The Power of Story in a Digital Age

22 October 2012

Numerous events happened in London on Saturday 20th October. One of them was The Christian New Media Conference 2012, at Kings College.

The theme of this year’s conference was, “The Power of Story in a Digital Age”. Online, a lot of what we do is tell our story.  For us, as Sisters of Mercy, this is the story of Catherine McAuley, her building of Baggot Street, the beginning of the Sisters of Mercy, the first British foundation in Bermondsey, right through to today. And of course, this is God’s story, the unfolding story of God in our lives.

The day was packed, with plenery sessions and breakouts, with a wide variety of topics being covered. These included: writer and boradcaster, Sheridan Voysey talking on the Power of Story in a Digital Age; Key Trends of 2013; Social Media and Beyond; Reaching Young People; Prayer and Twitter; and Depixilating God.

Catherine McAuley wanted her Sisters to be out where people were, she wanted the streets of Dublin to be their cloister, and so they became know as the walking nuns.

Today one of the places people are, is in the online world. Here we can be present to people where they are and make connections with people we could never have made connections with before. As Sheridan Voysey put it, ‘We have great tools to cross the boundaries like never before’. The same boundaries Jesus crossed with the Samaritan woman at the well.

Benedictine, Sr Catherine Wybourne, also known as Digitalnun, reminded us of the need to pause and for silence in our digital world.

I would invite anyone who reads this to visit our Prayer Room, to pray for the intentions posted there, and to light a candle for your own intention.
To visit our Prayer Room CLICK HERE
 

Closing Prayer from the conference

Father, Creator God,
You sent your Word, Jesus Christ, to reveal your love and compassion to the world; you have called us to be his disciples, true images of your beloved Son,
proclaiming his Gospel to all creation.
His story is now our story.
Keep us faithful to what we have received, and generous in our sharing.
Holy Father, we thank you also for the gift of the Holy Spirit
whom you sent to sanctify and bless all you have created
and be the bond of love that unites all of us with you and your Son.
Send forth your Spirit upon us now.
Purify our hearts and make us attentive to your promptings
that we may be true missionaries in the digital world.
Grant us the humility to seek you above and before all other things
that all we say and do may be done in your name and for your glory.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen