On Sacred Listening…

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blessing, conversation, evangelism, faith, God, hear, listen, sacred, share, stories

Photo credit:  https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/411697251/the-act-of-listening

Last week and this week, our curate is leading Hickory Neck in a forum on evangelism.  The work of the class is ultimately about sharing and listening to sacred stories.  True evangelism happens not when we tell people what they should believe or that they should come to church with us, but when we listen deeply to people’s stories and reflect where we see the sacred in those stories.

I realize this all may sound a little touchy-feely for many of us, but the truth is, even if you never called it “sacred storytelling and sacred listening,” you have likely experienced the phenomenon.  Think about the last time you encountered someone who was such a good listener you were pouring out your soul to them, without even actively choosing to do so.  Or recall those times when you have shared some of the heavy things on your heart and the listener pointed out where they saw God in the darkness in a way that lightened your entire perspective.  Those holy moments do not happen very often, but when they do, we feel a sense of transformation and the nearness of God.

That’s what evangelism is all about – not a manipulative way of coaxing out stories so that you can convert someone, but a willingness to stand in the fray with people (be it friend, neighbor, or stranger) and wait for God.  That kind of openness is a tremendous gift and privilege – to you, to the other, and to the world.

This past week, I have had the privilege of having lots of conversations – about faith, religion, children, church, and politics.  Some have been with church members, some have been with new acquaintances, and some have been with strangers.  And to a person, in every conversation, I find that I experience more blessing and renewed faith in our God than I even realized I needed.  This week, I invite you into those sacred storytelling and sacred listening opportunities, whether it’s with someone you know or someone you have never met.  I know that sounds scary, but you will be surprised how often someone is willing to share if they know someone is really listening.  If you are willing to accept the invitation, I suspect you will come to church on Sunday with a sense of renewal and restored faith.  I can’t wait to hear your stories!

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The Power of Stories

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church, connect, encounter, meet, power, sacred, stories, stranger

Photo credit: coolerinsights.com/2016/04/how-to-tell-winning-brand-stories-on-social-media/

Last week we started our Meet and Greets at Hickory Neck.  I knew that I wanted to get to know the people of the parish in a more meaningful way than just shaking hands in the receiving line after church.  And so, we are gathering in small groups of 10-12 people, and taking time to tell our stories.  The gatherings have already been a tremendous blessing.  I am learning about the varied ways that people found their way to Hickory Neck, their loves and passions, and their hopes and dreams.

What I particularly enjoy about the gatherings is the reminder of how powerful our stories are.  Each person in our community has a unique story, with elements that are quite familiar to us, and elements that are totally foreign to us.  I think that fascination with stories is why I have been attracted to efforts like Humans of New York or StoryCorps.  Those efforts are hoping to capture the everyday nature of our stories, while demonstrating the powerful ways that we connect through our stories.  Our stories have the ability to bring others joy, to elicit empathy, to bring us to tears, and to open up new worlds.

Too often, we are tempted to ignore the depth of those stories with strangers.  We are busy about our business, trying to accomplish tasks, or stick to a schedule.  In that routine, we forget that there are people all around us who have rich stories and whose lives may have something to teach us.  From that man who snapped at you in line, to the child who fell asleep in school, to the mom out in public in her pajamas, to the teen engrossed in social media, each person has a story behind their behavior – and the story may be much different than a quick glance allows us to assess.

If you have not joined a Meet and Greet, I encourage you to sign up at church.  In fact, even last night someone commented about how much they were learning about people they had known for quite some time.  But beyond our work within the community, I invite you to start looking at those outside of our community with a different eye:  the eye of someone who sees the unique and sacred stories we all have.  I look forward to hearing how your encounters go.