St. Thomas members learn that reading the Bible can be fun! Last fall at St. Thomas, Greenville, a group of men were chatting while cooking for a church dinner. But the topic of the day wasn’t the Red Sox or the Patriots. It was the Bible. Using the Rev. Marek Zabriskie’s guide, “The Bible Challenge,” (bit.ly/ TheBibleChallenge) nearly 100 members of St. Thomas — and others from the community — have read the entire Bible during the past year. And they’ve enjoyed it. “There’s been a lot of positive reaction,” said the Rev. Susan Carpenter, rector. “People feel more empowered to decide what they think about scripture, something many of them were tentative to do.” Carpenter introduced The Bible Challenge to help deepen spiritual growth in the congregation, which is the fastest-growing church in the diocese. “We have had tremendous growth, but it’s very important that we go deeper into our faith,” she said. “The Bible is the place to start.” The challenge also helped St. Thomas create small groups for discussion and fellowship. Participants read three
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Old Testament chapters, one New Testament chapter and one psalm every day. By the end of the year, they had read the entire Bible through once and the psalms twice. Daily reflections and study questions deepened the dialogue. Participants ranged from age 21 to 91. One group weighed in via
Facebook, including a shut-in parishioner and her daughter. “Everyone wants to read the Bible,” Carpenter said. “They just don’t know how to do it. The groups provided a structure. In fact, the week before starting, five people came to me and said they couldn’t wait — they started early. A man who’s been a church member his whole life said ‘I start to read at 8 p.m., and before I know it it’s midnight! I go further than I should, because it’s so exciting for me.’ ” Carpenter, and assisting priest Don Parker, helped people prepare for the challenge with a series of meetings where they offered resources and suggested areas of focus — such as looking for the foods mentioned. The challenge began at the start of Lent in 2016, and it concluded this year with an Agape Meal in February, featuring biblical foods cooked by parishioners. The study program also became a way to practice evangelism and hospitality. When the Valley Breeze, a local tabloid, featured the program, a handful of non-members from other denominations joined in. “In the article, we invited anyone interested to join us, and several people did,” Carpenter said. “I love it! I want to get our members out into the world, open our doors and invite others in. It’s been great.” The Bible Challenge helps reconcile people to God, she said, because it helps them “to not be afraid of God. The daily questions are things like ‘what do you think?’ or ‘what does it mean to live your life as a Christian?’ “Participants develop a much clearer idea of who God is for them. Some people have had life-changing moments and have come to talk about it. There have been insights within families,” she added. “For a lot of people, this has been a really big deal.” ¬ Reconciliation to God