 |
Handwritten Bible |
On Sunday 12th June 2011, representatives from the Circuits in the District came together for an act of worship to celebrate the Year of the Bible by bringing together, portions of the Bible that had been copied by hand in order to create the Handwritten Bible. This was in response to a proposal from the 2010 Methodist Conference that such a Bible be created by the Methodist people to mark the anniversary of the production of the King James Bible..
The Handwritten Bible was divided between the 31 Methodist Districts across the whole UK and then each District divided the sections of the Bible assigned to them, between the Circuits. In our case that was 20 Circuits. Our District was asked to copy out 2 Kings, Psalms 71 - 75 and Acts 18 - 25. Each Circuit then divided their portions out to local Churches, House Groups, children’s clubs, schools, fellowship groups and individuals.
The response has been tremendous with incredible art work and calligraphy and also people writing in their mother tongue. The project was seen by many to be the springboard for other creative events to tie in with the Year of the Bible.
The District service was a real celebration and afterwards, many of the congregation walked down to John Ryland’s Library on Deansgate to see the Bible exhibition and especially the St. John’s Fragment - possibly the oldest surviving manuscript of the New Testament.
Can I take this opportunity to thank the whole District for the way that you responded so positively and so creatively. It was fitting that the District service was held on Pentecost Sunday as we celebrated that incredible event when the Holy Spirit was poured out, enabling people to hear in their mother tongue, something of God’s mighty works.
Keith Davies