If you were in worship last Sunday, you heard The Rev. Bruce Puckett acclaim the Godly Play method as “an opportunity for ALL God’s children, those who are young and old, to experience the stories of our faith in new and surprising ways.” This, of course, was music to my ears—especially since I recently attended the North American Godly Play conference in Denver, CO. (Watch for details about what I learned at the conference in next week’s eNews.)
In worship the previous Sunday, I heard The Rev. Dr. Lisa Thompson (guest preacher from Union Theological Seminary, NYC) proclaim, “I am convinced that if we are willing to journey into a passage that may leave us with more questions than we have answers, we may be willing to move about in the lines, letters and spaces of that text while listening a little deeper.” I immediately thought to myself…that is what Godly Play does. After hearing a story, the storyteller in a Godly Play class guides the participants in wondering. The wondering often goes very deep, as the participants wander through the words and movements of the story, making connections based on their own life experience. There definitely can be more questions than answers, but as Dr. Thompson suggested, that can ultimately lead to deeper listening… and deeper understanding.
The Rev. Puckett urged listeners, “If you’ve never had a chance to experience Godly Play, you MUST find a time and way to do so.” Intrigued? Just let me know! I’d be happy to arrange a Godly Play session for you.
Peace,
Phyllis