Hollywood Tells Stories. So Should Your Church.

Nearly two weeks ago, I was in Hollywood where we were celebrating our son’s recent wedding. One of the parties was held in the Culver Hotel – once owned by John Wayne and famously inhabited by the Munchkins during the filming of the Wizard of Oz. Sony Studios and Amazon Studios were all within walking distance. I was in heaven.

In addition to celebrating Luke and Sara, we also took a three-hour Hollywood tour. This included, as our tour guide Titus helpfully explained, the “Three B’s” – Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and Bel Air. And yes, we did see Taylor Swift’s house (well at least a gate and the tippy top of her roof line), and the gate of “Bachelor Mansion.” Really, could things get much better? Heck no.

Hollywood has a story to tell.

It’s in the business of making sure a tale, any tale, is told well – be it funny or scary or dramatic.

The church is also – or it should be – in the business of telling stories. The Bible is full of them. We cling to them in times that are hard, when we need a little inspiration, or when hope seems fleeting.

‍Whether you recognize it or not, your congregation is a hotbed of stories that need to be told. They can be woven into sermons or during announcements. And bonus…

‍Your offering time is a perfect opportunity to tell stories.

I have often suggested that during the offering time, getting someone to tell their three-minute story about how the church impacted them is a great way to get stories out. I also know that it takes work to recruit, explain, and organize. (I maintain that it’s worth it and can be incredibly powerful.)

‍However, if pulling that together isn’t your jam (yet), consider organizing your offering time around different weekly topics. For example:

‍Week #1 – Sunday School/Faith Formation. Highlight one class – who leads it, the focus, when it happens, why it’s important.

‍Week #2 – Community Outreach. Tell the congregation about one specific way the church is impacting their neighborhood and their world.

‍Week #3 – Music Program. Let the congregation know what it takes for the music to come together each week. Or highlight one or two participants and why they want to make music.

‍Week #4 – “During the Week.” In the past month, maybe there was an interaction that you had in the church building that, in retrospect, stands out and that the congregation should know about. Often, the small stories can carry a big punch. Be on the lookout.

‍Week #5 – Connectionalism. United Methodists talk about connectionalism all the time but rarely highlight it. What a perfect opportunity to let the congregation know the difference being a United Methodist makes in the world.

‍After telling the story, remind your congregation that “Your tithes and offerings make this ministry happen. Your generosity matters in ways you may never know.”

And then…repeat the following month (with new stories).

Seriously, Hollywood has nothing on the powerful work that is being done every week in your congregation. However, they’re not going to tell your story.

That’s up to you.

‍Photo credit: Me!

###Cesie Delve Scheuermann (pronounced “CC Delv Sherman,” yes, really) is a Stewardship Consultant for the OR-ID Annual Conference. She is also a Senior Ministry Strategist with Horizons Stewardship – helping with capital campaigns and encouraging more generosity. For 25 years, while working as a volunteer and part-time consultant, she has helped raise millions of dollars for numerous churches and non-profit organizations. She’s wondering which of these Munchkins stayed at the Culver Hotel?

You can reach Cesie at inspiringgenerosity@gmail.com, at CesieScheuermann.com, or at cesieds@horizons.net. Want to schedule a meeting? She’s got you covered!

‍Schedule a meeting now.

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