A Season of Blessing
"There is a reality in blessing, which I take baptism to be, primarily. It doesn’t enhance sacredness, but it acknowledges it, and there is a power in that. I have felt it pass through me, so to speak. The sensation is of really knowing a creature, I mean really feeling its mysterious life and your own mysterious life at the same time.” -- Marilynn Robinson, Gilead
Storyline's identity is shaped by our deep belief in the sacredness of all things: all creatures. We do not make things sacred, we simply show up and offer our attention and witness to the sacredness that already exists both in and around us.
And we believe that ability is not relegated to a particular group, a particular age, a particular status or ordination, but is the work of a community. And that has shaped Storyline.
So in this season of blessing, not only will be offering our regular blessings (Blessing of the Animals, Blessing of the Backpacks, and Blessing of Community), we will also be honoring the sacredness of our identity by returning to some basics. We asked in preparing for this season, "what would make the most Storyline of Storyline services." So we will going back to our roots, with the most Stoyrline of songs, practices, and liturgies that invite us to move toward our own sacredness and the sacredness of our neighbors.
Storyline's identity is shaped by our deep belief in the sacredness of all things: all creatures. We do not make things sacred, we simply show up and offer our attention and witness to the sacredness that already exists both in and around us.
And we believe that ability is not relegated to a particular group, a particular age, a particular status or ordination, but is the work of a community. And that has shaped Storyline.
So in this season of blessing, not only will be offering our regular blessings (Blessing of the Animals, Blessing of the Backpacks, and Blessing of Community), we will also be honoring the sacredness of our identity by returning to some basics. We asked in preparing for this season, "what would make the most Storyline of Storyline services." So we will going back to our roots, with the most Stoyrline of songs, practices, and liturgies that invite us to move toward our own sacredness and the sacredness of our neighbors.
September Schedule
The Blessing of the Animals
September 6th, 2026
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During our Secret Life of Beasts season, we move close with wonder to the stories of our not-so-human kin. So what better way to cap off this season than by the naming of the sacredness that exists in all creation. We invite you to practice that in our wonderful BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS!
You are invited to bring your pets (cats, dogs, snakes, lizards, birds) that can be trusted with other animals and people to receive a blessing. If you have reactive pets or pets that don't like to be around other creatures and/or have a pet that has passed on, you are invited to bring a totem that represents your pet (a picture, collar, favorite toy, or a favorite treat!) that can also be blessed! |
Blessing of the Backpacks
September 13th, 2026
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Fall is just around the corner, and we like to launch our new seasons and the school year right -- with a blessing of the backpacks as our community members prepare to get back in the classroom for a new school year. So if anyone in your household is going back to school soon, we invite them to bring their backpacks to receive a blessing from the community.
AND our neighbor kiddos in our local schools are in great need right now of blessing too! So be on the lookout for the "school list" of needs from the Wichita Center that we be inviting our community to bring as well, so we can help the school year start off great for all of our neighbors in the school district. |
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The Blessing of Community
September 20th, 2026
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This Sunday, the service will be held entirely by the hands of the community, with our pastoral staff taking an intentional "absence" so that the service is held entirely by our community.
We are so grateful to have so many wonderful humans in our community who make Storyline possible. So this Sunday we will be blessing that community and the way they make the vision of Stoyrline possible in our community. |
Past Blessing of the Animals
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