Stories are powerful – powerful for the storyteller who reflects on meaningful insights, turning points, revelations, memories big and small and then articulates them into words. Stories are also powerful for the listener/reader who gains a close look of those big and small moments, perhaps finding a bit of commonality with the storyteller and certainly coming away with a sense of connectedness with that person and the human experience.
This spring, eight persons from the congregation will have the opportunity to participate in a four-session storytelling class. The class meets Saturdays from noon-3:00pm April 27-May 18, at the church. The course is designed for participants to learn basic elements of creating and telling stories, connect with others in the class, and have the experience of giving (and receiving) only positive feedback about stories told in class. On Sunday, May 19 at noon, class participants are invited to share one of their three-minute stories with an audience of family, friends, and anyone in the congregation.
Kitty Dutenhaver, the leader of this class, is a First Church Member and veteran storyteller and storytelling teacher. A retired law professor, dean, and mediator, Kitty took courses at Second City, is completing a book on storytelling, and served as the host and co-producer of “Storytelling By Older Adults For Older Adults” at the (now closed) Celtic Knot Pub in Evanston. She has graduate degrees in religion from the University of Chicago and law from DePaul University.
Kitty has taught this storytelling class since 2014 years. She finds the experience of guiding others in creating and sharing stories very meaningful and enjoys it immensely. Persons who are interested or simply curious about the class are encouraged to contact her at 312-860-1956 or kdutenhaver@comcast.net. Please note that the class is capped at eight persons with a wait list. Online registration is at https://bit.ly/storytellingatFirstChurch .
Common reactions to the course from former participants:
- At first I worried I had no stories to tell. Then I was surprised I actually did have stories and even more surprised when people listened.
- I wondered how I would last through three hours of class, but the time simply flew by.
- I never knew I could say so much in three minutes.
- I did not like her [another person in the course] before I took the class. Now that I have heard her stories, I would like to get to know her better.