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Written Story
If both sharing your story live online and through self-recorded video or audio feel challenging, submitting a written story is a wonderful alternative. Writing allows you to reflect and revise until you feel satisfied with how your story is told. Remember, your experiences are important, and sharing them in written form can be just as impactful.
written story PROMPT
In the space of approximately 1500 words, tell the story of your experience of the discernment process, from your sightline, within the diocese where it took place. You may want to consider how God’s presence was woven in and through what you lived. What affirmations and/or obstacles did you encounter? What was the impact of the experience on you, and what questions or ponderings do you live with still?
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What was your role? (discerning aspirant, candidate, COM member, Canon for Ministry, Bishop, Other)
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Name the diocese, the approximate date in which you situate the story, and other details that give your story dimension.
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Be specific – Talk about what happened.
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Be descriptive – use images, feelings and description of place and circumstance to provide texture to your story.
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Be self-reflective – What were you feeling as the story unfolded? What are you feeling and thinking now?
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Our Covenant with You, the Storyteller
For these Listening Sessions…
Author your story. We believe you have a story worth telling and that the world, especially the Episcopal Church, needs to hear it. We are here to honor your courage and faithfulness and the calling that is behind the story you tell. Others need to understand and be inspired by what has called you to be who you are, do what you do, and love what you love – whether that was officially recognized by the church or not. It matters to us and to the whole church that these narratives are gathered and honored.
Everyone comes to this space as an equal. The variety of gifts, limits, and experiences of each one is honored – no matter the title, rank, or order of ministry. All stories are welcomed and valued.
No fixing; no embellishing. Your stories, as they are, require no commentary from this space, just their airing according to standards of confidentiality that you require. We are here to witness God’s presence and movement in the sacred stories you share.
We pledge to hold these stories with care. So many people will benefit from the stories that you share, not least for the re-imagining of pathways for discerning callings and ministries in the church. We will hear you in the manner that one listens to Scripture – attentively, mindfully, open to the holy.
We will practice confidentiality care. This is a safe space that respects the nature and content of the stories heard. According to your wish, your story can be shared publicly or remain confidential to this study.
Minimum information required for all submissions: racial/ethnic/social identity of the story-teller; date or dates of the story; diocesan context for your story and current diocese. Names are held in confidence, but these forgoing contexts are necessary to our faithful data-gathering.
Our expectation: We expect that our work together can provide, renewal, refreshment, and possibilities for what we can do to create the future that is waiting to be born; we believe that your stories will provide the embryonic guidance toward re-imagining systems of discernment for the ministries required in our time. Our fervent hope is that the sharing of your story will leave you refreshed, surprised and less burdened than when you came to this space.
The best way of informing the success of this project is through hearing your stories. We believe this becomes our primary means of gaining learning and insight. There are so many beautiful, moving and incredibly illustrative stories to be shared. This project’s gathering of these stories is creating a portrait of our church – what it is, has been, and could be.
“If you can find someone with whom you can tell your story and feel heard, that may be more effective than turning to someone who will give you an explanation for what is going on.”
Thomas Moore, The Eloquence of Silence