Quotes about the Bible

“I'm looking for loopholes!”
(Said when caught reading the Bible.)
~ W. C. Fields

“I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me . . they're cramming for their final exam.” ~ George Carlin

“It is a mistake to look to the Bible to close a discussion; the Bible seeks to open one.” ~ William Sloane Coffin

“I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book that you can by reason and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man. It is the best Book which God has given to man.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

“The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid.” ~ Martin Luther

“When you read God's Word, you must constantly be saying to yourself, ‘It is talking to me, and about me.’” ~ Soren Kierkegaard

“Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.” ~ Mark Twain

Bible Resources

Some resources to help you in your choice for reading the bible.

Bible Reading Resources:

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha
New Revised Standard Version, Fourth Edition
available at www.amazon.com; www.bn.com

Common English Bible & The Message are two other Bibles that may be helpful.
available at www.amazon.com; www.bn.com

Online/Mobile Resources:

www.youversion.com
This site offers numerous bible reading plans from read a bible in a year to plans on exploring faith, love, etc. The site includes downloads of mobile apps where you can do the same plans on your smart phone ipad, Blackberry and Android phones.

www.oneyearbibleonline.com
One Year Bible Online a reading plan divided into daily readings containing a passage from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.

www.Biblegateway.com
is a great searchable bible with multiple options for finding just what you need.

www.amazon.com books and downloads available for Kindles, smart phones, Blackberry and Android Phones, NIV Audio Bible Dramatized CD [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio CD] Zondervan Publishing (Author)

www.BN.com books and downloads available for Nook Readers, Smart phones, Android Phones.

www.bibleresources.bible.com & www.bible.com are two other sites with great resources.

Our parish library also has resources (books, CDs, Cassette Tapes).

Bible Challenge Invitation

Dear Friends & Parishioners of St. Peter’s Church:

John Adams, our second President of the United States, used to read the entire Bible each year from cover to cover. He studied the Scriptures every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth President, called the Bible “the best gift God has ever given to man…But for it we could not know right from wrong.” Woodrow Wilson, our twenty-eighth President, once noted, “The Bible is the Word of life. I beg that you will read it and find this out for yourself.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower, our thirty-fourth President, and his family used the Bible each day during family devotions with each family member taking his or her turn in reading a passage. Jimmy Carter, our thirty-ninth President, reads the Bible daily and has taught a Sunday school class for over three decades.

This year I have decided to join others in the Bible Challenge, to read the Bible every day. Some are taking on the challenge of reading the Bible cover to cover, others are trying to get through the Gospels or the entire New Testament. It is so fruitful that I want to encourage you to do this as well!

Here are the Bible Challenge options for 2012:

• Read the entire Bible
• Read the New Testament
• Read the Psalter (150 Psalms) during Lent 
• Read the Gospel of Mark in a slow, meditative fashion
• Read the bible everyday

I suggest using the New Oxford Annotated Bible printed by Oxford University Press (NRSV). It is the translation we use on Sundays. Another possibility is the Common English Bible, which is a fine new translation. “The Common English Bible is written in contemporary idiom at the same reading level as the newspaper USA TODAY—using language that’s comfortable and accessible for today’s English readers.” (from their website) We have CEB New testaments available for you to use.

Other possibilities: Use The Message by Eugene Petersen – a wonderful rendering of the Bible in ordinary language or The Story by Zondervan – a seamless collection of Bible stories that reads like a gripping novel. We also have some books of the bible in Graphic Novel format in the parish library. Families with children are encouraged to read The DK Children’s Illustrated Bible or The Big Picture Story Bible.

If you decide to read the entire Bible, I invite you to use the “Read the Bible in a Year” reading plan found on the Center for Biblical Studies website, which lists what chapters of the Bible to read each day. I have copies of the CT Bible Society Daily Bible Reading Guide for those who want to join me in reading the bible every day! There are lots of good bible apps for iphone, ipad, and android. You can download bibles to your Kindle and Nook. We also have The Message on CDs and Cassette Tapes.

I believe that taking time to read the Bible each day will transform our lives and our families. It will help us to be better parents, spouses, brothers or sisters, neighbors, Christians, workers and citizens. It will help keep our head and our heart in the right place and prepare us for eternity with God. I hope that you will accept the Bible challenge as together we seek to lead more ethical, loving and connected lives.

Please let me know if you will join me in the Bible Challenge!

~ Rev. Kurt ~

Information taken from the website of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

The Bible in 100+ Words

The original came from Mary Matthews.  I have added some in italicized print

God created.
Eve wondered.
Cain slew.
Noah arked.
Babel blundered.
Willfulness grew.

Sarah laughed.
Jacob schemed.
Joseph ruled.

Princess dreamed.
Bush talked,
Moses balked.
Pharaoh plagued.
People walked.
Sea divided.
Miriam danced.
Wisdom guided.
Promise landed.

Othniel, ideal —
Deborah outplayed.
Jephthah distrusted.
Samson betrayed.

Saul freaked,
David screwed.
Solomon lavished.
Manasseh crude.

Huldah prophesied.
Jeremiah warned.
Persians tromped,
Chosen scorned.

Esther rescued.
Judith defended.
Daniel lionized.
Freedom lamented.
Exiles returned,
Remnant resentful.
Temple rebuilt.
Prophets judgmental.

Mary believed.
God walked,
Love talked,
Compassion forgave,
Wisdom nourished.

12 called

Healings began

Parables told

Prophets proclaimed

Establishment feared.
Anger crucified,
Hope died.

Love rose,
Spirit flamed,

Saul raged

Jesus intervened

Ananias touched

Paul changed

Word spread,
God remains.

Centering Prayer

A Time to Pray: A Morning Workshop on Centering Prayer
Saturday, December 10  ~ 9 AM to Noon
Memorial Room

What is centering prayer?

Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God's presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship.

Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer — verbal, mental or affective prayer — into a receptive prayer of resting in God. Centering Prayer emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God and as a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with Him. (from Contemplative Outreach)

Come join us and learn about this method of prayer.

Please RSVP to Rev. Kurt!

Confirmation

Confirmation Classes have begun for youth (10th grade & above).


The purpose of Confirmation is to prepare candidates for Confirmation, Reception into the Episcopal Church, or Reaffirmation of their Baptismal Faith. In each, it is a journey that leads to a "renewal of faith."

Adults who are new to St. Peter's Church and wish to be prepared for Confirmation and/or Reception into the Episcopal Church are encouraged to participate. For yet others who are already confirmed or received, there may be a desire to reexamine their faith journey and "refresh" their commitment to Jesus Christ. Adults who are interested should speak to Rev. Kurt.

The Book of Common Prayer describes the Sacrament of Confirmation as: "...the rite in which we express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop."

Come join us!

Recommended online resources for studying the Bible

There is a nice article on on-line resources for studying the Bible over at the Episcopal Cafe.

Follow this link.

or go directly to the source
here.

(Also look in the comments section for additional resources.)