NOBS AUSTRALIA
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The Network of Biblical Storytellers is an International organisation whose mission is to communicate the sacred stories of the Biblical tradition. It was begun in Australia in 1990 by people searching for ways to experience and hear anew the Word of God as oral narrative. For further enquiries, please contact Carole Danby 3336 9161 or Mobile 0400 332 928. History The Network in Australia was founded in 1990 by Rev. Rex Hunt, a minister of the Uniting Church in Australia on a visit to Dayton, Ohio, after meeting with NOBS International co-founder, Rev. Dr Tom Boomershine. In 1992, during a visit to Australia by Tom Boomershine, NOBS (Australia) was officially launched. Subsequently a number of State Co-ordinators were appointed with Rex Hunt co-ordinating the Network nationally. Since then such co-ordinators have not been able to be sustained, and for a time an Advisory Board assisted the National Co-ordinator. Rev. Philip Liebelt took over as National Co-ordinator in August 1996, and as held the position since. In 1994, Rex and Philip and Julie Perrin became the first Australians to attend the Festival Gathering in the U.S. Since then others have been able to do so. During that visit, Rex and Philip began negotiation for Dennis Dewey to visit Australia. He conducted workshops and gave performances throughout eastern states of Australia and New Zealand in 1996. The first Australian Gathering was held in Victoria in 2000 with Tracy Radosevic as keynote speaker. (Thelma Thomas also attended from the U.S.). Subsequent gatherings have featured: 2001 Dennis Dewey (Victoria); 2002 Denham Grierson (Canberra); 2003 Miriam Therese Winter (Queensland); 2004 Angela Knowles (Victoria.) The first Gathering in Sydney was in 2006 and featured Tom Boomershine. With a number of New Zealanders attending Gatherings since 2002, NOBS (Australia) has unofficially embraced New Zealand. Other than visits by Dennis Dewey and Rex Hunt, little formal work has been done for the Network in New Zealand, but those from there who have attended Gatherings have continued to promote its mission. National Coordinator Rev. Philip Liebelt e-mail: philipl@alphalink.com.au Phone: (61) 3 5176 2183 63 Gunyah Grove Traralgon, Victoria, Australia 3844 Philip is a minister of the Uniting Church in Australia, serving congregations at East Keilor and Airport West, in north-western metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria. He has previously worked as a Regional Education Minister with the UCA in south-western rural Victoria. He has presented numerous Biblical Storytelling workshops and performances (of stories from Luke's gospel) in most states, and uses storytelling in a variety of contexts. He is the author of Making Connections, a book of studies for use with Bible Study groups using Biblical storytelling with parables from Luke's gospel. He has attended Festival Gatherings in the U.S, in 1994 and 1999. Philip has completed a Masters in Education with a M.Ed.(hons) thesis on Biblical Storytelling as a pedagogy for faith education. Regular Publications NOBS NEWS a regular newsletter to members containing information on events, national and international news items, book reviews and resources listings. Making Connections a mini-magazine, with each edition covering a particular theme, published three times a year. Includes articles by Australians and from overseas, book reviews and resources relevant to the topic being covered. Past editions have been on "B.St. with Children," "B.St. in small groups," "Biblical Monologues," Digital Storytelling," "Women's Stories," and "Telling Mark in the year of Mark." The Journal of Biblical Storytelling Published annually by NOBS International and is also available through NOBS (Australia) Membership A new membership costs $Aust25 a year with annual renewal at $Aust25 per annum. Concession rate or for those wishing to be a friend of NOBS, it is $Aust15 per annum. A Supermembership which provides the US bi-monthly magazine "The Biblical Storyteller" and the annual Journal is $4. |
