Our Sacred Stories class at the jail is structured like a “peacemaking circle” which is a Restorative Justice practice. In keeping with circle practice, we always start with a “check-in” where everyone says their name, how familiar they are with whatever biblical story they have just heard told, and how they are feeling. We record the feelings on a little chart to affirm them. The feelings are always a mixture, as one would expect from a group. 

One Wednesday in mid-February, Sacred Stories was led by Jennifer Davis and Roberta Longfellow. (It was the week I spent in Guatemala, teaching biblical stories in Spanish, more or less.) They taught the story of Jesus’ baptism from Mark, starting by telling it to the group. The tallies at check-in showed that for seven of the nine women present it was a “brand new” story. The feelings named were: loved, thankful, content, sleepy, hopeful, relaxed, uppity, mad, and happy. I’ve been doing Sacred Stories for five and a half years now, and I still hear new feelings named—“uppity” for example.

A peacemaking circle is also supposed to have a closing “check-out.” So I always plan to do a round where we all tell how we are feeling now (at the end of the session) along with comments about the class. On the back of the check-in chart is a check-out chart. But most weeks that chart is left blank. I almost always run out of time.

Roberta, however, skilled time manager that she is, ended class on time with a check-out round. Here are the feelings that she recorded: blessed, loved, relieved, unjudged, welcomed, can-do-whatever-she-wants, hopeful, optimistic, more appreciate that life isn’t worse, less mad, empathetic, don‘t really have it that bad. Makes you think, doesn’t it. 

I am especially pleased that “unjudged” and “welcomed” were named. That’s the hoped-for spirit of our Sacred Stories circle. The next week one of the women reported that they had “gone deep” in the session led by Roberta and Jennifer. I know they are only willing to do that because they trust the group with their deep feelings and difficult experiences. As for comments on the class, what Roberta recorded was: “one of my favorites,” “helps me open up, mostly with myself,” and, from a woman who was getting out soon, “will miss Amelia.” Now you know one reason I enjoy going to jail.