Last Sunday we welcomed a new superintendent minister to our oversized circuit, as the senior minister there to support us, encourage us and when necessary chivvy us along his first week has included a whistle stop tour to the 3 areas to meet the staff teams. Friday was our turn here in the south area and so we gathered at Ludlow for this meeting about meeting.
With no business to deal with, other meetings booked for that, it was a time where the new boss told us some of his background, his story. Then we each offered what we chose to of our stories. Stories we may have had hints of or snippets, but which we hadn't ever sat and shared together before. It wasn't a planned teambuilding activity just the way the conversation evolved, but it was one of the best team meetings I have been in. We emerged closer to one another, knowing something of each others journeys, struggles and high points, and even finding high points in the midst of the struggles - and glimpses of God. It left me feeling very positive about the year ahead and our work together.
Meanwhile along with all other Methodist ministers I have received the request to tell other stories, stories about difficult times we have known of, that the church may face her past, deal with unanswered wrongs and learn to be better in protecting the vulnerable. The Past Cases Review is gathering into one place knowledge and memories of safeguarding issues across the country and across the years. Stories that may not have been spoken aloud before, stories that may have been silenced in the past, stories that need to be heard; but also the reopening of stories that people had laid down to move onto new stories of hope and life.
This will be a difficult time for many, but storytelling is powerful. It can break down barriers making strangers into friends, it can bring truth and light where it is needed, it can set prisoners free. But it is risky, it is the opposite of hiding behind armour and shields, it is daring to lay bare our souls - in small ways and big ways depending on the tale to tell.
Tomorrow the reading in church is the letter from Paul to Philemon - a letter about risk taking. These were days of slaves and masters, a runaway slave was lost property, and if recaptured was due punishment for fleeing. Paul sends the runaway Onesimus back to his owner, but pleads for forgiveness for his, in the legal terms of the time, crime. Paul was asking a lot of Philemon, but it was Onesimus that was taking the risk - his story was laid bare, and how others reacted was out of his control, he had only to trust in Paul's telling of the story, his story, Paul's own, Philemon's and that of Christ.
Storytelling - powerful and vulnerable, risky but potentially world changing.
Think of those who are being asked for stories in the Past Cases Review, and for those entrusted with holding the stories and responding to them.
This ( review by the Church) is navel gazing on a massive scale. And to what purpose? Instead of planing for the future and seeking how to adapt to change we wallow in a guilt trip back into 50 years
ReplyDeleteAnd yet there are those who are finally feeling heard when previously their experiences were handled poorly, even without reopening cases it is healing for them. So my feelings are more mixed - I don't see it as a guilt trip, but a looking in the cupboard to deal with skeletons before they jump out at us. And an old case may reveal a present risk. I think it is important, but a hard thing.
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