Pentecost is seven weeks after Easter Sunday, and after that comes summer, which the Revised Common Lectionary calls “Ordinary Time.” No more festivals or emphases in the church calendar until Advent–but “Ordinary Time” is far from boring!
In 2023 “Biblical Storytelling Weekly for Summer” will offer an in-depth journey through the stories of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar the great ancestors of all three of the “Abrahamic” faiths, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Delving into the story cycle together, learners will experience the humor, the pathos, and the terror, develop skills for either telling or reading it.
This is a journey for both biblical storytellers and those who prefer to read the Scripture in worship. It’s not an introduction to biblical storytelling as such, though learners will be encouraged to learn parts of the story by heart as they desire.
In addition to Blackboard interactions, weekly Zoom meetings will be held Mondays at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Central time. You may attend either one each week. Attendance at five of the six is required for a certificate.
This course is eligible for 1.0 CEU.
This course has been approved by Discipleship Ministries (formerly the General Board of Discipleship) as an advanced course with 10 contact hours in Lay Servant Ministries, and 1.0 CEUs are available.
Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 6
Price: $70
CEUs: 1.0
Required books: No
Blackboard: Yes
Zoom: Yes, required
Certification or series: Yes (Lay Servant Ministries)
Read course description for details.
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About the Instructor
Rev. Beth Galbreath is a United Methodist deacon who has been Telling Scripture by heart and teaching others this art and spiritual discipline for over 20 years. She is a former vice president of the Network of Biblical Storytellers International and has presented Tellings and taught biblical storytelling online and in Bolivia, Cameroon, Haiti, India, the Philippines, and of course in churches and conferences in the United States. She led the NBSI mission teams to India and the Philippines. And during the pandemic, she led a storytelling workshop in an online State-Department sponsored leadership program for multi-faith groups of youth in Mindanao.
Beth serves on the pastoral leadership team of Compassion UMC in Brookfield, IL, a new church plant, where she often Tells Scripture in worship. She coordinates the NBSI-related Chicago-area biblical storytelling group, Prairie Wind Guild: Tellers of Sacred Stories.
Past Learners said…
“As usual, Beth was a great teacher. I have taken a variety of different classes from her and have always found her to be on top of her subject. She can be a hard task-master, but what I get out of her classes is well worth whatever she throws at us. I was grateful that the Lenten and Advent [Biblical Storytelling Weekly] studies were spread out a bit more given all the other activities going on during the two seasons. It is a great idea to allow us to work on storytelling without getting overwhelmed. Thanks, Beth.”
