Biblical Storytelling Courses
Beth Galbreath is passionate about helping folks reconnect with Scripture through the art and spiritual discipline of biblical storytelling using the methods developed by the Network of Biblical Storytellers.
The emphasis in these classes is on learning to tell Scripture by heart, using our bodies and emotions as well as our minds, rather than as a series of words "memorized" in the head alone. Biblical storytelling is for preachers, teachers, evangelists, parents - everyone!
And members of faith traditions other than Christianity are also welcome, especially those of the Abrahamic faiths who share reverence for many of the same stories.
Rev. Galbreath has performed Scripture and taught biblical storytelling in the United States and Cameroon, Bolivia, India, the Philippines, and Haiti.
Biblical Storytelling Weekly for:
Advent or Lent or Summer
Biblical Storytelling Weekly for Advent, Lent or Summer is a series of three five or six-week spiritual explorations of a biblical story or story cycle. Advent and Lent follow a Gospel writer's presentation of Incarnation or Passion/Resurrection themes. The summer session will look at a cycle of Old Testament stories. All are connected to the lectionary choices for that year.
It's for both those who want to Tell the stories by heart and those who want to Read Scripture in worship "with a storytelling spirit!"
The course uses Zoom to gather the class in a face-to-face online meeting once a week. There is also one discussion board assignment each week.
All Biblical Storytelling courses qualify as Advanced Lay Servant Ministries courses, as well as offering CEU's from Southwestern College.
Biblical Storytelling I
A two-week online class in the fundamentals of preparing, learning and telling a biblical text by heart - not by brain alone.
In this class we focus on the genre of text-telling, so that participants will be able to tell the Scripture in worship and teaching instead of reading it. Participants will dig deeply into the story of their choice and learn it over the course of the class.
Biblical Storytelling II
A three-week course touching on over two dozen expanded topics in the art - different genres including first person, drama, rap and midrash; puppets, children, tandem and epic telling, and story-stitching; costumes, props, ways to use biblical story, using biblical story in liturgy, developing your storyteller's voice, protecting your voice and body, and much more.
Biblical Storytelling Weekly (Original)
Biblical Storytelling Weekly uses Zoom to gather the class in a face-to-tace online meeting once a week for six weeks. The techniques taught are the same as in Biblical Storytelling I, but a different assigned story will be taught each week. It's a great opportunity for a group working together, and teaches how to lead a biblical storytelling workshop yourself.