These are storytellers in the Network who are open to coming to churches, retreats, conferences to present both workshops and performances. Each storyteller’s fee varies and we would suggest that you contact storytellers you are interested in directly, by clicking on their email addresses, and request more information about fees and their availability for the dates you are interested in. Our ABS Master Certified and Certified Biblical Storytellers have graduated from the NBS Academy for Biblical Storytelling and have received intensive training in presenting workshops on biblical storytelling.
A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • J • K • L • M • N • O • P • Q • R • S • T • U • V • W • X • Y • Z
Bert C. Ambrose, Jr. - OH
 |
|
Bert is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ who gives
biblical storytelling performances for churches and community groups,
educational
programs in biblical storytelling and story centering and storytelling
electives for
judicatory lay ministry and licensing programs. He offers lay reader training
for lively reading of the text and introduction to biblical storytelling
workshops
for groups and individuals.
|
Deryll Amstutz - Kansas
|
|
Caretaker of swine and occasional teller of fishy tales. Deryll once
considered listening to sermons to be the second most boring activity he was
forced to
endure; second only to listening to scripture. Now, decades later, he’s changed
his opinion (about scripture).
|
Paola Balbi - Rome, Italy
|
|
Paola trained as a professional actress at Accademia Nazionale D'Arte
Drammatica Silvio D'Amico (Italian National Academy of Dramatic Art) in Roma
and as a
storyteller at Credo storytelling Trust, in London (specialized in Bible
storytelling). She is the founder of both Raccontamiunastoria storytelling
Company, the
first professional storytelling group of Italy and the vice- president of the
Federation for Italian Storytelling (FIST). She has been working as a
professional
actress since 1999 both in Italy and in the UK (she is a member of British
Equity) and since 2003 as a storyteller on a wide international scale. With
Raccontamiunastoria she created the succesful trilogy "Women of the Bible",
including the
three shows: "Mary, a story of three women", "Sisters from the Book" and
"Foremothers". She is delegate for Italy at FEST (Federation for European
Storytelling)
and attends regularly at International storytelling Festivals worldwide. She
loves getting involved with international and interfaith projects. She is a
Roman
Catholic, but strongly believes in ecumenicity and is against all kind of
fundamentalism.
|
Michele Marie Beaulieux- Illinois
 |
|
Based in Chicago, Illinois, Michele works with worship teams to incorporate
movement and storytelling into liturgical celebrations in ways that are
appropriate for their communities. She is herself a gifted movement minister
who has
deepened worship through movement, dance, and scriptural storytelling in Roman
Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and other Protestant
Christian churches as well as ecumenical and interfaith settings. Michele also
teaches
liturgical ministers how to make movement meaningful in their congregational
worship, and she leads retreats and prayer hours putting the ancient meditative
prayer form of the rosary into motion.
|
Robin Bess - CA
 |
|
After twenty years of teaching, sharing stories
and working for her local church in Southern California, Robin and her husband
moved into their motor home and are traveling between California
and Texas always
ready to share the Greatest Story Ever Told in a variety of settings
|
Maude Carpenter - Connecticut
 |
|
Maude specializes in telling biblical stories in first and third person versions, giving the story life through using the character to tell the story anew.
|
Tim Coombs - New York
 |
|
NBS Board Member
Creator of NBS Podcasts & Videos
An ordained Presbyterian pastor, Tim has used storytelling throughout his over 20 years of ministry, even before he heard the term biblical storytelling. Tim has told stories throughout the United States in a wide variety of contexts. He serves on the Board of Directors of NBS, where he is our resident “digital guru.” Tim is also known for his Gumball Machine presentation. Just as you never know what color gumball will come out of the machine, you never know what story will roll out as well!
|
Ron Coughlin - Canada
 |
|
Ron Coughlin is a minister with the United Church of Canada.
