The Storyteller, by Evan Turk
Finding Our Voice
Fr. Tony’s Letter to the Trinitarians
March 2017
“…Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15-16
Our parish shared spiritual practice
for Lent this year is “Finding Our Voice.”
We will try to find ways to feel more comfortable in sharing our
faith. We Episcopalians tend to be a
little reserved in sharing our faith stories.
Part of this is because the “testimony” market seems to be cornered by evangelicals
who basically tell one story: how I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and
how I changed as a result. The heart of this story is the moment of the altar
call, of turning your life over to Jesus. That describes the faith experience
for some of us, but not all. For most of
us, faith is a gradual journey, with turning points, to be sure, but not
something that can be reduced simply to a single moment, with a calendar date
and a time, when we were “saved.”
But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a
story to tell. That doesn’t mean we
can’t share our faith. Here are some
story lines that might serve as templates that fit our own experience, and
bring shape to our stories of faith:
·
I was lost, but now I’m found.
·
Thresholds: points of change and
transition in my life.
·
Seeing the face of Jesus in those who
helped me, or whom I have helped.
·
Glimpses of glory and beauty in the
natural world or human relationships.
·
Questions answered; puzzles solved.
·
Beckoning mystery drawing me beyond
where I am.
·
Anger at God, and reconciliation.
·
Hurts healed, or pain relieved. Acceptance of unhealed illness.
·
Thanks, gratitude, and meaning.
·
Fears faced; hungers fed.
·
Life in community and family.
Do not think that a story must be
theological or “Jesus-y” to be a sharing of faith. Sometimes simply expressing gratitude deeply,
or giving the ground we have for hope is enough. We must never be afraid that our story of
faith is not pleasing to God because we ourselves don’t have enough faith or we
have too many doubts. The fact is, we
can never transmit to others faith we do not have ourselves. But the faith we truly do have, we cannot
help but give to others.
Telling faiths stories is risky, and
makes us vulnerable. It’s one of the
reasons that deep sharing in groups is often framed with a “what’s said here
stays here” rule. It’s also why sharing
is best done at first one on one, or in small, trusted groups. With larger groups, or people we know not so
well, with no guarantee of discretion, sometimes you need to paper over graphic
details in your story by using generic terms like “stress,” “relationship
troubles,” and “illness.” But here what
is gained in safety is lost by the emotive power of a frankly told story. Despite the risk, we need to share. A burden
shared is halved; a joy shared doubled.
During our weekday small worship
services during Lent, we will not be having clergy homilies. Instead, a member of the parish will be
invited beforehand to share a story his or her faith, thanks, and hope as part
of this effort to “Find Our Voices.” In
our weekday service story sharing, we will seek to provide a forum that is safe
and bound with trust. If you have a
story to tell, please contact me.
I invite us all to the practice of a
holy Lent this year, and encourage us all to think about our faith stories and
develop them as part of that practice.
Grace and Peace,
Fr. Tony+
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