09514
June 19, 2009

The ritual of storytelling

Recalling history creates unity, Racial Ethnic Convocation told

by Duane Sweep
Special to the Presbyterian News Service

Hiram Perez (left) of Atlanta and Jen Stevens of Louisville, KY, expressed the history of the Hispanic-Latino/a constituency in dance at the Racial Ethnic Convocation at the Big Tent. Photo by Duane Sweep

ATLANTA — The cultural stories of six constituencies provided the substance of the “Ritual of Storytelling” at the Racial Ethnic Convocation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)  here July 12. at the denomination’s Big Tent event.

The convocation was one of 10 separate conferences held jointly in one location with joint worship, shared meals and a plethora of workshops open to all.

Warren Cooper, an elder and nationally known music minister from Oxford Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, guided the transition from story to story with a litany of unity in word and song, as if he were conducting as a worship service.

Elder Warren Cooper of Philadelphia led the “storytelling” worship service for the Racial Ethnic Convocation at the Big Tent. Photo by Duane Sweep

“We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord. To be other than unified is something we can’t afford,” Cooper led a spoken repeated responsive verse as the service moved from one story to the next. The spoken verse was followed in song, “We are one; in the power of God’s Spirit, we are one.”

Following the call from the Rev. Buddy Monahan to share “birth stories,” racial ethnic constituencies shared the historical stories of their members in the body of Christ.

The litany of unity that opened the service for the multicultural group included the call, “Let us then learn from our differences and discover how we are the same.”

And the benedictory prayer, written by the Rev. Harold S. Jones of the Dakota tribe, concluded, “Finally, gracious God, give us new visions of your will and help each of us to have a share in each others’ accomplishments.”

The individual constituencies shared their stories in a variety of ways, from a history of the African American/Black church in America that stressed “heritage, witness, hope,” to the individual story of the Rev. Thysan Sam, representing the Asian constituency, who witnessed the killing fields of Cambodia, and over the span of 35 years transitioned from a Buddhist monk, to slave, to refugee to Presbyterian minister. Sam said God was “holding me, carrying me, protecting me.”

The story of the Korean constituency, which traced the development of its Christian heritage through early missionaries to that country, is one of a still-growing group within the PC(USA) that now numbers about 60,000 members.

And speaking for the Middle Eastern constituencies, the Rev. Joseph Faragalla cited the challenges of Christian ministry in that part of the world and added, “What the Koreans are doing in large numbers, we are doing in small numbers.”

The Hispanic-Latino/a constituency expressed its story in a slide show titled “A beautiful tapestry,” and highlighted its presentation showing unity through dance.

The Native American constituency wrapped up the stories, showing pictures of Native American churches throughout the United States and noting, “We were there then. We are here now. We will be there in the future.”

Duane Sweep is communications director for the Synod of Lakes and Prairies and a frequent contributor to Presbyterian News Service.