He served for 22 years in the General Council office and recently retired after
39 years in ministry, but continues to serve as an interim minister in the Montreal area. He has performed the scriptures in church every Sunday since becoming involved in NBS. He serves on the NBS Board of Directors.
|
Kathy Culmer - Texas
|
|
|
ABS Certified Biblical Storyteller
Festival Gathering Workshop Coordinator
Kathy has told stories in schools, camps, museums, libraries, on college campuses, in churches, at retreats, festivals, and many other venues. She is an NBS Festival Gathering Featured Storyteller and has told at the Exchange Place at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Kathy’s story programs most often include folk tales, adaptations of Bible stories, and personal stories. Additionally, she wrote and performs two first person historical story works: They Called Me Madam: The Life of Madam C.J. Walker and This Little Light of Mine: Women in the Civil Rights Movement
|
Jim Cyr - New Jersey
 |
|
ABS Certified Biblical Storyteller
Jim
Cyr, tells “Heart Tales” – stories of St. Francis/stories of God. Jim’s
performance of “St. Francis of Assisi, the
Mirror of Christ,” pairs stories from the life of St. Francis of Assisi with stories from
the Gospel of Luke and other Scriptures to show how the life of St. Francis
“mirrored” the life of Christ. Stories of St. Francis are doorways into the
Scripture stories helping you to experience the Scriptures in a fresh way. Live
music and digital media enhance the stories. Jim also performs “Stories of
God,” sacred stories that connect the audience with God, their true selves, and
others. “Jim Cyr…is a skilled craftsman,
and deeply committed to the Gospel. I
highly recommend Jim Cyr as one of the best storytellers I have ever known.” Robert Béla Wilhelm, ThD., editor, Parables Today.
|
Kate Dailey - MI
 |
|
Biblical Storytelling has been part of her ministry for many years. Kate
likes to engage the participants in the process and does this through her
telling and enabling others in their telling. She was part of the Epic
Telling of the Gospel of John at the 2010 Festival. !
|
Donald Davies - MD
 |
|
Donald Simon Davies, formerly of the Gambia, is a Lay Reader in the Episcopal church. He holds biblical storytelling workshops for youth and adults.
|
Dennis Dewey - New York
|
|
NBS Board Member and Vice President
Dennis Dewey is the former Executive Director of the NBS and a self-described minister of storytelling, a ministry which he describes as “helping people hear the biblical stories again for the first time.” He has performed and led storytelling seminars all over the United States and Canada as well as in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Korea and Israel. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he has has performed and/or taught at hundreds of churches, institutions and festivals from the National Storytelling Festival, Princeton Theological Seminary's Institute of Theology and the Joseph Campbell Festival to Oxford University, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Lutheran National Youth Gathering. He has appeared on national television and has produced a number of audio and video tapes and CDs. He is also a prolific liturgical music composer!
|
Lou Divis - Pennsylvania
|
|
|
Lou Divis says “I love to
tell the story to touch every listener and storyteller; to open myself to
divine power which transforms life; to share the divine grace that works in the
deep part of the heart of the teller and the hearer. I have told at numerous events in Northeast Pennsylvania and am available for workshops,
special events, and joyful times.”
|
David Downey - Virginia
|
|
David specializes in adult Bible story programs ranging from 30 to 75 Min. He also performs shorter sermon length stories (15-20 min.), childrens stories and seasonal Bible stories for special event programs. He offers full day workshops on learning and telling Bible stories.
|
Steve Estes - Washington
|
|
|
Steve Estes recently retired from public school teaching, after 30 years. In 1996 he wrote his first Biblical “story/song” about Moses, entitled “Take My Hand” for his children. After completing his fourth song, he began singing his stories of heroes of the Bible at churches in the Seattle area. He has been performing his program “God's Heroes” at Sunday services, potlucks and coffee houses for the past several years.
|
Pam Faro - Colorado
 |
|
Pam Faro is a professional storyteller who performs and teaches across the U.S. She was the Featured Storyteller for the 2005 Festival Gathering and was the keynote speaker for the 2008 Australian National Gathering. Pam is an ABS mentor and member of the NBS Scholar's Seminar. She earned her MDiv from Iliff School of Theology.
|
Dina Ferguson - California
|
|
NBS President
Rev. Dr. Ferguson tells the Gospel in worship services and sees the difference it makes (by the way it makes a BIG difference!). She has told in many churches in Southern California. She has also gathered groups of new storytellers to learn the skills of biblical storytelling.
|
Beth Galbreath - Illinois
|
|
Beth Galbreath is a passionate Biblical storyteller and teacher of the art, both in workshops and online through BeADisciple.com. She is an ordained United Methodist deacon whose ministry also includes worship design, spiritual direction, and leading spiritual retreats around sacred stories. She is coordinator of Prairie Wind Guild: Tellers of Sacred Stories in the Chicago and northern Illinois area.
