The Year of the Bible at St. John’s will be here before we know it! We are looking forward to kicking it off with a marathon Bible reading event called Miqra on August 24-27. Then, after Labor Day, the Bible will become our parish theme across all age groups for the rest of the year.
You can visit the “Year of the Bible” section on our website for more information. And, check your mailbox for a brochure and reading schedule that you can hang on the fridge! We’ve even included a helpful to-do list to get you prepared for our parish’s year-long engagement with the Bible.
Depending on your availability this year, you can choose to read directly from the Bible, which entails reading large portions of scripture each week, or from The Story*, an abridged version of the Bible broken down into short, easy-to-read weekly chapters. Our study guide offers weekly options for both.
Most of us at St. John’s will read from The Story. There are several versions: one for little ones, children, kids, teens, and adults. We encourage everyone to purchase a copy before fall, either online or through your favorite local bookstore. If purchasing a copy is a financial challenge, please speak to Fr. Lonnie. He will have several complimentary copies available.
LITTLE ONES (ages 2-5)
CHILDREN (ages 3-7)
KIDS (ages 8-12)
TEENS (ages 13 and up)
ADULTS
For those wishing to read the entire Bible, any version will do as long as it’s one you feel comfortable reading. If you are looking for a good plain-spoken translation, we recommend either the New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition (NRSVue) or the Common English Bible (CEB).
NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION
COMMON ENGLISH BIBLE
Whatever you decide to read, remember that you will get the most out of our faith formation classes if you do the reading ahead of time. If you read all the assignments from The Story, you will have read most of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation by the end of the year. If you opt for the fuller Bible readings, you will have read the entire thing.
Get ready for the Year of the Bible at St. John’s!
*Certain editorial content in The Story (introductions, footnotes, summaries) are not always entirely consistent with Episcopal interpretation or theology. Those differences, however, are part of the larger Christian conversation and do not preclude The Story from being a helpful resource for those who wish to experience the Bible but have limited time. St. John’s Episcopal Church does not receive any compensation for the sale of these books.
