Storyteller's World

The trouble is, I don't actually do storytelling 'performances' - if that's the right word - to new and strange audiences, as much as would be good for me. And telling most of the time to my own favourite audience who listen to me week in week out, just isn't the same challenge. So last night's gig was the welcome exception that had me dreaming those old anxiety dreams and panicking those panics all last week.

It was the annual conference for readers in the diocese (Licensed Lay Ministers, or LLMs, as we are supposed to call them now, except most of the time we end up having to explain, 'That's what we call Readers now.' A friend of mine who's in charge of organising the conference twisted my arm into being the speaker at the opening session on Friday evening: straight after arrival and dinner. It's supposed to be light-but-serious introduction to the theme of the weekend, entertainment but thought-provoking too, inspirational without being too head-breaking. You get the picture. So obviously biblical storytelling was the answer to their needs.

I had to spend a good bit of time brushing up the stories I wanted to tell, but couldn't do much to plan my links between them until I was actually on my feet. I told:
The Sower (Matthew's version)
The Man Called Legion (Mark)
Blindness and Sight (John 9)
Jairus and his Daughter - and a woman along the way (Mark)
The Lost Son (Luke)

With the linking talk, it took just an hour. The voice lasted out (God be praised!) - though I think there'll be hell to pay tomorrow - and everyone seemed more or less gobsmacked. Which I've never really been able to interpret. But no one went to sleep, and several people wanted to ask questions afterwards and said they'd been excited, inspired, etc. So, a success; another step on the road to that elusive and not-yet-existent post of Diocesan Storyteller.