|
Carol Ann Gleason - New York
|
|
Carol Ann is a Biblical storyteller from Buffalo, NY. She is known as “The Cheerful Messenger” as she tells the Good News to young and old alike. Ears and hearts have been opened to the Bible as she tells stories in groups from children’s programs to nursing homes. Carol Ann is a Certified Pastoral Assistant in the Diocese of Buffalo and Deacon at Knox Presbyterian Church where she also facilitates a women’s Bible study.
|
Jacob Golden - North Carolina
|
|
Jacob has been a member of NBS for 14 years and has a doctor of ministry degree with a focus in biblical storytelling and church story. He is a United Methodist pastor and uses biblical storytelling weekly in worship. He is available to organize and lead biblical storytelling workshops and/or to perform. His repertoire includes the gospel of Mark, various stories from the other three gospels, and many stories from the Old Testament, including Jonah.
|
William and Polly Green - North Carolina
 |
|
William
and Polly Green are leaders of the storytelling ministry at First United
Methodist Church
in Cary, N.C.
They
enjoy telling biblical stories individually and together. Their favorite story
to tell together is “The Wedding at Cana of Galilee” (John 2:1-12).
William
has performed larger portions of Scripture such as: “The Sermon on the Mount”
(Matthew 5-7), the book of Jonah, II Timothy, and “The Creation Story” (Genesis
1-2).
They are
available on a limited basis for performances, consultations and workshops.
|
Karl Hallsten - Florida
|
|
An animated storyteller who loves to tell The Story. Karl specializes in biblical stories told on the line, between the lines and outside the lines. He also tells a full range of other stories for adult, family and youth audiences above fourth grade. Workshops and coaching available. He is a member NBS, National Storytelling Network and the Florida Storytelling Association.
|
Carolyn Halpert - New York
|
|
Carolyn works in tandem with Juliana Rowe. Juliana tells the biblical story and Carolyn gives a woman's monologue suitable for programs,and worship (scripture and sermon). She has over 15 years experience in biblical storytelling and is available for workshops. Carolyn has appeared on TV on STORYBARN and her original monologues have been resouce material for the Yale Divinity School.
|
Margaret-Ann Howie - MD
 |
|
Margaret-Ann Howie
is
an ABS Certified Biblical Storyteller. She is a member of the New Psalmist
Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland, where she serves as a deaconess. She
earned her Master of Arts in Theology from the St. Mary’s Seminary and
University in Baltimore. Margaret-Ann is also a skilled workshop presenter and
a gifted writer. Margaret-Ann is the author of Single Supplement: Paying the
Price and Enjoying the Journey. A seventh-generation Marylander,
Margaret-Ann’s non-biblical stories are rich in the culture and language of her
native state.
|
Kurt Jarvis - Utah
 |
|
Kurt Jarvis has been a storyteller for over
40 years, working with children and leaders in over twenty countries and
was recently was appointed to the NBS Board of Directors. Kurt has published
several books on telling The Story of God. He is founder of Chronological Bible Storying for Kids and is a featured writer for
several publications.
|
Joyce E. Johnson - Indiana
|
|
ABS Master Certified Biblical Storyteller
Joyce has been with the Indianapolis Guild at Christian Theological Seminary and a member of the Network of Biblical Storytellers since 2003. She received her Master of Arts in Christian Education from CTS in 2002. Joyce is a retired Master's Degree elementary teacher. She serves actively with Mount Zion Baptist Church Christian Education Ministry, as Discipleship coordinator and teacher, workshop presenter, Children's Church and Children's Moments leader and writer. She sings with the Psalmist Choir and participates in outreach through member visitation. She is active in youth ministry with Disciples House for Youth at CTS as Staff Vanguard, book discussion facilitator and workshop presenter.
|
Karen R. Jones - Missouri
 |
|
I retell Bible stories, especially those of Jesus, text-tell biblical texts and offer how-it-might-have-been monologues. I believe in the power of God's stories, for they are not only ancient but eternal. I also present folk tales and poetry. I do pulpit supply and church programs. I am a teacher and a United Methodist.
