In the specific instance of Bethesda UMC, narrative storytelling did not lead to a greater sense of togetherness as a church. While the experience of the Sacred Story Space did not diminish the church's sense of itself as a whole, healthy, and welcoming church, post-project surveys revealed that the congregation did not feel an increase in these essential qualities as a result of the narrative storytelling sharing sessions.

Pre-project surveys indicated that Bethesda had a far more positive self-image than I hypothesized would be the case. Therefore, the church began the Sacred Story Space journey in a far better place than I originally thought it was.

Despite the fact the project did not do what I had originally set out for it to do, Sacred Story Space stayed true to Wesley's Second General Rule: It did no harm. I hope it obeyed the First General Rule, as well, "Do good." I believe that the body of this work creates a framework for other churches to enter into their own Sacred Story Space. The narrative found in these pages deepens and thickens the content of the Sacred Story Space, giving it dimensions which the original Bethesda experience did not have. Much of this work involves new thoughts, additions, and clarifications which the first embodiment of the Sacred Story Space did not have.

The Christian faith is, at its very heart's core, a story—a gorgeous, divine, human story of love, life, redemption, and resurrection. Our story speaks of brokenness and frailty becoming whole. Our story speaks of death leading to life. Our story speaks of love defeating hate and hope overcoming despair. Without super-imposing, the larger story upon any other story, a community so founded upon a story should spend time exploring all the stories people are willing to share.