Hearts for Hearing: A Workshop to Learn Compassionate Listening & Transformative Storytelling
First Presbyterian Church
Sylva, NC

Part of our church’s mission statement is to follow Christ’s example to love our neighbors as ourselves, but we fail miserably most of the time. The key to loving one another is understanding and that is gained through listening carefully. Our storytelling project is designed to do just that.

Our ecclesial imagination is being a welcoming, supportive and understanding congregation however within our sheltered mountain community we have separated ourselves from difficulties due to racial and/or social injustice, economic struggles or disabilities that are too frequently faced by our members as well as the community. We need much more work to be able to listen to one another with empathy and love. This project will transform our capacity to listen with our ears as well as our hearts!