|
Kay Koenig - Indiana
 |
|
Kay Koenig lives in Shelbyville, Indiana with her husband, Lance. She has
been leading Bible workshops for over 20 years. Her current Passion
is "Women of the Bible" and she "tells" the stories of
many Biblical women. Her "Day in the Life of a Women of the
Bible" - done at the 2010 Gathering - is a background foundation
workshop for story tellers. She is a contributor to "The Biblical
Storyteller"
|
Greg Kornegay - North Carolina
|
|
|
Greg says “for me, storytelling is an continuous offering to God. Telling is a way of life, exampled by our Lord Jesus. As His follower, I will do the same” Telling the Word allows close and continuous meditation with the Father. Greg tells a "story- bank" to himself each morning as a devotional so that they remain "afresh" in his heart. And, he gladly proclaims them when asked: at Worship, Emmaus/Chrysalis events, family gatherings, scheduled tellings, church meetings , Bible studies, Sunday school teaching, lay preaching and community services.
|
Jim Kulma -Ohio
|
|
NBS Board Member
Jim has been a member of NBS since 1994 and currently serves on the Board of Directors. He is a Lutheran pastor (ELCA) and adopted a narrative style of preaching while in seminary and in his first parish. Tom Boomershine and the world of NBS helped weave all the threads to embrace biblical storytelling the NBSs way. Jim regularly provides pulpit supply and performs across northern Ohio with occasional invitations to provide retreats and workshops across the country. He tells a selection of favorite biblical stories, sacred teaching stories, and the Passion and Birth narratives. Jim also plays and teaches Tai Chi and Qigong, traditional Chinese health exercises, and is known for his ability to introduce newcomers to these ancient health practices during relaxation breaks during Festival Gatherings. Jim incorporates these same bodywork practices into his retreat/workshop formats for an experience that not only informs but also relaxes and rejuvenates the spirit.
|
Thomas Lang - Pennsylvania
|
Tom Lang has been telling biblical stories and leading workshops on biblical storytelling since becoming a member of NBS in 1995. He tells at least one of the assigned lectionary texts each Sunday at New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gilbertsville, PA. where he is Senior Pastor/Biblical Storyteller. He can be found telling the stories of the bible and other faith-based stories as well as leading storytelling workshops throughout Pennsylvania in schools, churches and before civic organizations. In 1997 Tom was one of 70 biblical storytellers telling bible stories for 36,000 youth at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's National Youth Gathering in New Orleans.
|
Janice Langholz - Virginia
|
|
Janice Benham Langholz is a retired Fairfax County
Public Schools educator, who was called to a second career as a Biblical
storyteller. She earned an MTS (Master of Theological Studies) in 2011 from
Wesley Theological Seminary, combining her passions for historical research and
the Bible. Janice is a founding member of Living the Story, the Greater DC
Area Guild of the Network of Biblical Storytellers, International. She has
taught bible literacy classes to children, teenagers and adults at her local
church, Rock Spring Congregational United Church of Christ, in Arlington.
Janice has told Biblical stories as part of worship, stewardship activities,
education classes and Advent parties for children, teens and adults at churches in DC, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. She can
be reached at Janice@livingthestory-dc.org.
|
Jeff Lawrence - Australia
| |
|
(M Min BCT) is a Biblical storyteller in Qld Australia, serving as the ‘The Storycatcher’ at Church Services, conferences, retreats, schools, etc. His Master’s thesis explored an appropriate spirituality for a Biblical storyteller. Jeff gives workshops on Biblical storytelling and serves as a spiritual director, retreat provider & storytelling mentor. He is a member of the NBS Australia National Advisory Board. Jeff’s repertoire includes: Matthew & John’s Passion, John 12-17, Luke 1 & 2, Sermon on Mount, & stories in character, eg Thomas, Baptist, etc.
|
Dan LeMonnier - Indiana
|
|
ABS Master Certified Biblical Storyteller
Dan has been telling stories professionally for over twenty years. He has performed at the 53rd Presidential Inaugural Celebration, the Smithsonian Institute and storytelling festivals throughout the country. He is an ordained Stephan Minister and Youth Leader at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Munster, IN. In 2005, Dan received the Frank Basile Emerging Stories fellowship for his performance, "Cotton Patch Community: Stories from the Life and Writings of Clarence Jordan," and was a finalist for the Brimstone Award in Applied Storytelling for his work with hospice. Dan brings a lively mix of humor, personal reflection and music to his performances. His programs include Possibilities, Biblical Stories of Hope (Adults and Families), Christian Character Counts (Youth and Children), and Begin Again (folk tales and original Christian Music). He will gladly work with you to tailor a program to fit your theme, service or special event.
