St. John's Episcopal launches 'Year of the Bible' with 72-hour public reading

There has been a lot of talk about books recently. Ones you should read and ones you mustn’t. But there is one book whose longevity and ubiquity surpasses all others in American ownership. With 85% of U.S. homes owning 4.3 copies per household, and an estimated 5 billion sold worldwide, the only book with that kind of track record is, of course, the Bible.

Yet, despite the ownership quotient, one survey pointed out that only one in five Americans has actually read the entire Bible. Even with its drama and stories and poetry, and history, it seems that the Bible doesn’t make for a good beach read nor even for a cozy evening by the fire.

But St. John’s Episcopal Church in downtown Tallahassee plans on rectifying that. Father Lonnie Lacy has just celebrated his one-year anniversary as St. John’s rector, but his enthusiasm and innovative approach to faith is already increasing its congregation.

Many have read about or watched Lacy’s YouTube appearance during the pandemic, when he sang to music from "Hamilton," dancing down the aisle and promising parishioners that, “You’ll Be Back!” And now, though not theatrical, Father Lacy is planning for a “deep dive” into the Bible that will involve the entire parish for the next year.

Bible reading marathon

“To kick off our Year of the Bible,” says Father Lacy, “We will begin with an ancient Hebrew tradition called a “Miqra.”  It recalls the reading of the Torah or sacred scriptures aloud before all. In our case, here at the church on Thursday, Aug. 24-27, we will begin our 72-hour, round-the-clock public reading of the Bible.

From start to finish — Genesis to Revelations — parishioners will take one hour turns to read.” Lacy says he had done a Miqra before some years ago and “It was transformative. There was something about being banded together, all with a common goal, concentrated over three days and nights, that expanded the hearts and minds of each person involved.” And to that all-inclusive end, the entire 72 hours will be live-streamed.

St. John’s has created a Bible study guide to accompany not only the Miqra, but the whole year’s exploration of the holy book. In 2023-24, sermons, Sunday school lessons, as well as music and art events will all be focused on the treasures held within the Bible. And children and teens are very much a part of the all-church Bible study as well.

Father Lacy says, “For children there are small, illustrated “story book”-size Bible stories. For teens, another volume is suited for their reading level, and for adults who find more modern language easier to access, we have a larger volume called, "The Story." All are available at St. John’s.”

Hosting a Heritage Edition Bible

Which brings Father Lacy to something he and the parish are particularly proud of. “In early September, St. John’s Episcopal Church will become the host of The Saint John’s Bible, Heritage Edition. The volume is not named after our church, but rather for where this first hand-written, hand-illuminated Bible in 500 years was created,” says Lacy.

In 1998 St. John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minnesota commissioned renowned calligrapher and artist Donald Jackson to produce this massive volume. In the monastic tradition, six scribes, with hand-drawn illustrations and printing, recorded the words from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Lacy says, “We believe this will make this masterpiece accessible and understandable. At our church, we will have the Gospels and Acts from the Saint John’s Bible on display in a special case, though throughout the year we will carry this illuminated masterpiece to schools, study groups, nursing homes, prisons…where others may examine it and even touch its pages.”

St. John’s Episcopal Church invites all to come and listen to the Miqra and become part of a reintroduction to Christendom’s holiest book and perhaps find that one year is not enough to access its message.

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If you go

What: Miqra, 72-hour, round-the-clock public reading of the Bible

When: Thursday, Aug. 24-27

Where: St. John's Episcopal Church, 211 N. Monroe St.; 850-222-2636; visit saint-john.org

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: St. John's Episcopal church begins 72 hours of non-stop Bible reading