“I really like the way Denise tells stories. I especially like how she uses blocks as people. It lets me imagine what the people would look like. I think it's really neat.”
— Jacob, former child participant
Let me tell you my story
Denise Maier Pawliuk, Sacred Storyteller and Diaconal Candidate
I grew up in the Lutheran church in Canada. As soon as I was old enough, I began to babysit and then teach Sunday School. Since then, I have spent 30 years connecting with young children and their families as an early childhood educator in a variety of settings including urban, Indigenous, and faith-based.
Sometimes, my life pushed me in new directions. For 8 years I was the Registrar for the Early Childhood Educator Registry in British Columbia. This involved overseeing the certification of early childhood educators in BC, working with colleges and universities to ensure their curriculum met requirements, and investigating practice concerns. I have also spent 6 years as an adult educator, teaching early childhood education at the college level.
In 2020 I embarked on a new direction. I began studying to become a deacon within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC). The theological and biblical knowledge has broadened my understanding of faith and faith formation. It also has emphasized that people learn best through stories.
“Denise's storytelling changed my son's Sunday school experience. He was reluctant to participate in Sunday school when he was young, but he was drawn to the tangible stories - the sand, the blocks, and other touchable, playable elements that Denise brought with her. And now, years later, he still reads Bible stories with a sense of curiosity and wonder. That has been a lasting gift.”
— Elina, parent
Mission Statement
Through a hands-on, inclusive, culturally sensitive, biblically aware approach I will work with congregations and families to develop an empowering faith formation (Christian education) approach that focuses on learning through stories, learning from each other, and loving our neighbor.
Start Your Journey
Let me help you, and your faith community, explore new ways to engage children and their families in faith formation (Christian education). Together, we can develop a program that supports Bible literacy, fosters relationships, and works within a one-room Sunday School.