“Follow Me” – Making a New Story (Part 1)

Our team of teachers met on January 6 to discuss the schedules and story selection for the new “semester” – January 8 – May 13, 2012. As we talked, we were anxious to include a story about Jesus calling the disciples. Following Jesus has just such a story – and we don’t have this one in our “library” of Godly Play stories.

Unfortunately (for me) we scheduled the new story for January 15, 2012! Just a week to get ready! (Well, really only six days to get ready since I wasn’t able to start working on it until Monday, January 9.)

We use these baskets from Ten Thousand Villages for our stories, and I had an extra one, so off I go. (Gulp! Now I see that they’re $14 each! When we started using these baskets, I was able to buy them in bulk for $5 each.)

Several many years ago on a beach vacation, I bought this $5.38 fishing net, remembering it was needed for some story or other. Note: Perfectionists canNOT cut out two 15″ x 15″ squares of fishing net. It is impossible. I had to just quit trying and put two smaller pieces in the basket. I’m trying not to think about that right now… (but on the other hand, doesn’t my mousepad from the Georgia Aquarium fit in nicely?)

My husband usually cuts figures for me using the shop at his work. I copied the outlines of the ELEVEN figures needed for this story from the back of the book and carefully cut each one out. He magically turns these “paper dolls” that I cut out into the wooden figures I need.

I bought the wooden boat from Worship Woodworks. I could have bought the entire story, but I really enjoy putting the pieces together – for me it is part of internalizing the story, even though I won’t be the storyteller for this one on Sunday.  The boat won’t arrive by Sunday, but we have one already for another story, so we’ll borrow it for this week.

And then, I’m done for a bit. I need to drive to the neighboring town to get felt for the underlay, and then I am hoping that my poor husband has time this week to cut out the wooden figures. More to follow!