Bible Presentation

On Saturday night I was involved with my local pastor in an Intergenerational Lenten Service in which we presented Bibles to the Year 3 children and parents from Victory Lutheran College. Previously the school had the tradition to present the “Level 66” CEV Bibles to Year 3s in Junior Chapel at the start of the year. This year I changed things to make the most of the School-Church connection.

These Bibles are a gift from the Wodonga Lutheran Parish so I invited all the Year 3 families to come to St John’s and receive their Bibles in a family friendly intergenerational service. It was a great time of celebration with about 75 percent of the families turning up. We had a Faith Inkubators quiz on the Bible; I interviewed three people from different generations on their connection and experiences with the Bible. They were an elder member of the congregation who grew up as a child reading the Bible in German and memorising it in her local Lutheran School. A busy mother of 4 kids who happens to be a pastor’s wife, she shared some resources and tips on how she has tried to keep up a devotional life within her family. Then I got down on my knees to ask a Victory Year 3 student what their favourite Bible stories are and why.

The most significant part of the service for many people though, was the rite we used to present the Bibles. First the Year 3s were invited to the altar rail, then the head of the Junior School introduced why we were giving out the Bibles, I asked the kids to be responsible for bringing their Bibles to school and to learn and read them, then I asked the parents and the rest of the congregation whether they would support these children. 2 Timothy 3:16 was read, the parish pastor commended them and then the two Year 3 teachers helped us hand the Bibles out to the parents as the children’s names were read out. After this was done we got the Parents to take up the mantle of handing the Bibles to their children and saying together the words of Psalm 119:105; “My child, this is the Word of the Lord. May it be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path”.

It was a powerful way of presenting the bibles to the kids. Since that service I have been amazed how some of the kids, especially those who are book worms, have been getting into the Word. For follow up to this service I have given parents and kids the opportunity to attend 3 Bible Introduction sessions I am running at school. Changing the tradition of the school this way has proven to me once again how big an impact a public ritual like this can have for children and families. I pray that as we improve things  when we do it again next year, we would continue to change the culture of our school, our church, our families, so kids look forward to receiving and reading this precious gift from God.