Balmoral Weekend

 Twenty-two years ago, my dear friend from college. Bill Jones, was the minister at Balmoral Presbyterian Church in Germantown, Tennessee. Bill and his wife, Lida, had begun to come to Ocracoke Storytelling Week and would eventually move to the island permanently when Bill retired from the church.

Bill got the idea for a storytelling weekend at Balmoral and that beginning has brought me back to Balmoral every other year for the past 22 years.  Trish and I just enjoyed this year’s Balmoral Storytelling Weekend,

Telling stories in the sanctuary.

The weekend usually involves both music and storytelling and is a free gift to the community sponsored by the Smartt Fund at Balmoral.  This year, however, with COVID protocols in place, I was the only performer.  There was a limited in-person audience with vaccinations and masks required and also a livestream alternative.  It was an important time.

A wonderful listener enjoying the in-person audience.

I told stories both Friday and Saturday and also for the sermon in Sunday worship.  Trish and I are already looking forward to being back in two years.