Many of you know of my calling/leading to start a business that would film people telling the stories of their lives. Originally, I intended to focus my efforts on older people who were leaving a home they had lived in for many years. In that format, the business was called “Before the Movers Come.” I started it in January 2020, did two demo films and then had to stop due to the pandemic.
I have two proverbs that capture my reasons for this leading. The first is an African proverb: “When a person dies, it’s as if an entire library has burned to the ground.” The other is a quote from James Finley’s book, Christian Meditation. Finley says, “[Each person]... is a unique edition of the universal story.” These two quotations capture both the particularities of each person’s story and the reasons that these stories speak to others and should be captured before illness or death silences them forever. If Covid has taught us anything, it is that our lives can change in a moment and in ways we can’t imagine.
This led me to think about other kinds of films we could produce, and I came up with films of older people’s faith journeys, their lives together as married couples and their lives as elders.
Due to the generosity of the meeting, we have been able to create two films of our Quaker elders in Buffalo Meeting. Roberta Bothwell was the subject of our first, and Rodney Pierce and Ann Pierce spoke together for our second. These elders discuss their lives and their Quaker journey. Currently the two films are on the Heirloom Family Films (the new name for the company) Vimeo channel.
I felt called to this work but knew nothing about video production or filming. However, into my life came Jesse Deganis-Librera a gifted and sensitive videographer whom I met through Keith Kristich, an attender at our meeting. Jesse has been the answer to a prayer and a wonderful collaborator.
I want to end by thanking both Roberta and the Pierces for allowing Jesse and me to come into their
homes and create these films. Their willingness to speak about their faith journeys is what makes these films engaging. I am also grateful to the Stewardship committee who helped design the questions we asked and supported the filming through donations and budget requests. I was hoping that other faith communities
might be interested in having us film their elders’ stories and members of Orchard Park meeting are considering this for the elders in their meeting.
I have never had a leading that was so strong and never done anything like this before, but Way keeps opening, and it feels well led thanks to so many people who have encouraged this work. I am grateful.