Small-Community Ideas That Work: Storytelling

Embracing the reign of God, facing the challenge of conversion, and embarking on our spiritual journeys are frequently made possible through the storytelling that takes place in small communities.
 
When men and women share faith stories, and their parish respects and values these stories, both the individuals and the parish community grow deeper in their faith life. In the large parish, there is often nowhere to tell the stories of our faith journeys; yet, it is clear that telling our stories, and listening to others’ stories, are valuable aids to interpreting the meaning of our lives.
 
As we look at the concept of story in relationship to small Christian communities, we note certain elements:

• The Gospels are narratives, the stories of Jesus as remembered by members of the early Christian communities. Every time small communities read the Gospel they are reviewing the story of Jesus and reflecting on how it intersects with their lives.
• When we share our faith stories, we are telling—and perhaps hearing for the first time—how God is acting in our lives. It is often in the telling itself that we experience the presence of the Holy Spirit. This helps others believe in the God who is really at work in us.
• As we hear others talk about their lives we realize how God is present and acting in their lives.
  Not only do we hear the narrative of Jesus’ life but we also start to apply the Word to our lives today.
• As we listen to one another we have a sense of the Spirit acting in the community.

 
In all of these aspects we are trusting in Jesus’ words: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Mt 18:20).
 
We trust that Jesus is present and that his story is being retold and applied to our lives. We might call this an immanent experience of God. Yet in the sharing of Scripture and of life experiences, there is also a profound search for God—for the answer to the question, “Who is God?” The search that takes place in small Christian communities can lead to an experience of the transcendent God who dwells in mystery.
 
Telling our faith stories, or faith sharing, is recalling a time, a life event, a situation, a word, a moment of grace when God touched our lives, challenged us, or spoke to us. God speaks to us in various ways: through the silence of our hearts; through the Word of God; through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist; through the presence, words or actions of another; or through nature.
 
Why do we share faith? We share faith in order to

• recognize and take ownership of how God is acting in our lives
• reveal to others how God is at work in our lives, our world
• welcome and encourage the faith of others
• witness to divine mystery
• build up another
• lead us to conversion of heart

 
Faith sharing helps us to make connections with others and allows us to see and hear how sacred our lives are and how precious all life is. Our spirits are touched by someone else’s story and this builds up our faith, hope, and love.
 
Adapted from Small Christian Communities: A Vision of Hope for the 21st Century, © 1997, RENEW International.