The word on the windows
Mavis Payne coordinates and trains volunteers in the window storytelling ministry at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne, which is a partnership between CMS Victoria and St Paul’s. In this article she shares some of her experience telling Bible stories.
Learning Bible stories to share with others is a discipline which allows storytellers themselves to meet Jesus in a deep way. Bible storytelling involves stepping into the narrative of God’s story, and capturing a specific story in a simple, accurate and memorable form which can be shared in mission, across cultures, in discipleship and with friends.
The stained-glass windows in St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne each tell a Bible story about Jesus or Paul the Apostle. In the tradition of ancient and medieval cathedrals, these windows were included so that those who didn’t own a Bible, or were unable to read, could engage with Bible stories in visual form. Most visitors to the cathedral do not own a Bible, and many belong to cultures which are visual and oral. Window Bible storytelling is an opportunity to ‘open the Bible’ with them.
Seeing ourselves in the story
Trained window storytellers welcome visitors to the cathedral and invite them to hear a window story about Jesus. Recently I shared the story of the woman at the well (John 4) with an international student.
I asked her, “What do you notice in this story?”
Her response: “I am that woman”.
She had stepped into the story and identified with the Samaritan woman and her transformation after meeting Jesus. The student told me her story and her desire for a fresh start. Hearing the story of the Samaritan woman had connected with this woman’s own desire to be transformed by Jesus. I gave her a postcard of the window and the questions we had used to explore it further. She downloaded a Bible App and told me she knew of a church close to where she lived in Sydney. I prayed for her and committed her to God’s ongoing care in her journey towards knowing Jesus.
For me, through learning and sharing this Bible story, I step into the story and identify with the woman, and receive afresh the honour that Jesus bestows on me. In the story, Jesus doesn’t judge or reject the woman; but invites her to come closer and know him. Like the woman, my identity is not tied to ethnicity, successes or failures, but who Jesus says I am. Learning Bible stories can be transformative for the storyteller, so we can share our own story of faith and embed it within a Bible story. The bigger story we are telling is of Jesus; and we can invite our listeners to meet Jesus in his story.
Bible storytelling as encouragement
Bible stories also speak into pastoral situations. A friend related the difficulties he faced as a Christian leader through the long COVID lockdowns. “It sounds like you’re in a storm,” I commented.
After sharing the story of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4), I asked what he noticed about the disciples’ response to the storm: “Jesus, don’t you care?” And then how Jesus spoke with them: “After being with me all this time, will you not trust me?” As my friend stepped into the story and heard the invitation to trust, he cried out to Jesus. If we have Bible stories in our lives, they will naturally enter our conversations.
Discover more online
Listen to some of the Window Storytellers from St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne here.
Image: The St Paul’s Catherdral window depicting the woman at the well.
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Is there a Bible story that connects to your story of faith which you could learn and share with others? Pray and seek God’s leading and see our resources section on page 21 for tips on learning to tell Bible stories.
