Materials for Living Stories
The materials used in Living Stories are simple yet powerful tools that help bring Scripture to life. They make the Gospel tangible, allowing participants of all ages to engage with the story through a multi-sensory experience. Below, you’ll find an overview of the key materials used in Living Stories Sermons and how they support this dynamic preaching method.
Underlays
Underlays are fabric pieces used to create the setting of the story.
Purpose: These represent the landscapes or symbolic elements of the narrative, grounding the story visually and spatially.
Examples: A green underlay for rural areas, a blue underlay for water, or a gray underlay for urban environments.
Tip: Use simple felt or fabric pieces. The goal is not to replicate the setting in detail but to evoke it in a way that sparks imagination.
Figures and Props
Figures and props bring the characters and objects of the story to life.
Purpose: These tactile elements allow participants to visualize the people, places, and key items within the story.
Examples: Wooden figures to represent Jesus, disciples, or crowds; objects like loaves of bread, a boat, or a temple.
Tip: Simple, symbolic representations often work best. Refrain from using overly-detailed pieces (such as nativity sets) because that often limits the ability of the congregation to do the work of interpretation, as the materials have already done much of the interpreting for them.
Printed Images
Printed images on cardstock are used to represent key moments in scripture that are found in words, rather than action. We depict these abstract concepts or "stories within the story,” such as when Jesus tells a parable or there’s some other longer monologue, with simple line drawings to provide a visual anchor for core teachings without overly interpreting the text.
Purpose: These help illustrate ideas present in lectionary readings that may not be easy to convey with physical props.
Examples: In Luke 4, Jesus reads from the Isaiah scroll. A simple image of broken handcuffs is printed out, to encapsulate the teaching about release and liberation.
Tip: Use miniature easels to display these printed images above the story.
Adapting Materials
Living Stories encourages creativity and flexibility. If you don’t have the exact materials listed in a script, use what’s available and get creative!
Simple, Accessible, Transformative
The materials in Living Stories are intentionally simple, ensuring accessibility for all congregations. These tools work together to foster imagination, deepen engagement, and bring the sacred story to life in a way that words alone cannot.