• Why storytelling matters
• What is a story?
• Story checklist
• Story example
• Narrative prompts
• How to submit stories and media
• Representation matters
• Informed consent
• Guidance for filming yourself

Why storytelling matters

Stories shape how people see the Church. If we do not tell the story of what God is doing in our communities, others will tell a different story for us.

Living Christ’s Story is not just a strategy document. It becomes real when people can see:

• faith in action
• lives changed
• welcome extended
• hope rekindled
• courage shown
• generosity lived

Jesus often taught through stories. Storytelling helps people see truth, not just hear it. It helps us speak clearly about Living Christ’s Story both to the outside world and to each other:

• To the outside world, real local stories keep the “rumour of the Church” alive. They build trust, spark curiosity, and show what the gospel looks like in everyday life.
• To each other, stories strengthen confidence. They help us learn what’s working, share ideas, celebrate signs of growth, and remember that we are part of something bigger.

What is a story?

A story is a real, specific moment where people can see Jesus at work in your parish. It might happen in worship, discipleship, service, justice, welcome, generosity, finance, or community life.

A story is not:

• a diary entry of everything that happened
• a vague summary (“It was lovely and everyone enjoyed it”)
• a PCC update (unless something genuinely changed for people)
• a fundraising pitch

A story is:

• human – centred on a person, church congregation, or group (with consent)
• specific – one moment, one initiative, one change
• meaningful – shows impact, growth, hope, or learning
• grounded – connected to Jesus and your local context
• shareable – clear, warm, simple language
• actionable – includes a next step

Often, the quiet stories are the most powerful. If you can share the raw details, the communications team can help shape them into a compelling story.

Story checklist

A good story usually has:

• who it’s about (a name if consented, or a role)
• what happened (the moment)
• why it matters (the change/impact)
• a quote (one honest sentence)
• a photo or short video (we can help with this if you’re not confident)
• a next step (what someone can do now)

Narrative prompts

Good stories have a strong narrative arc. Here are some useful prompts when sharing your story in any format:

Need	Action	Impact
What was the challenge?	What did you change?	How did it make a difference?
“Before, we were…”	“So, we…”	“Now, we…”
“Someone said…”	“It reminded us that…”	“So, we now…”
“We noticed…”	“We tried…”	“We saw…”

How to submit stories and media

There are three ways you can share your content:

Option A: Send an email

Send to: comms@yorkdiocese.org
Subject line: Story submission: [Parish / Deanery name]

Include/attach:

1. 100–200 words (bullet points are fine)
2. Any photos or video (more guidance below)
3. A quote (if possible)
4. Consent confirmation (see Informed Consent)

Option B: Message on WhatsApp

Send a message or voice note to Laura: 07354 996 052

We’ll turn it into a story with you.

You can send photos or video through WhatsApp, but it will usually reduce the file size. We recommend using one of the file-sharing services mentioned below.

Option C: Call us

Call Laura on 01904 699 530 or Lou on 01904 699 531.

We’ll turn it into a story with you.

What happens next

We’ll acknowledge your email or message as soon as possible (sometimes, due to the nature of our roles, this may not be straight away)

• We may edit for clarity and safeguarding (we’ll keep the meaning)
• We’ll confirm where it will be shared (website, social, email, press)
• We’ll let you know when it might be shared (sometimes, this may be some time after you contact us, as it fits with a specific theme or campaign – we will tell you this and remind you closer to the time)
• If you use social media, we’ll send you a ready-to-share mini kit back (caption, link, suggested post)

Sending media files

If you are sending photos and/or video to us, we recommend using one of the following free services:

• WeTransfer
• Dropbox
• Send-File

To ensure we can use your media for a range of purposes, it helps if they are as high-resolution as possible – your files should be in megabytes (MB), not kilobytes (KB)!

How we use stories

People sharing their stories will have full control over how their stories are used. We will discuss what you would like to make public, the format it should take, and where it will be shared. We also appreciate that you might change your mind. No one should feel pressure to share, and we can stop the process at any time.

We share their stories in a variety of formats:

• Video – usually a talking headshot, but it can be filmed in a way that doesn’t identify someone but uses their voice, or is voiced by someone else
• Audio – may be used over video footage or as part of an animation, or as an audio clip used for training, events or as contributions to TV/radio articles
• Text – we may use your words on our website and/or social media channels, on service literature, in a report, or in training materials
• In-person – speaking at an event or supporting training
• Media interview – as part of a TV or radio programme or an online/print article

Stories may be shared:

• on the diocesan website
• on social media
• in The Journal or The Briefing
• in training
• at conferences or events
• in press releases
• in printed materials
• with the wider Church of England

Your story could travel further than you think!

People can give us ongoing permission to use their story and images, or ask us to seek permission each time we intend to use them. Do bear in mind that some content, once published online, may be difficult to remove completely. We will, however, remove from our own channels.

Representation matters

We aim to reflect the full diversity of our communities:

• Urban and rural
• Young and older
• Different ethnicities
• Different abilities
• Different church traditions
• Different socio-economic contexts

We believe the diversity of our diocese should be woven into everyday storytelling.

Informed consent

When we share stories, we’re dealing with real people, not “content”. Informed consent means someone understands what they’re agreeing to before we publish anything about them. We have ready-to-use forms to document consent if you need them.

Informed consent means the person knows:

• What will be shared (words, quotes, photo, video)
• Where it may appear (website, social media, email, printed materials, press)
• How long it may be used for (and that it could be shared onward online)
• That they can say no without awkwardness or consequences
• Who to contact if they change their mind later

Extra care is needed when:

• The story includes children or young people
• It involves vulnerable adults
• It touches on sensitive circumstances (health, family breakdown, trauma, safeguarding, immigration status, etc.)

Photos of children and young people

• Only use when you have appropriate consent from a parent/carer and the activity is compliant with Church of England safeguarding guidelines.
• Avoid including identifying details unless absolutely necessary (such as school logos, name badges, or front-facing close-ups)

Guidance on filming yourself

Keep it simple:

• Good light (face the window, don’t sit in front of it)
• Head and shoulders in shot (with some space above)
• Quiet space
• Landscape mode (unless we ask otherwise)
• Camera at eye level
• Speak slowly and clearly
• One second of silence at the start and end (this helps with editing)

You do not need professional equipment – producing authentic content matters more than being polished. You can contact the communications team for further advice.