This year is the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible (also known as the Authorised Version of the Bible). You may like to use some of the ideas on this webpage to mark the occasion personally, or in your church.
Read, mark, learn - the Diocesan Lent course
Events and activities:
The Shoebox Bible
STARBURST children's work conference
Teaching the Bible day with Bishop Donald
Resources:
The Word Revealed - a festival service book
Read the Bible in a year
Ideas to share:
Book a Barnabas Day for your school
Stage a Bible reading marathon
Host Bishop John's talk
Literary events and family Bible exhibition
Add your ideas
Website links
Read, mark, learn - the Diocesan Lent Course
This is a five session course and each session includes a single Bible passage, some background information, open questions, and suggestions for application in our daily lives. There is also a leader’s guide to assist anyone leading a group. You can use the whole course, or just choose individual sessions.
Read, mark, learn is be available to download here: Lent course
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES back to top
The Shoebox Bible
About 3,000 shoeboxes filled with 3D images of Bible events are on display in Peterborough Cathedral (until 19 June). The brainchild of Diocesan Director of Education Dr Stephen Partridge, the boxes illustrate every book of the Bible. Church schools, parishes, organisations and individuals of all ages in the Peterborough Diocese have contributed to the display.
Read more about the Shoebox Bible
STARBURST children's work day conference
The theme for this year's STARBURST conference (8 May) was Psalm 119 v 105, "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path". The keynote speaker was the Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham.
Starburst report in Cross Keys (see pages 1 and 3)
Rt Revd Paul Butler speaking to our diocese on YouTube
The Bishop's Bible day - Saturday 11 June
Bishop Donald led a day of celebration and training for all who teach the Bible in any capacity - including Sunday school and youth group leaders, house group leaders, licensed lay ministers, clergy (11 June).
Read about how the Bishop's Bible Day went
RESOURCES back to top
The Word Revealed - a worship resource from RSCM
A new festival service book, from the Royal School of Church Music, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The Word Revealed has been jointly compiled by Charles Taylor, Dean of Peterborough Cathedral, and Peter Moger, Precentor of York Minster. It is a complete service of readings, reflections and prayers and also contains a selection of hymns, songs and anthems. Performance notes are available on the RSCM website www.rscm.com where the text can be downloaded for inclusion in an order of service. Copies of The Word Revealed are available, priced £7.95, from Peterborough Cathedral's bookshop on 01733 355315.
Read the Bible in a year
Could you take up the challenge of reading the whole Bible in a year? This programme of readings from the Diocese of Hereford could help you. Just start when you can, use the Bible translation of your choice, and follow the passages set for each day - then in 12 months time you will have done it!
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August more to follow soon.
IDEAS TO SHARE back to top
Book a Barnabas Day for your local school
The church at Yardley Gobion has bought a Barnabas RE Day for Yardley Gobion CEVC Primary School. The full day's visit from the Barnabas team is designed to bring the Bible to life for primary-aged children through a range of the creative arts. It provides a flexible, enjoyable and educational experience, exploring the stories and themes of the Bible. Find out more on the Barnabas in Schools website.
Stage a Bible reading marathon
St Peter's Church at Oundle ran a Bible reading marathon which started at 9am on a Thursday and ran continuously until noon on a Sunday, finishing during the morning service. They gathered sponsorship and press interest, and invited VIPs as well as teams from the local churches and community to take part. You may find their planning documents and schedule of readings useful to adapt to your own needs.
Bible marathon: outline proposal, schedule of readings, reader sign-up form
The Revd Mary Garbutt, Rector of seven rural churches in the Brixworth Deanery, recently speed-read the whole Bible, solo, in just over three days. She was sponsored
by church members in each of her parishes and the event attracted much publicity. Listeners came from miles around. Follow this link to read more about Mary's Bible marathon, or contact her for advice if you'd like to do this yourself. Email: mary@familygarbutt.plus.com
Host Bishop John's Bible talk
The Rt Revd John Flack, Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Peterborough Diocese, offers a 45 minute talk on the following:
1. How the Bible achieved its present shape and its table of contents.
2. The birth of the Authorised Version (known in the USA as the King James Bible) in 1611.
3. The joys and the challenges of translating the Bible from the original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek) into vernacular languages.
4. Why are there so many translations of the Bible in "modern" English?
5. Using scripture to advantage in public worship.
He can base the a whole presentation on just one of the above or a lighter presentation involving all five. He has already been booked by some deaneries but is open to invitations from other groups.
He says: "I should say that I am not a Biblical scholar but a somewhat humble linguist - hence my choice of subjects."
You can contact Bishop John on 01780 782271 or johnrobertflack@hotmail.com.
Literary events and family Bible exhibition
King's Sutton Literary Festival is a regular event in aid of the village church's restoration fund. This year the Bible anniversary is the theme and the programme includes:
Friday 11 March, 7pm in the parish church,
a reading of St Mark's Gospel from the Authorised Version, with refreshment and a harpsichord recital of the first music printed in England, also in 1611. Also, an exhibition of family Bibles.
Sunday 12 March, at 4.30pm in the village hall, Bangor's Professor of English, Helen Wilcox and the Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley of Ripon College ,Cuddesdon reflect on the literary, historical and theological place of the King James Bible in our culture and church.
For full details see www.kslitfest.co.uk
Add your ideas
If you have ideas to share from your parish, please email liz.hurst@peterborough-diocese.org.uk or call 01733 887012.
WEBSITE LINKS back to top
www.kingjamesbibletrust.org
The King James Bible Trust was established to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Their website has links to the latest TV and media coverage as well as historical accounts, short videos, and events listings. You can also look up passages in a digitised version of an original King James Bible, and find out how you can contribute a reading to the YouTube Bible.
www.biblegateway.com
Online access to the text of the Bible, with a choice of translations.
www.biblefresh.com
Resource ideas, preaching themes and much more to help individuals and churches to engage with the Bible.
www.brf.org.uk
The Bible Reading Fellowship's website includes numerous resources, plus links to the Foundations 21 online resource for Christian discipleship, and to the Barnabas in Schools and Barnabas in Churches websites for children's work.
www.scriptureunion.org.uk
Scripture Union's website includes information on their E100 Bible Reading Challenge. The E100 Bible Reading Challenge is based around 100 carefully selected Bible readings (50 from the Old Testament and 50 from the New Testament) designed to give a good understanding of the overall Bible story from Genesis to Revelation. |
