“What’s your story?  What’s your master narrative?”

Those two questions were posed by Bishop Sally Dyck, of the Northern Illinois Conference, during opening worship of the United Methodist Association of Communicators recent meeting in Chicago. Each of us in the room listening to Dyck was there because our job is to find the best way to tell the stories of Jesus.  Her questions resonated with us.

Dyck talked about the list of metaphors she had been compiling.  Her current favorite was “Under Construction.” Her story about the project to upgrade Interstate 90 from Chicago to Rockford spoke just as much about The United Methodist Church as it did about the highway.

Dyck also warned of the danger of not telling your story when she recounted the final service of a United Methodist Church in Minnesota. Listen to the audio of Dyck’s worship message.

The next day, the Rev. Dwayne Grant, of Xperience Church in Hillside, IL., played piano and the Rev. Grace Imathiu, of Community UMC in Naperville, IL., offered the homily during Saturday morning worship.

Following 15-minutes of Grant leading us in songs of praise, Imathiu continued with the story theme.  She reminded us that “there are stories we tell about ourselves and there are stories that others tell about us.”

Imathiu used the story from Luke 17: 11-19 of Jesus healing the ten men as he walked the border between Samaria and Galilee on his way to Jerusalem. Listen to audio of Saturday morning worship with Grant and Imathiu.

What story do you want the East Ohio Conference to know about the ministries of your church? How is your congregation making disciples of Jesus Christ?

Please share your stories at Let’s Hear from You.  The Communications office has the tools to share these powerful stories across the denomination.

*Rick Wolcott is director of communications for the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.