the team. I will, at various points through the day, summarise and reflect back to the team what I am hearing, highlight common themes, and help you to name your experiences, challenges, hopes and decisions made together.

After the day, I will summarise notes from the sessions to give to the team to help you put in action the decisions you arrive at on the day.

Storytelling in a faith community

weekend of keynote sessions and workshops

A weekend of exploring what it means to be a community of faith, a community of storytellers.
We all have a story to tell, and as a community of story, which Christian communities are, we have an opportunity to nurture each other's healing and wholeness through providing safe spaces in which our stories can be told and heard.
Weekends will be tailored to individual communities and their context and needs, but will include a range of workshops and keynote sessions exploring the place of story in our communities of faith, and how to be healthy communities through the practice of storytelling.

Example program:

Friday night keynote - stories from the storyteller, from the Biblical tradition and from the human story
Saturday - keynote sessions / workshops: telling our story (how to craft our stories, how to listen well), telling the Biblical story (reading the Bible aloud and other ways to tell the Biblical stories well in our gathered worship); workshops in poetry, prayer, breathing, reading the Bible aloud ...
Sunday - worship shaped by story with wondering, stations and communion, for creative and embodied engagement with the Biblical story