|
Dan Longenecker - VA
|
|
Dan is a former Mennonite pastor (PA., OR., KS., and GA.); a professional director of pastoral care (N.J. and VA); and a church magazine writer. He has been an active NBS member since 1992, one of its workshop leaders at 4 assemblies, and regularly introduces biblical storytelling (ecumenically) to many congregations, pastors, & other church leaders.
|
Gail Losch - West Virginia
|
|
ABS Master Certified Biblical Storyteller
NBS Treasurer
Gail has been "telling" since 1998, when she attended her first NBS Festival Gathering. She answered God's call to biblical storytelling ministry and completed the Academy of Biblical Storyteller course to become a Certified Biblical Storyteller. She is currently enrolled in the ABS Master certification program. Gail is a United Methodist but works with several different denominations in her ministry. A very active leader with United Methodist Women, she has served as a district, conference, and jurisdiction officer and as a director of the national United Methodist Women for the past 25 years. Gail conducts retreats, workshops, and biblical storytelling presentations, mostly for church and women's groups.
|
Carol Lykins - Georgia
|
|
Carol uses storytelling in her church on a regular basis and works with all ages. She also performs dramatic first person characterizations.
|
Vanita Moore - Indiana
|
|
ABS Master Certified Biblical Storyteller
A professional storyteller since 1985, Vanita has shared stories at the Indiana Governor's Residence, War Memorial, State Museum, and Special Olympics; National Funeral Director's Association Conference; Hoosier Storytelling Festival; as well as numerous churches, schools, libraries, senior centers, parks, festivals, service organizations, scouting groups, parties and meetings. In 2003, Vanita received the Frank Basile Emerging Stories Fellowship for a story based on her mother's experiences, "From Surgery Suites to War Torn Skies, The Story of a W.W.II Flight Nurse."
|
Ralph C. Morrison - Michigan
|
|
Ralph transforms stories into performance art whether it's “The Rabbi from Toad Hollow” sharing sacred and biblical stories or the "peddler" with stories about g-d and his world for all ages, ralph has been a juried performer with the Michigan touring arts council for over 20 plus years and a has been a storyteller from his youth. He specializes in providing a messianic Jewish perspective of life, scriptures, Passover and other Jewish celebrations in his workshops and performances.
|
T.J. Parlette - Minnesota
 |
|
ABS Master Certified Biblical Storyteller
T.J. is the pastor the Senior Pastor/Head of Staff for First Presbyterian Church of Rochester, MN. and has been telling stories since 2000. He tells many stories from the Gospels with a concentration on the Gospel of Mark. T.J. became a Master Certified Biblical Storyteller in 2008.
|
Tracy Radosevic - Maryland
|
|
Dean - Academy for Biblical Storytelling
Tracy Radosevic is a professional freelance storyteller from Maryland. She has a Doctorate in Biblical Storytelling, a Master's Degree in Storytelling and another in Religious Education from Duke. Tracy has led numerous retreats and workshops since 1991. She served on the NBS Board for five years, and coordinated the NBS Festival Gathering for seven. Besides Bible stories, which are the foundation of her repertoire and her favorites, Tracy also enjoys telling secular and personal stories that provide food for thought. These include wisdom tales, surprise endings, twisted plots ... any and all stories that make her audiences look at usual occurrences in unusual ways. She has also begun exploring digital storytelling (using music and projecting visual images) as another dimension to her presentations in worship, workshops, and performances. This has come about as a result of her Doctoral work with Wesley Theological Seminary where she'll graduate in May 2005 with a D.Min. in "Spirituality for Life Together" with a concentration in Story.
|
Richard Rice - New York
|
|
Richard began biblical storytelling under NBS founder Tom Boomershine in 1973. His signature story is Jonah. Richard has led retreats and workshops for over 15 years on stories from the Bible. His favorite stories include - Isaiah's Vision, Luke's Christmas Story, Bartimeus, Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son, Walk to Emmaus, and The Three Resurrection Appearances to the Disciples from John.
