Posts by Valerie Serrels

I met with the principle of the school, who was delightful and reassuring in his encouragement, “ The only way to perhaps not achieve the intentions of the fellowship is to not become involved with the school and students.” Well, that should be easy right? I have comfortable room and board, access to the university…

Sue, and the other pilgrims from the second of two pilgrimages to Ireland, boarded planes back home. I wheeled my three suitcases and hefted my back-pack to a different concourse, flying to Manchester, England to begin a 3-month fellowship at St. John’s College at Durham University. Following a somewhat arduous train ride, losing my ticket…

by Phil Weaver-Stoesz “I don’t really know how to begin,” Michelle says, “Does anyone want to share any memories of Deanne?” Fourteen theatre creators are sitting in our first rehearsal. It’s 2008, I’m a first year at Goshen College, and a few weeks ago, my friend Deanne died. Many of her friends are in the…

By Alison Brookins Exactly a year ago I first set foot in Harrisonburg, VA. I was an anxious little intern, unaware of the whirlwind of joyous creative energy about to be unleashed within myself and within Ted & Co. Now, after hours of mulling and writing in solitude, laughing and dreaming with Ted, I am…

April 22, 2017: Steven Stauffer and I begin the 2017 Laughter Is Sacred Space Human Faces Tour in Tucson, AZ at Shalom Mennonite Fellowship, to an almost full house. I could feel, despite the loss of amplification, an audience leaning in to absorb the story I had to tell and give back their empathy and…