Cover To Cover

Memory Questions

2010-02-21T10:18:00.000-08:00

Ok, we have a lot of Bible reading to do. How will we rememeber it all? Truth is, we won't remember it ALL, but there are some simple things we can do to HELP us remember what we've read.

Simply, we can think about what we've read. The more times we think about what we've read, the better we'll be able to remember it. Here are some easy questions to get your mind working and thinking about the Book of the Bible you've just read.

DIRECTIONS: Please read each question and answer it. You decide if you want to write the answers down on a piece of paper (or notebook), or if you just want to think about the answers in your head. It's up to you. Make this as easy and painless for yourself as you can. Make it fun!

1. What was the name of the Book of the Bible you just read?

2. How do you spell it?

3. What Book comes before it?

4. What Book comes after it?

5. What section of the Bible is this Book in? (Hint: Look at the Contents page of the Reader's Companion.)

History & Law
Wisdom & Poetry
Prophetic teaching
Christian history & biography
Church history & biography
Epistle
Apocalypse

6. What stories do you remember from this Book?

7. Who were the characters in the stories?

8. What did those characters do?

9. What verse spoke to you?

Remember, you don't have to write down the answers to these questions, unless you want to.

The purpose of the these questions is just to help you remember what you've read.

You won't be tested on them. No one will ask you to answer them. In other words, challenge yourself to answer them. They will help you recall what you've read! And, most of all....HAVE FUN!!!

Selecting a Bible

2010-02-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

I asked Pastor Joanna Stallings to give us her thoughts on selecting a Bible. If you have any questions about the version of the Bible you'd like to use, please ask her. You may post your question here. Thanks!

Here are Pastor Stallings' thoughts on selecting a Bible...

Translations---come from original Hebrew and Greek...they are the closest we can get to the original texts. That being said everyone has a personal preference---I use the Revised Standard Version the most. That is the translation of the Bible that we use in Sunday School or as pew Bibles. I don't recommend King James --- the language is cumbersome. The New Engligh Version was popular in the 60s and some prefer it.

I don't want to recommend that people have to purchase a certain Bible--we all have our favorites...the New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha is used in many seminaries and divinity schools. It has good maps, basic annotations, etc... I do like the Lutheran Study Bible because it has annotations for the scriptures, Small Catechism, study questions, history written in the sidebars. It includes some other features that make it attractive---key stories in the Old and New Testament, maps, and good introductions, and it includes the Small Catechism.

A Paraphrase---doesn't come from the original texts--someone or a group decides to use language that shapes the text...the downfall of many paraphrased Bibles is that they leave out ideas that a particular group may not like or support. That being said...one of the best ones around is "The Message" by Eugene Peterson. He cares about scripture---he knows the original texts and has taken care to preserve meanings while using contemporary language. He uses evocative language that I like.

Pastor Joanna Stallings

Reading Schedule

2010-01-26T12:48:00.000-08:00

This is the reading schedule for the Cover-to-Cover program

Numbers which follow the Book of the Bible refer to chapter numbers

Feb 21- 27 -- Genesis 1-30

Feb 28 - March 6 -- Genesis 31- end

March 7-13 -- Exodus 1-10

March 14- 20 -- Exodus 11 - end

March 21 - 27 -- Leviticus

March 28 - April 3 -- Numbers 1-20

April 4-10 -- Numbers 21 - end

I'M NOT FINISHED TYPING IN THIS INFORMATION YET.
PLEASE SEND ME AN EMAIL IF YOU'D LIKE FOR ME TO EMAIL A COMPLETED READING SCHEDULE TO YOU. IT WILL ARRIVE AS AN MS WORD ATTACHMENT.
MY EMAIL IS
Tracing My Roots at Comcast dot net (no spaces)

Cover-to-Cover program description

2010-01-26T11:51:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wanted to read the Bible from beginning to end?

Would you like to have the support and camaraderie of others who are reading the entire Bible, from cover to cover?

Please join us!

PROGRAM: Cover-to-Cover
GOAL: To read the Bible from cover-to-cover, starting in 2010 and finishing before Easter 2011
PROGRAM BEGINS: Sunday, February 21, 2010
PROGRAM ENDS: midnight, Saturday, April 23, 2011
PROGRAM COORDINATOR: Sandy Sheppard (with the support and assistance of our 3 pastors)

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

1. What will I have to do? You begin reading Genesis 1:1 and end with Revelation 22:21. To help you finish by the deadline, we've designed a suggested reading schedule.
You may access the reading schedule by clicking here. The schedule is also published in the February 2010 newsletter.

You may read ahead, if you want. If you get behind in your reading, please let us know and we'll give you encouragement, tips, and support to help you catch up.

To help you understand what you read, each participant will be given the booklet. "Reader's Guide to the Bible" by Ralph D. Heim.

Our Cover-to-Cover program is an incentive-based, home study plan, with lots of support and encouragement.

Your goal will be to read the Bible from cover to cover, from 2010 to April 23, 2011.

Please do not count any Bible reading you've done before January 1, 2010.

2. Which version and format of the Bible should I use? You may use various versions of the Bible (King James, NIV, etc). You may use various formats of the Bible, such as print, audio, or DVD. Please ask one of our pastors if you have questions about whether the version or format you'd like to use is ok.

3. How do I sign up? There are sign-up sheets in the Great Room of the Christina Ed wing, and in the Narthex. Or you may contact Sandy. We'd like to keep track of how many folks are participating.

4. What do I do when I'm finished? Contact Sandy and let her know that you've finished reading the entire Bible, within the time period of January 1, 2010 to April 23, 2011.
Deadline for finishing is midnight April 23, 2011.

REWARDS
1. Better knowledge of --- what's in the Bible, the Books and their order, the messages of each Book, and how those messages apply to you. Also, this program will refresh your memory of things you learned long ago about the Bible, and, hopefully, stimulate your desire to learn more!

2. Our church members who finish by the deadline will be given a specially-designed lapel pin to signify that you've completed the program, as described. The pin is only available to members of Luther Memorial Lutheran Church in Blacksburg, Virginia.

3. Folks who complete the program by the deadline will be honored at the Easter 2011 breakfast, in church service, the bulletin, and newsletter.

OPTIONAL MONTHLY MOTIVATIONAL MEETINGS
We'll hold monthly get-togethers once per month to help keep us motivated, to chat about what we've read, and to ask questions. One of our pastors will be there. These meetings are not a requirement of the program.

THE FINE PRINT - FOR THIS PROGRAM, PLEASE DO NOT COUNT ANY BIBLE READING YOU'VE DONE BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2010, OR AFTER MIDNIGHT, SATURDAY APRIL 23, 2011. THANKS!

Introduction

2010-01-13T08:18:00.000-08:00

WELCOME to the

"Cover-to-Cover" program

sponsored by

Luther Memorial Lutheran Church
in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Our goal is to start reading the Bible in 2010, and finish reading it by midnight April 23, 2011 (the night before Easter). The program officially begins the week of February 21, 2010. Please keep checking here for reading assignments, motivational messages, and interesting information about the Bible.