INTRODUCTION
Classic creations stand
the test of time and are forever relevant. The Storykeepers is a classic production in a very limited field
of video series that tell the gospel stories.
It's a limited field because video production is extremely expensive:- there are only 3 or 4 such series ever made,
but highest quality Disney-style animation never dates.
Storykeepers, incorporating both humour and a deeply subtle exposition of the Jesus stories, succeeds at both a children's and an adult level.
Thus, those who know these things will spot that Ben, the Jewish Christian tells the Mark stories,
whilst his wife Helena, a Greek Christian tells the Luke stories.
Every new generation of children deserves the chance to come to know Jesus and for those who grow up in families where faith
is not very important, Storykeepers has an outstanding record of appealing to children. (ITV Network TV viewing figures...)
The Storykeepers is drawn primarily from
Mark & Luke (episodes 1 – 9) and from Mark’s Passion narrative (episodes 10
–13) – is now available in teaching resource format.
"The
Storykeepers" is an animated video series created for children that tells the story
of Ben the baker, and his wife Helena, who are Christians in Rome at the time of the
Neronian persecutions (64 A.D.). Ben and Helena have adopted four children whose parents
were lost during the fires set by Emperor Nero. The hope-giving stories and parables of
Jesus are told in the course of their exciting adventures, including the passion narrative
from the Gospel of Mark.
Non
Churchgoing young people find the series exceptionally attractive. 46% of children (55
out of 120) attended a bible study party following a Marcus
outreach
The series consists of 13 x half hours of animated television and covers 47 parables and
stories of Jesus. (For a full list of texts click here.)
Broadcast
in the UK on the national ITV Network Storykeepers took a 27% share of viewing audiences
at 10.15am on Sundays (40% share of those aged 5 – 9, and an increase of 50% over Disney Club, which it followed).
In
the US Storykeepers is regularly broadcast on EWTN and Hallmark channels.
For
Teachers and Leaders. This material is available for teachers and leaders packaged
in ‘DVD plus handbook’ form - customised for local
markets.
If "Volunteer
Fatigue" is a concern in your church we commend The Story Lives On
handbook. This, together with Marcus, offers a practical plan to draw in young
families - without the drain of a weekly commitment.
Additional
teaching materials are available at our Web Resources
page for work with schools.
UK & Ireland,
USA & Canada
STORYKEEPERS
has now been sold to 105 countries and is available in all main world languages.
First
shown on television in 1997, Storykeepers was developed by Rev Brian Brown and Dr Andrew
Melrose. (see also About Us)
Situated
in Rome in AD64, the ‘Storykeepers’ are the band of assorted, ordinary
Christians who realise the need for each generation to keep the stories of Jesus alive and
to pass them on from one generation to another.
A
practice as highly relevant today as it was then.
Click here
to view the Collective Worship Collection written for Story Keepers by Diana Lazenby
