MBS Newsletter
How has God touched your life? My life? What difference has it made? What difference will it make if we tell these stories to someone else?
Two of her recent books put Maren Tirabassi in touch with the powerful faith stories (yes, everyone has many of them) of ordinary people. In Caring for Ourselves while Caring for Our Elders, she and co-authors Leanne Tigert and Maria Tirabassi interviewed a diverse group of elders and the family members caring for them. Their stresses varied and their decisions differed, but they all found healing in telling their experiences and connecting them with the stories of the scripture. In preparation for the United Church of Christ National Youth Event Maren and Maria collected personal encounters with God from some thirty-five teenagers across the country and thirty-five adults who reflected on a holy moment in their own adolescence. This tapestry of sacred places in nature, beloved mentors, mission trips, losses and their recovery formed God in My Life: Faith Stories and How and Why We Share Them.
We read spiritual autobiographies from Augustine to Anne Lamott…we hear them from the Psalms to Alcoholics Anonymous. Our discussion will share stories from younger and older from Tirabassi’s books, as well as offering ways to effectively and safely invite personal sharing in church contexts such as bible study, retreats, and youth ministry.
Rev. Maren Tirabassi is the pastor of Union Congregational UCC in Madbury, NH.
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