The Leader of the Pack

Several of you have asked who is leading the trip – great question. The following is from the leader’s website:

Dennis Dewey is internationally acclaimed as a master biblical storyteller. An ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA), he has performed and taught at hundreds of venues all over the world.

He has been featured at the National Storytelling Festival, Princeton Theological Seminary's Institute of Theology, the Joseph Campbell Festival, Oxford University and on national television. Dennis has also served as Executive Director of the Network of Biblical Storytellers .

After fourteen years full time at this ecumenical, itinerant storytelling ministry, Dennis Dewey was called to be the Designated Pastor of Stone Presbyterian Church in Clinton, New York in March 2007. Stone church understands part of its mission as continuing to make Dennis available to share his gifts with the larger church.

I first met Dennis when Bob and I attended one of Dennis’ workshops on Biblical Story telling. I was in awe as I heard the stories. As an aside – Bob and Dennis used to sing together in a barbershop quartet.

One of the exciting adventures of this trip is the opportunity to learn to tell the stories of Jesus. As Dennis advices - tell it from the heart, visualize it, don't memorize it.

Each person has been given the opportunity to tell one of the stories. What a great opportunity! I have stepped up to the plate and while in Jericho will tell the story of Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1-10. One of the challenges is that every time I say Zacchaeus my mind immediately goes to the children’s song: “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he.”

Over the next few days join me in learn to tell my assigned story. And yes - sometime upon my return you can expect to hear me tell this story - from the heart.

Luke 19:1-10
He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner." Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." Then Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."