Forward Movement, along with partners from around the Episcopal Church, announced today the beginning of the second round of the Good Book Club, set for the Epiphany season 2019, and invited all Episcopalians to join in reading Paul’s Letter to the Romans. The Good Book Club kicks off on Monday, January 7 and end on Shrove Tuesday, March 5 and includes reading assignments for each day except Sundays, when participants are encouraged to “Hear God’s Word at your local church,” according the calendar of readings. The daily assignments range from as few as two verses to as many as eighteen verses.
In their announcement, Richelle Thompson, deputy director and managing editor of Forward Movement, described their choice of Romans, noting, “
“During Epiphany, we recall how Jesus is revealed to the world…Paul’s letter to the Romans offers a way to explore the messages of grace, salvation, and redemption through Jesus Christ. This season between Christmas and Lent is a perfect time to engage deeply with God’s Word and experience it anew.”
The Good Book Club website also reflects on the appointed text, stating,
“While Romans is not always easy reading, this sixth book of the New Testament articulates what it means to be a disciple of Christ and how that translates into daily life—lessons to inform and inspire followers of Christ from the beginning to the 21st century.”
In addition to the daily readings, Forward Movement and their partners are also working to develop supplemental resources, including a live Bible study from the Rev. Jay Sidebotham and ChurchNext, a booklet of daily reflections on the readings from UTO, a series of videos from Missional Voices, and more, as well as resources in Spanish. During the Good Book Club, Forward Movement’s popular Forward Day by Day devotional will also cover the daily reading assignments from the initiative in lieu of the usual Daily Office texts in an effort to encourage those readers to join in.
The Good Book Club was launched in 2018 as an initiative in which participants read Luke-Acts during Lent and Easter, and tens of thousands of people participated in the first round, with great success. Surveys taken by participants showed that 73% of participants reported reading the Bible daily at the conclusion of the Good Book Club versus only 45% at the beginning of the program.
In a video posted on the Good Book Club’s website, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry shared his intention to participate in the initiative and his hope that this initiative will draw Episcopalians from all over to join in the reading of scripture and be transformed by the experience.
For more information or to access the reading list and resources, please visit the Good Book Club website.