W10 PK - Belec

by Glynis M. Belec

Pastor Kramer (PK), from the pulpit and beyond, has taught me much over the years. You really must meet our shepherd. He's incredibly smart, a kind sort of a chap who loves to read everything in sight and compassion is his middle name. He loves back-packing [alone] in the remotest parts of God's creation. Then he comes back to Drayton and relives his God-moments from the pulpit and we journey with him.

PK can hobnob with the influential, make a neighbour feel loved and he has been known to slap his knee to bluegrass music in the deep Kentucky south on more than one occasion as he observes and mingles with the locals.

Did I mention PK is a good teacher, too? Yup...this Sunday was an extra special treat. I learned much and I want to share a portion.

PK has a sermon series in progress entitled "Trekking Through the Bible." I'm sort of loving it actually. I usually garner bits and pieces and write things down that I might explore later or use as a springboard for discussion or fodder for my journal.

But this past Sunday I was scribbling and scratching like a scribe at sunset. I was gleaning more than my fair share of the tasty morsels that he was tossing to the congregation.

Of course prefacing a sermon with anything to do with writing piques my curiosity. He started off by pointing out that the tv show W5 actually is named precisely for the 5 w's of journalism - who, what, where, why, when - I am probably a bit of a dim bulb, but I really have to confess that although I have watched that show on many occasion, I had not clued in to that.

PK agreed that these 5 key w's, along with their brother (how,) are the crux to writing a good story but then he said to make it a really good story you have to add five more w's - worthwhile, wow! well? we and watch.

I listened carefully.

I might have added a little here and there, but for the most part this is how PK outlined his 5 new w's for writers:

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1. Worthwhile - a story has to be worthwhile. As I write I will ask myself are my words significant? Does my story have value? Is it useful to the reader?

2. Wow! - does my story have the wow factor? What is the hook? How will a reader react?

3. Well? - Does my story beg the reader to react? What sort of response or emotion does it elicit? Is there something to learn from this story?

4. We - Is there some sense of community to my story? Does it make the reader think about people or community?

5. Watch - Does my story make the reader sit up and pay attention? Is there enough meat to sustain and nourish the reader?

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This neat sermon introduction was a great hook. Pastor Kramer continued to use these 10 w's as he referred to passages from Genesis 6,7,8 & 9. He talked about the incredible story of Noah and how it surely did fit the criteria outlined using these 10 w's.

So I have to thank Pastor Kramer for not only reminding me why God preserved the record of Noah, but he also taught me how to write a better story. Who would have thought...