gathering, going deeper

rain stick shiver, music, silence, nature's beauty. a prayerful pause from which to launch into our gathering.
welcomes and introductions, orientation and explanation. enter the space as you feel comfortable.

the first two workshops invited us to explore how we use senses to learn and share stories, and how we engage with the Holy Spirit.

stories have been shared in the intervening time as we get to know many new friends, and reconnect with old friends.

we are about to eat our dinner - quickly - before heading off site for a public address by our speaker, for which we are to be joined by another 80 or 90 people!

the gathering, the beginning

well, folks, the Network of Biblical Storytellers Australia / New Zealand Gathering is kicking off tomorrow (Friday). The board members arrived early and discussed structural and administrative matters, including finishing the meeting not as a board, but as a Network Council! And of course, we enjoyed catching up on our stories, as it's been a while since we were all in the same room together!

The venue is great - a Catholic retreat centre in Brisbane, on the water - stillness, beauty, and gorgeous weather (it's winter down here, and it was cold and rainy last weekend, so fine and mild is very welcome).

We are very much looking forward to embracing old friends, welcoming new friends, sharing the stories, and hearing from Megan McKenna.

In the morning, the people will gather: let the stories begin!

From our keynote speaker, Megan McKenna

Here is what Megan is planning to explore with us at the gathering on the weekend of 5 - 7 July, in Brisbane, Queensland: let her thoughts whet your appetite and inspire your fingers to fill out those registration forms and book those flights for a weekend of immersion in our Sacred Story.

Saturday, I'm thinking of doing John 4 (parts of the chapter) and connections with word / water / scriptures ... and I would hopefully invite the people to experience the connections / relationships between the gospel / Scriptures and storytelling by heart (not memorisation).

I thought for the workshop we could either explore parables – specifically as religious / sacred stories that are meant to 'interrupt' our lives and turn us upside down and inside out ...  or storytelling and scripture – on words  and their power to convert, make peace, do justice, etc.

And then the closing on Sunday morning I thought I would do something on making stories come true – dreaming and telling them into becoming reality and actually happening.

I don't know about you, but I find Megan's thoughts are enticing, and can't wait to explore the Gospels, storytelling, and living into and out of the story with Megan and fellow storytellers. See you there!!

In the beginning was the word ... pass it on: 2013 National Biblical Storytellers' Gathering

Here it is - the registration information for the 

2013 National Gathering of the Network of Biblical Storytellers Australia

Brisbane, 5 – 7 July 

Click on this front page to access the full flier with registration form. 

See you there! 

Network News December Issue

Read all about the activities of Network Storytellers in the latest edition of TABS.

October TABS

Hi all - the latest edition of TABS is now out, with stories of storytelling in Chartres, New Zealand, the USA, St Petersberg and around Australia.
Check it out and be inspired!

US Festival Gathering

This year, three Australians - Annette, Gillian & Robyn - made the trek over to North Carolina for the International Festival Gathering of the Network of Biblical Storytellers.
They had good intentions of blogging the experience as they went, but it really is such a full-on engagement of your being - in other words, they were having so much fun - that there just wasn't time. So our travellers promise to offer us their reflections on the gathering when they return to Oz this week. Stay tuned!