Melina Smith, Executive Director of StoryMakers NYC will serve alongside her husband, Rev. Jacob Smith, rector of the Parish of Calvary – St. George’s in Manhattan, NY as Deans for the Labor Day Family Weekend at Camp this summer. In their lectures, they will explore how the power of story and play opens our faith up to a deeper sense of wonder and mystery and have revealed that God is always at work in unexpected and unfamiliar ways. Additionally, they will explore the question of how an imagination captured by the Gospel, sets us free from the dominant stories of scarcity, fear, and control.
Tell us a little bit about your background:
Hiya! I’m Mel. I was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona. My life experience includes behavioral health, working with families, and ministry. My diverse life experiences and the intersection of creativity have shaped me to launch StoryMakers. I have always loved families and finding pathways of connectivity.
How long have you lived in NYC? What do you love about living in the city? What’s challenging?
I have lived in New York City for twenty years, and I have loved being here. Having young children in a city full of stairs was a bit of a lift, but to be honest, the city is full of life and offers so many moments of connection.
What do you love about being in ministry? Share about Jacob’s role at Calvary-St. George’s.
Over the last twenty years, our ministry life has been its own. Leading a church in Manhattan is like planting a church every three to five years – people move all the time. This can be challenging, but also exciting. This means our churches are focused on sharing the Gospel over and over again. Young couples and families are finding their way through, and we get to walk alongside them. There is so much to be curious about and endless discoveries of who God is. Being in one place makes you the “local” priest.
Tell us more about StoryMakers. How did it begin? What makes it unique?
StoryMakers launched in 2018 with the idea that we are image bearers living in God’s story. Over 15 years, I hosted “Creative Arts Camp,” an immersive camp that brought biblical stories to life through art, play, and creativity. What I noticed was that kids knew the stories – they could see the redemptive narrative in motion, and began to connect the dots that God is moving towards them. I felt the nudge to take this experience outside of New York City – this is where StoryMakers was born.
In your work with Storymakers, you have done research on the younger generations. What have you learned from both your research and experience working with young people that has surprised you? What should adults know about passing down the faith to the next generation?
Gen Z and Gen Alpha are scrolling for meaning with no place to land – this is where stories come into play. We are “storied” people, and sociologists say – “storytelling animals.” At the moment, young people are being “storied” as the most “anxious generation.” What I want grownups to know is that there are shadow moments for every generation – it is our privilege to “story” them in hope. We get to remind them that their future is not determined by a moment, because God’s story is a long one full of twists and turns.
Our work as grown-ups is to help shape their Gospel imaginations so they may see that God is always moving towards them. Dr. Lisa Miller, a neuroscientist at Columbia, has found that 82% of children or adolescents raised in homes where faith conversations are part of daily life are less likely to die by suicide. There is always hope – “light breaking through the cracks” as Leonard Cohen says. My learnings are simple: cover our kids in story, remain curious and connected, and God will do the rest.
What is something that you are passionate about outside of work/ministry?
I love art – I love modern art and ballet. Stepping in front of a living work always brings me outside of myself. Art has a pull, and as Madeline L’Engle says, “can point you to the cosmos.” I am passionate about story and love reading children’s books – I am swimming in them!
Favorite artists of the moment: Ruth Asawa, Roald Dahl, Madeleine L’Engle, Jean-Michel Baquiat, Hayden, Rick Rubin, and Oliver Jeffers.
What is the best place that you have traveled to, and why did you love it?
Mexico is a magical land full of stories, truth, and beauty. There is a generosity and hope that is woven into the fabric of daily life. In particular, I love Oaxaca, which is a state of creativity, collaboration, and generosity. My imagination comes alive, and the people show me over and over again – joy is found in connection, creativity, and presence.
What is a book, podcast, or show that you would recommend to everyone?
The Spiritual Child is a must for parents discerning how to “shepherd” their children through their faith experience. Dr. Lisa Miller offers a way forward for parents to organically inhabit their faith and share it in a natural way. We often get caught up in the “how to” instead of the “ just be” approach.
Walking on Water by Madeline L’Engle offers us a refreshing take on Christian imagination. This book gives you eyes to see the miracles all around us. This book will give you a new way to see the “ordinary” nature of life.
Hour by Hour, by Forward Movement. I recently read “Against the Machine,” and I was reminded that our imaginations need to be reoriented over and over again. Praying throughout the day in small, guided moments reframes how we move in the world and the perspective of hope we can offer. Humans need moments of reprieve and rootedness to the ONE who holds the whole world in his hands.
What are you looking forward to about coming to Camp Arcadia this summer?
I’m excited about the invitation. I know God is at work and has a bigger story behind the scenes – perhaps simply to rest, connect, and discover how I am being shaped into my next phase of parenting, soon-to-be young adults. I come to you all in great humility and excitement for what God is paving ahead.
