Storytelling resources Wisdom Story “It takes a gifted person to be able to "see" into a story and lift out the deepest meanings.  Elisa is that kind of person.”
-- Rev. Jeffrey Johnson, UCC Milton, MA (from a letter in response to Elisa’s workshop on Shaping and Sharing our Stories of Grace)

Wisdom Tales – Storytelling in Religious Settings

This is the part of my web site devoted to stories, healing, and spirituality, or the getting of wisdom.
There are several different offerings on my wisdom tale pages. I hope you will check them all out and let me know what you think.

  • Information on Elisa's programs for religious or spiritual settings.
  • Information on Elisa’s workshops for religious or spiritual settings.
  • Read the article by Elisa "Feeding the Spirit: How Wisdom Tales Become Our Teachers" on how wisdom tales can serve as guides and spiritual nourishment.

 

Elisa’s “Wisdom Tales” Programs

Performances

Elisa offers storytelling programs for all ages in religious settings. This includes programs for children and families in and out of the sanctuary, and “story-sermon’s” for adults in the sanctuary. Family programs are also available for other church functions.

Adults: Story sermons are programs consisting of stories from several spiritual traditions presented on a theme with a small amount of commentary Elisa to join them together. Examples of themes include: Mindfulness, forgiveness, gratitude, stories as doorways to spiritual growth, earth stewardship and community building. Elisa is often asked to design the whole service, from opening words, to responsive readings to closing words. She is less comfortable with choosing music! Your church can provide the theme.

Children and/or Family Audiences: Elisa tells folk tales from multiple spiritual and cultural sources on themes related to kindness, non-violent conflict resolution, cooperation, peace and justice, and earth stewardship. She can tell to large and small groups. Her story programs involve the children and often culminate in the whole group standing and telling a story together.

Holiday Programs: Elisa also offers special programs for holiday time such as winter solstice, Advent, and Christmas Eve.  At Christmas time she tells her original story of the “Shepherd Boy’s Gift”, which tells the Christmas story from the point of view of a shepherd boy who gives the gift of care for his wounded lamb to Jesus, and Mary tells him that love is the greatest gift of all. This story is often broken into three parts with carols sung by the congregation in between each break.

Workshops

Elisa offers the following workshops for adults, Religious Educators and Ministers, children and families.

Forgiveness: Telling our Stories in New Ways – a 90 minute to 5 hour workshop

Forgiveness is an integral part of the emotional, spiritual and even physical healing process, and yet it is poorly understood. It offers an opportunity to look at and relate to our stories of wounding in new ways. It calls us to see those who have hurt us with more complexity and compassion. It guides us to forgive ourselves, to let go of the role of victim, and ultimately to live and love more fully. In this experiential workshop, participants will explore through the medium of story what forgiveness is, its gifts for daily living and spiritual growth. Elisa will share several folk tales and personal stories related to the forgiveness process and will guide participants through storytelling and writing exercises to learn from and share their stories of forgiveness. No storytelling experience necessary.

Storytelling As Prayer
A workshop at the Rolling Ridge Retreat Center

A wise man once said, ‘the shortest distance between truth and the human heart is a
story.’

In this workshop we will explore practices through storytelling that invite prayerfulness,
presence and gratitude, as well as ways of living in a compassionate and prayerful state with
others. We will encounter stories from a variety of spiritual traditions, gleaning and planting
their wisdom seeds for our own growth and joy. We will also remember and re-examine our
personal stories for new evidence of grace, will share them with one another, and develop
practices for drawing on these stories as prayer in our daily lives.
Throughout the day we will hear stories, contemplate and meditate on story wisdom, and play
with stories through storytelling and writing exercises. No previous storytelling experience is
necessary and one need not come with any personal stories in mind. Please bring a journal and wear comfortable clothing. Elisa’s book, Doorways to the Soul: 52 Wisdom Tales from around the World, to be used during the workshop.

Previous Storytelling as Prayer workshop participants said:

  • I thought Elisa was a lovely facilitator & she managed the time quite well- a true feat!
  • Well organized, good tempo, thoughtfully unfolded, productive & engaging format.
  • Fluid- peaceful- gentle- heartfelt
  • Elisa is so knowledgeable and nurturing.  She really helps students to find stories within themselves and to tell with confidence.
  • The program was carefully planned, met goals, and did so joyfully

 

Shaping and Sharing Our Stories of Grace

This is a workshop for ministers, religious educators, and adults on remembering, shaping and finding deeper spiritual meaning in our personal stories. Elisa will share a personal story and demonstrate how she found deeper spiritual meaning in the story and made it more meaningful to others. Then she will lead participants in shaping and sharing their own spiritual tales. No storytelling experience in necessary. This is a great workshop for building a stronger community. As participants hear one another’s stories deep bonds are formed. 120-180 minutes. (Adults)

A Trunk Full of Tales

A community building workshop for families. In this workshop members of the congregation of all ages (5-105) hear Elisa tell a family story about an object of value to her family, and a lesson learned. Then Elisa guides participants to share something that has been handed down or given to them and to tell the story behind it. This can happen in large or small groups. In the process congregants get to know one another better and have a satisfying experience of storytelling and listening. 90-120 minutes. (Families)

Once Upon a Present Moment

Mindfulness and meditation principles in practice and daily living taught through short Buddhist tales and exercises. 90-120 minutes. (Adults)

Doorways to the Soul: Wisdom Tales for Spiritual Growth

This is a workshop or short course in which participants work with short tales from many spiritual traditions to deepen spiritual growth. (Adults)

Religious Educators and Laity

A storytelling course for more effectively sharing stories with children and examples of drama exercises to follow the stories that deepen the children’s connection to the themes presented. 90-120 minutes. (Adults)

I Wonder Tales

This is a workshop for children that promotes honoring and wondering about natural phenomenon by making and sharing stories to explain nature creatively. 60-90 minutes. (Best for grades 2-4)

 

Elisa came to our church to train the RE teachers in storytelling.
After the workshop my teaching improved substantially. I felt
liberated to take chances on my delivery - to the benefit of my
audience, and I've been having so much more fun! Our second graders
never sat through Bible stories with such rapt attention.
Their comprehension has improved as well as their ability to understand
the stories on a more human level. The transformation
has been fairly incredible.

Sandy F. Trinitarian Church, Concord, MA.