Meaning-Making
Telling our stories, in the conviction that you’re a story too
Barack Obama said: ‘whatever else human beings are, they are stories’.
In July 2020, out of a conviction that how we shape our stories of 2020 really matters to the wellbeing of individuals, churches and society, Imogen Nay and Andy Griffiths started having some short conversations.
Conversation 1: Changing stories
Imogen’s default way of telling the story of lockdown has changed from something inspired by Julian of Norwich to an account of creativity; Andy has stopped thinking in terms of phases and started being comfortable with a testimony that varies according to his audience. How have your lockdown stories been changing?
Conversation 2: Commemorating Lockdown
Imogen and Andy talk about how they remember the last four months, about how they will ensure that the memory is not lost through Facebook, journals, collages, stones and boxes, and about the memory of Eucharist. How will you remember 2020?
A collage created by Imogen and her household:
Conversation 3: Three models from the Bible
Imogen and Andy talk about lockdown as an Exile, an Exodus and as like the story of Abram and Sarai, and wonder aloud if ‘emergence’ is quite the right way to consider this moment. What models from Scripture help you tell the story of 2020?
Conversation 4: with Meg Warner
Imogen and Andy speak with Dr Megan Warner about her own lockdown story, the Old Testament, resilience, and reframing stories.
Conversation 5: Tim Goode
Rev Tim Goode, disability adviser for the Diocese of Southwark, tells us about lockdown, disability, Thomas, and the risen body of Jesus
Conversation 6: Isabelle Hamley
Dr Isabelle Hamley, Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury, talks about long covid, Romans 8 and digital church
If you’d like to send us stories, pictures (how did your lockdown bakes turn out?), and ideas, we’d love to include them on this site. You can email us at [email protected] or [email protected].