“I love to tell the story; ‘twill be my theme in glory to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.” – ELW #661 Refrain
During an Adult Forum in early March, Pastor Zach talked about “storytelling”. It is an ancient tradition, initially done verbally in the communion of a meal or around the security of a warm evening fire. Over time it grew to include written words in letters, books, magazines, play scripts, and even online blogs. Our stories are meant to be shared as part of the holy dialogue of worship.
In the chapter “The Practices of Faith”, author Timothy Sedgwick stated that while weekly worship may offer us an opportunity to experience the presence of God, it is impossible to fully realize the presence of God “unless the story of faith makes sense in our lives, so that the story told is the story lived. It is especially difficult for a once-a-week worship service to convey this larger reality instead of becoming a singular experience in itself (page 103).”
These weekly devotions offered through the Witness Ministry team provide an ideal venue for our members to share their stories of a faith lived in God with other members of the congregation. These stories are published as seeds for personal reflection, to help us realize the many ways in which God is present in our busy and blurry day-to-day lives. There is no defined format; nor are there any constraints on style, length, or scriptural reference. All that is needed is an openness to share with your church family your “glimpses of God”. Personally, I find it to be a deeply spiritual exercise, one that comes and goes like a gentle summer breeze.
We all have stories to tell. I’d love to hear some of yours.
Prayerfully listening,
David Krueger
*Paraphrase and quote taken from The Christian Moral Life: Practices of Piety by Timothy F. Sedgwick