Next Sunday, October 2, is a busy day, with two meaningful themes occurring at the same time. First, it's World Communion Sunday, one of six "special Sundays" in the United Methodist calendar. Your offering gifts given on this day helps provide scholarships for racial and ethnic minority students. During the last four years, the UMC family has raised $900,000 to $1.1 million each year.
Secondly, October is Saint John's Bible Month at First Church and we will be celebrating this remarkable achievement church-wide.
Our scripture for this week -- Genesis 1 - 2, there's only one because it's rather lengthy -- is a rather fitting way to honor our opportunity to participate in the Saint John's Bible tour. This is the only handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned since the advent of the printing press more than 500 years ago. The bible was written and drawn entirely by hand using quills and paints hand-ground from precious minerals and stones such as lapis lazuli, malachite, silver, and 24-karat gold.
Prints of some of the artwork and scripture will be on display at FUMCSD throughout October. This Saturday, First Church is hosting a kick-off evening, an opening gala with a price that can't be beaten, $10. If you haven't registered, but sure to do it soon. We expect a lot of interest. There are also classes and events throughout the month of October that will satisfy your need to learn more.
Those who attended the Wednesday evening classes with Rev. La Due and Rev. Smith agreed, the classes set the stage for a deep learning experience. We reviewed some of the illustrations from St. John's Bible and you may be surprised, as we were! "The Saint John’s Bible illustrates scripture from a modern perspective, reflecting a multicultural world and humanity’s enormous strides in science, technology and space travel, as well as recent wars and genocide." One of the prints we studied, pictured above, showed a communion table as one might imagine it in biblical times. however, if you look closely, there are modern-day reference. For example, in the upper left-hand corner, the small chapel. Definitely NOT from biblical times. In fact, it is a chapel on the Saint John's campus.
What I have enjoyed most is reading the reviews... imagine! People getting excited about the Bible. What a tribute, what a miracle... Why? According to the Pew Research Center, in 2010, religion stories accounted for two percent of all coverage, up from one percent in 2009. "The uptick in coverage was driven by a few big stories, including controversy over the Ground Zero Mosque and Pastor Terry Jones' plan to host a Koran-burning event."
Secondly, October is Saint John's Bible Month at First Church and we will be celebrating this remarkable achievement church-wide.
Our scripture for this week -- Genesis 1 - 2, there's only one because it's rather lengthy -- is a rather fitting way to honor our opportunity to participate in the Saint John's Bible tour. This is the only handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned since the advent of the printing press more than 500 years ago. The bible was written and drawn entirely by hand using quills and paints hand-ground from precious minerals and stones such as lapis lazuli, malachite, silver, and 24-karat gold.
Prints of some of the artwork and scripture will be on display at FUMCSD throughout October. This Saturday, First Church is hosting a kick-off evening, an opening gala with a price that can't be beaten, $10. If you haven't registered, but sure to do it soon. We expect a lot of interest. There are also classes and events throughout the month of October that will satisfy your need to learn more.
Those who attended the Wednesday evening classes with Rev. La Due and Rev. Smith agreed, the classes set the stage for a deep learning experience. We reviewed some of the illustrations from St. John's Bible and you may be surprised, as we were! "The Saint John’s Bible illustrates scripture from a modern perspective, reflecting a multicultural world and humanity’s enormous strides in science, technology and space travel, as well as recent wars and genocide." One of the prints we studied, pictured above, showed a communion table as one might imagine it in biblical times. however, if you look closely, there are modern-day reference. For example, in the upper left-hand corner, the small chapel. Definitely NOT from biblical times. In fact, it is a chapel on the Saint John's campus.
What I have enjoyed most is reading the reviews... imagine! People getting excited about the Bible. What a tribute, what a miracle... Why? According to the Pew Research Center, in 2010, religion stories accounted for two percent of all coverage, up from one percent in 2009. "The uptick in coverage was driven by a few big stories, including controversy over the Ground Zero Mosque and Pastor Terry Jones' plan to host a Koran-burning event."
Now, thanks to the folks behind the Saint John's Bible, the world is taking notice. Perhaps this "undertaking of biblical proportion..." will touch a new heart, change another life... and the Good News marches on!
See you Sunday!
See you Sunday!
1 comment:
Pretty pictures, holy communion, and an illuminated Bible?!? Things are lookin' good...
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