| abstract |
Stories matter. Everything and everyone has a story. Everyone has a story that is formed by the set of experiences that shapes who they are. Institutions also have a story — its history of occurrences and activities create the institution. Each of these stories is important because they are not independent. They are interconnected with each other. In a similar way, storytelling is the combination of individual pieces of scraps joined together to make a beautiful tapestry.
Utilizing the image of a quilt, this project explores the interconnectedness of preaching, teaching, and testimony in identity formation in individuals, the church, and the community. It examines how these stories are interconnected and impact each other to create a larger, more inclusive, connected quilt. This project uses the context of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Montclair, NJ as the setting for exploring the quilt. This project will examine Trinity's story as a congregation, its community story located in the south end of Montclair, NJ, and the stories of the individuals comprising the congregation.
Using Anne Wimberly's story-linking model, this project examines storytelling through a sermon series: This is Our Story, a four-week Bible Study engaging Wimberly's story-linking model, a leadership retreat using the same model, and a survey. Each of these avenues reveals a story. This project demonstrates that each of these stories impacts the other when it is sewn together, creating a quilt that is Trinity's story.
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