On February 4, 2023, GMPC hosted an inaugural Community Storytelling Festival. The event had been advertised in the Sampson Independent; Lee Howard, the storytelling coordinator, was interviewed by J. W. Simmons on “You Should Know” on the StarVision television channel; our 8′ yellow banner was hanging in the church yard; we advertised on Facebook and personal invitations; the chairs had been set up; all helpers were arranged; Melissa had prepared a beautiful program; the microphones fitted with new batteries, and the ShedHeads Food Truck was in the parking lot, but we had no idea if even ten people would show up.
In the Fall of 2022, the Congregational Care and the Missions Commissions agreed to sponsor the February 2023 storytelling as an outreach to both our congregation and our community to gather in our GMPC fellowship hall to share various stories. Our goal? …to laugh and learn and share together as one. Indeed, we found ten storytellers of various ages and cultures to each present a 25 minute story. At 5 minutes ’til 10:00, only a handful were present; by 10:05 we had a good crowd. We kept the coffee and stories coming and had over one hundred listeners for the day.
Quote from Lee Howard: “Of course, I really did not know what to expect from the day; however, it was beautiful. The gifts of those ten storytellers, the food, and the warmth of each individual listener lifted the hearts of those in the room. Between storytellers the audience members were mixing, laughing, and introducing themselves. I have received notes from people I know and some I don’t know thanking GMPC for such a joyous day. Thank you to all who participated.”
Photos and Video Provided By Lee Howard
