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The BIG Read & Bible Read

THE BIG READ            Updated 18 January 2010

 THE BIG READ GROUPS: Circuits, Local Churches and Churches Together are making arrangements for local groups which will meet on weekdays during Lent and who will lead them. Two hour events for those leading groups will be run by Lindisfarne (The Regional Training Partnership in the North East) at various locations in January. Details of those events are shown further down this page. 
For those who have not been able to get to the training meetings a brief note of suggestions from Alastair Macnaughton is now on the website.

BISHOP TOM MEETINGS

As we have no idea of numbers we are asking people to notify venues of roughly how many are coming. Details of how to do this will be on the Big Read website on January 4th. The dates and venues of these meetings have already been widely circulated and are on the Big Read website now.

THE BIG READ BOOK: The Lent Book "Lent for Everyone - Luke" will be available in the shops in December. Where churches can group together to order 100 copies or more direct from SPCK these will attract a 55% discount making each copy available at £3.15. 
Details on bulk ordering complete with the ordering form will be available on the Big Read website on January 4th. There will also be details of bookshops across the region which will be stocking the book for those who need small quantities. Please note that the bulk discount is not available through the bookshops.

The Book contains Bishop Tom Wright's translation from 'Luke for Everyone' but with a completely new accompanying text which is shorter than 'Luke for Everyone'  and which often provides people with a specific thing to think about. The whole of Luke can be read during Lent but for those who prefer something shorter there is a highlighted passage for each day on which Bishop Tom Wright's reflection is based. The Saturday reading is the Gospel reading for the following day.

We hope that we may be able to provide specimen pages from the book before too long.

Would you consider attending training so as to facilitate a Big Read group?
The training takes place in one full evening.  It is for people who:

  • have a little experience already in helping groups learn together
  • will be accepting of different approaches to scriptural authority within their group
  • wish their group to enjoy learning together
  • will aim to help their group make profound links between St Luke's Gospel and their own experience
Each evening begins promptly at 7pm and finishes at 9pm. The session will be tightly packed, so please come early ready to start on time.

There will be a lively, informative introduction to Luke's Gospel given by Sister Patsy Macdonald of Ushaw College with practical guidance on how to help people get the most out of the Big Read

Dates, times and venues for facilitator training are as follows: 
4 January, 7-9pm - St Mary's Church, Stannington

12 January, 7-9pm - St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic Church, Old Elvet, Durham *
13 January, 7-9pm - The Monastic Workshop, Hexham Abbey
16 January, l0am-12pm - Grange Road Methodist Church, Tankerville Street, Hartlepool TS26 8DU
18 January, 7-9pm - Gateshead Civic Centre
20 January, 7-9pm - St Mary’s Parish Room, Wooler
27 January, 7-9pm - St Michael's Church, Alnwick (note not the Church Hall) *
 
* Sister Patsy McDonald will be speaking at these training evenings.

Lindisfarne Regional Training Partnership - for further information on facilitator training. 

  • Big Read Facilitator Training Registration Form

     

    THE BIG READ MEETINGS locations for Bishop Tom's talks will be at 7.30pm, with tea/coffee from 7pm, as follows :

    • BEFORE LENT - EVENINGS - An introduction to St Luke:
      • Thursday, January 14, Stockton Tabernacle
      • Thursday, January 21, St Nicholas Durham
      • Thursday, January 28, Lobley Hill
      • Thursday, February 4, St Pauls Alnwick RC
    • DURING LENT - EVENINGS - The story of the Passion in Luke
      • Thursday, February 18, St Hilds School Hartlepool
      • Thursday, February 25, Chester-le-Street Anglican
      • Thursday, March 4, Newcastle Anglican Cathedral
      • Wednesday, March 10, Crook Methodist -URC (with President of Methodist Conference)
    • AFTER EASTER- MORNINGS - Easter and beyond              
      • Saturday, April 24 Teesdale School Barnard Castle (Methodist Synod)
      • Saturday, May 1, St Bedes lanchester
      • Saturday, May 8, Ven Bede School Sunderland
      • Saturday, May 15, West End Methodist, Hexham

        Further details are available from:
      • Durham Diocese Webpage - The Big Read