|
Lou Roossien - Michigan
 |
|
Lou Roossien has been a biblical storyteller since 1988. He is an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church, has been in urban ministry for over 30 years and is currently executive director of ‘The Other Way’ Ministries in Grand Rapids, MI. He led a church storytelling group for 12 years, is a biblical storytelling workshop leader and has told biblical stories from San Pedro Sula, Honduras to the local County Jail.
|
Juliana Rowe - New York
|
|
NBS Board Member
NBS Director of International Relations
I do biblical storytelling in the New York metropolitan
area with Carolyn Halpert, who performs monologues around the scriptures I tell. I enjoy telling the text as written in the
NRSV translation of Bible, but I am open to using any other translation if
requested. Churches use our performances
in a number of ways: as part of their worship service; to replace a sermon and
the reading of a lesson when the resident minister is away; and at special
afternoon or evening gatherings that call for scripture readings and
discussions. There is a place for our
work in church annual conferences of all denominations. I started my adult life as a missionary and
later trained professionally in theatre arts in London. A dramatist, producer/director, I
founded my own theatre company in Sierra Leone
and later obtained a Masters Degree in Performance Studies at NYU’s Tisch School
of the Arts. I now combine my two loves, for God's word and the theatre, in
making the old, old stories of the Bible alive and relevant in today’s digital
world.
|
Philip Ruge-Jones- Texas
 |
|
A key member of the NBS Scholar’s Seminar, Philip is a theology professor who has taught many children, college students and other adults how to do biblical storytelling. He can also put together a program of favorite stories from the Bible or other themes to suit your needs.
He tells the entire Gospel of Mark.
|
Lori Ruge-Jones - Texas
|
|
Lori has lots of experience, and takes joy in, teaching biblical storytelling to young adults on college campuses and in various campus ministry settings. She has also worked with elementary age children, and junior and senior high youth, as well as adults. Lori uses storytelling primarily in the context of worship, and has been a biblical storyteller since 1995.
|
Zac Sturm - Missouri
 |
|
Zac Sturm is pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, MO. He
first performed scripture from memory on a whim and discovered that his
congregation absolutely loved it. Now they won't allow him to stop. Zac has internalized
many lectionary texts and also offers performances of the Sermon on the Mount, Luke's Christmas
story, and the Gospel of Mark. His practice
audience includes his two sons,Jackson and Grant. They appreciate hearing
"stories about Jesus."
|
Annette Scheid - Illinois
|
|
|
“Mrs. Annette” is a professional storyteller who left her day job to pursue her dream of telling stories as a career. She is a featured teller at several local elementary schools as well as library branches in Grand Rapids. She is a regular performer at the Grand Rapids Festival of the Arts and the Bard's Bonfires and Tellebration (Nat'l Celebration of Storytelling). Annette is a member NSB and the Grand Rapids Story Spinners. In addition to her story performances, Annnette leads workshops for people from ages 8-80!
|
Pamela Smith - Indiana
 |
|
ABS Certified Biblical Storyteller
“Biblical storytelling is my vocation and my passion!” Pamela is a long time member of NBS and is also a member of the National Storytelling Network. She worships at St. David's Episcopal Church in Bean Blossom, Indiana, where she serves on the administrative board and convenes the worship and music committee. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, a grandmother, and a poet.
|
Jim Stahl - Texas
 |
|
Jim
joined NBS in 2007 when he began researching oral traditions and Biblical
storytelling for his Wycliffe Bible Translators role. Jim
and his wife, Janet help Bibleless
language groups tell the Biblical stories in their own languages. While in Texas, Jim tells Biblical stories in First Presbyterian
Duncanville, and at a guild.
|
Janet Steele - Ohio
 |
|
Janet has ten-plus years experience in biblical storytelling. She is an innovative Vacation Bible School storyteller; willing to train VBS storytellers. Janet offers tailored Advent and Easter programs for luncheons, dinners or afternoon teas. She is a Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church. Janet is available for pulpit supply, biblical storytelling and Bible study leadership.
|
Martha Taylor - Virginia
|
|
|
Martha’s first experiences at storytelling were in public schools and public libraries telling folktales and elephant stories - she memorized Dr. Seuss' Horton Hatches the Egg to celebrate his birthday. She tells biblical stories using the NBS method and has done biblical storytelling in churches in Florida and Virginia mainly during Advent, Christmas, Easter, and Stewardship seasons. Audiences say Martha’s biblical storytelling is “powerful” and “really brings the text to life.”
