For four years, women from Plymouth Congregational Church, a predominantly white congregation, and Corinthian Baptist Church, a predominantly black congregation, had been finding ways to know one another.

The two churches sit less than two miles apart in Des Moines, yet for more than a century had rarely shared life together in meaningful ways. Slowly, intentionally, that began to change. There were Bible studies, book discussions, music events, jazz happy hours, and community storytelling gatherings. Relationships formed over time, steadily and sincerely.

So when the Austin Story Project Story Circle process arrived, it did not begin from scratch. It became the next faithful step.

Becky Rische thought she had been handed the dream team.

Her Story Circle was made up of Bishop Sue Briner and the staff of the Southwest Texas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America.  This group of leaders was already accustomed to vulnerability, theological reflection, and speaking openly about faith. They were people whose work required them to live close to the heart of the church: one coordinating migration ministry, another focused on evangelical mission, one centered on faith formation, another helping recruit and connect Spanish-speaking communities across Texas. They already knew one another well. They already trusted one another.

At Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, Lent always arrives with intention. In a large church bustling with thousands of members, Lent is a time when many in the church join a new study. The season invites people to slow down long enough to reflect on suffering, loss, and the long journey toward Easter hope.

For Bess Kercher, that preparation took the form of the Story Circle. For her, preparation began before anyone else entered the room.

Before they ever stepped onto a plane for Senegal, Dr. Jamie Tanner knew the team needed more than logistics. The work ahead of them was too difficult, too complex, and too human for that.

A group consisting of eight women and two men was preparing to partner in a project supporting women and children in Senegal who had experienced exploitation and displacement. Alongside local organizations, the coalition hoped to expand a farm outside Saint-Louis into something more -- create cottages, an infirmary, a schoolhouse, a place of worship, and a long-term community where healing and flourishing might take root. It was ambitious work. Tender work. The kind of work that would require trust long before anyone arrived on the ground.

The group was smaller than expected. The hope had been for six to eight people, but only five women showed up. Most were mothers of young children, ranging from newborn-stage parenting to elementary school drop-offs, all from the same large church. And as sometimes happens in large churches, finding community can take some intentionality.   

Before the first Story Circle night was over, Lisa said out loud what the others were already feeling. “I think we found something.” No one quite knew what to call it yet. 

July 28 – August 7, 2025
The Fierce Nonviolence Pilgrimage is a 10-day immersive experience for young adults offering training in the spirituality and practices of nonviolent social change in the lineage of Jesus of Nazareth, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Combining storytelling, contemplative practice, and community engagement, participants learn from atomic bomb survivors and Indigenous leaders across the Pacific Northwest while exploring the spiritual and strategic foundations of peace building.