Across our region, communities of faith are finding creative ways to help people truly see one another. One congregation invites members to choose from a set of simple questions; a small team then turns their responses into a “me in a minute” story, shared as a PowerPoint slide and added to a growing binder of “Me in a Minute” profiles. People are discovering connections they never knew they had.
Another community encourages worshippers to sit beside someone new and strike up a conversation. Others weave interactive moments into worship, inviting people to share insights or respond to a short story. In one church, a speaker sparked laughter and curiosity with a true-or-false trivia moment about his own life. Some congregations are even creating short videos so people can introduce themselves in their own voice.
Each of these practices is rooted in a simple truth: your story matters. Your faith, your questions, your experiences, your hopes—they can encourage someone else on their journey. Consider sharing a small piece of your story with someone this week. And if your community of faith is experimenting with ways to help people connect more deeply, please share those ideas so others can adapt them in their own context.
If you would like additional resources to help people share their stories, I would be glad to send some along. Authentic stories build authentic community.
Please contact me, Sharon Ballantyne, growth animator, at 506-306-0500 or by email at sballantyne@united-church.ca You are also invited to a virtual 30-minute drop-in conversation each Wednesday morning, beginning at 9:45 a.m. Atlantic (10:15 a.m. Newfoundland and Labrador). Contact Sharon for the Zoom link.