|
Thelma Ruffin Thomas - New York
 |
|
Thelma Ruffin Thomas a native New Yorker
from Harlem is a retired librarian and Artistic Director of The Pearls of Wisdom. She is a
professional folk storyteller, whose work has taken her to Tanzania, Brazil,
Ghana, Costa Rica, South Africa, Russia, and Australia. For over a decade, Thelma’s repertoire has
included biblical storytelling - doing one woman shows, leading workshops and participating
in seminars in the US and beyond. On her recent mission to the Gambia, her
spellbinding, jaw-dropping performances of ‘rapping’ Gospel stories drew crowds
to her workshops. Her skillful use of ‘rap’ as an attention-getter and engaging
teaching tool in folk and biblical storytelling works each time. Her
storytelling appeals to all ages, especially children and youth for whom she
has developed styles that really rouse and develop their interest. Thelma is
always willing and ready to perform wherever and whenever there is a need to
tell and teach biblical storytelling.
|
Rachmiel Tobesman - Maryland
|
|
Rachmiel is a Rabbi, M.Ed, with 30+ years of experience teaching who has developed educational and storytelling materials. His credits include Storyteller in Residence and Cultural Exhibit Chairman of the Baltimore Jewish American Festival (1982-1994); Storyteller-in-Residence Walters Art Museum (1988-1993); Motivational speaker, and Maggid (Storytelling Rabbi).
|
Donna Marie Todd - North Carolina
 |
|
Editor, The Biblical Storyteller; Communications Manager for NBS
The “Singer of Stories,” Donna Marie is a popular performer for festivals and conferences. Her biblical storytelling repertoire includes the passion narratives from Mark and Luke’s gospels, the book of Ruth, and portrayals of Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of Jesus. Her festival and concert stories are all original works of art and include a chance to hear her soaring soprano voice. She trained in vocal performance at the Peabody Conservatory of Music and is a teaching artist with the Asheville Area Arts councils. Donna Marie is a frequent presenter for the Montreat Conference Center, other retreat centers and seminaries..
|
Suzanne Tyler - North Carolina
 |
|
A member of NBS since 1996, Suzanne enjoys telling at Pilgrim UCC-Durham,
where she is a member. She is available, locally, for workshops and retreats on
storylearning, exploring spiritual journey as story, or creating family
stories. The senses, movement and artistic response are embraced as paths
toward learning. Suzanne believes God loves a good story.
|
Richard F Ward - Oklahoma
|
|
Richard has served on the faculties of Iliff School of Theology, Yale Divinity School and the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Richard's major field is preaching but he has a specialty in the emergent discipline of performance studies. As of June 2010, Richard will occupy the Fred B Craddock Chair in Preaching and Worship at the Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa Oklahoma. He is regularly called upon to teach and lead workshops in preaching and storytelling. Richard is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.
|
Stan Ward - TX
|
|
|
Stan serves as Bible chairperson and worldview director at
The Brook Hill School in Bullard,
TX. He is also a PhD student in
leadership and education at Dallas
Baptist University.
He specializes in Old Testament Heroes, Pilgrim’s Progress, Life of Christ, Life
of Paul, leadership stories and, for something completely different, Napkin
Theology!
|
Drew Willard - FL
 |
|
Drew Willard started telling Bible stories in 1987 at the St David's, PA
"Festival Gathering". In the summer of 2007, Drew went on a “Gospel
pilgrimage of storytelling”, presenting 19 ‘story concerts’. In recent years, he
has teamed up with a Jewish storyteller and Muslim imam for "evenings of sacred
storytelling".
|
Carol S. Wolf - New York
|
|
ABS Master Certified Biblical Storyteller
NBS Board Member
Carol is a national retreat and workshop leader. She is the author of “Biblical Storytelling in Youth Ministry”, a guide for using biblical stories to work with youth and “Journey into Prayer.” Carol is also a newspaper and television columnist and an Associate Spiritual Director at the St. Joseph Center for Spirituality. Her workshop and retreat topics include Stress Solutions, Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts and Discovering Your Purpose, Getting to Know the Angels and Women in Scripture.
|