After a two-month break, we launched both Sacred Stories (jail) and Circle of the Word (prison) this week. The theme for the series this Fall is “Telling the Good News: Stories of Mark 1” beginning with the story of John the Baptizer (Mark 1:1-8).

Both groups of women were terrific. We had 13 come to Sacred Stories. Susan, my co-Circlekeeper, had told John 1:1-14 for worship this week on Sunday and I had preached. So, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” was rumbling around in our heads even as we engaged “The Beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

After we all spent time learning Mark’s story, Susan told John 1:1-14. The two stories are so similar in some ways and so different in others. Her telling to this group was profound. Our attention was riveted on her, and on the story. As Jesus promised, the kingdom of God drew near.

One of the women caught the allusion to the Genesis story, too. I think it would be interesting and meaningful to do a series on the three books of the Bible that all start with a reference to “beginning.”

When we started a program at the prison this past June I tried a new thing. Sacred Stories class meets every Wednesday afternoon. while Circle of the Word  only meets twice a month. In order to stay in synch between the the two programs I experimented with doing the same story twice at the jail.

It worked better than I anticipated. I didn’t feel I had to cram all the basic activities into one 90-minute session; I had two, which created a much calmer atmosphere because I didn’t feel rushed. Plus in Week One I could encourage participants to work on the story during the week after they first learned it, and on Week Two invite them to perform it. Whoever told the story, no matter how sketchy, earned a gold star sticker. I always had takers.

Our third Circlekeeper, Elaine, left on a bus tour bound for Washington DC early this morning. SoHope and I were on our own. This turned out fine because we only needed one circle for the eight women who attended. Again, it was a sacred time–houghtful women who participated very well.

After an initial telling and administrative stuff (attendance, guidelines, etc.) we started with a lion hunt. It brought smiles and energy as usual. We had a couple of older women, but mostly I’d guess 25-35 and one young one who didn’t look much older than 20.

I also taught the Greeting Song before the Storyboard exercise so they would partner up easily. That is always a winner.