Service Programs

June 2024 – Rooting for Reading

June 1, 2024June 2, 2023By
June 2024 – Rooting for Reading

Scripture: Joshua 1:8, John 20:31, John 1:1, 1 Timothy 4:13

Reading Fellowship/Party

Party theme ideas (https://www.playpartyplan.com/reading-games-and-activities)

  • Pajama Time – Wear pajamas, play pajama party games, eat breakfast items for refreshments, and have a pillow fight.
  • Harry Potter – Make butterbeer treats, play Harry Potter games, make homemade “potions” (perfumes), pass out essential oils as gifts, and make chocolate frogs or edible wands.
  • Seuss Books – Talk only in rhyme for a limited amount of time, eat Green Eggs and Ham, play a Dr. Seuss activity, and make a bucket list of places you still want to go (or have already been).
  • Act out your favorite book or play charades using book titles
  • Make treats based on a book
  • Make a craft from a book
  • Pictionary—draw a book title

Craft Ideas

Make bookmarkers using supplies on hand: ribbon, contact paper, cardstock, shipping labels, cord, yarn, buttons, felt tip markers, watercolor paints, felt, paper clips, embroidery floss, needle and thread, elastic, rubber bands, beads, paint samples, charms, washi tape, duct tape

Field Trips

  • Go to your local library—have a tour, get a library card, and check out a book.
  • Explore downloading books from the library to read on a kindle.
  • Go to a Sylvan Learning Center or an optician who provides vision therapy to learn about some health or learning disabilities that may affect someone’s reading ability.

Service Project

  • Host a book drive for your corps nursery, Sunday School room, or office library
  • Host an Usborne Book Party to benefit a daycare center, crisis nursery, childcare, WIC office, or hospital for newborn babies and their families
  • Read to seniors at an Alzheimer’s unit, rest home, care home, or children in an elementary school.
  • Volunteer to read and grade lessons for the mail-in Prison Ministries Bible Studies
  • Start a Book Club—decided to read a book together (a chapter at a time) and discuss what you read weekly.

Extra Challenge: Read the Bible in a Year

10 Free Bible Apps

https://justdisciple.com/bible-app/

  1. YouVersion
  2. Blue Letter Bible
  3. Bibl e.is
  4. Bible App by Olive Tree
  5. BibleGateway
  6. Logos Bible Study Tools
  7. Bible App for Kids
  8. Faithlife Study Bible
  9. ESV Bible
  10. NIV Bible App+
Free Subscription to The Chosen ® Multi-series about the life of Christ.

https://watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen

18 Best Book Apps for Reading on the Go

https://smallbiztrends.com/2021/10/best-book-apps.html

  1. Amazon Kindle App
  2. Google Play Books
  3. Audible
  4. Libby
  5. PocketBook Reader
  6. Kobo
  7. Apple Books
  8. FullReader
  9. AlReader
  10. Media365 Book
  11. NOOK
  12. ReadEra
  13. Scribd ($9.99/month)
  14. KyBook 3 ($4.99/month)
  15. Bookmate ($9.99/month)
  16. Bluefire ($4.99/month)
  17. Moon+ Reader Pro
  18. 24symbols ($8.99/month)

So Many Books, So Little Time

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8, NIV)

As a young girl, I was always fascinated with books. The words became images in my mind, almost movie–like. I tried to picture the characters as they moved through the storyline—the scenes in which action took place, the conversations that happened, and the emotions sensed and experienced throughout the rise and fall of the plot. Whether I was on a farm with Laura Ingalls Wilder, solving a mystery, or adventuring in another country during another time, I was taken away by the words on the paper.

Do you remember the Choose Your Own Adventure Books? I liked those! You, as the reader, were given options as to how the story would unfold, depending on what choices you made for your character. If I didn’t like the ending or outcome, I would go back and change my choices. If only we could do that in real life!

There are a few stories in the Bible that include an element of reading:

  • The Holy Spirit prompted Philip to run up to a chariot where an Ethiopian eunuch was reading a passage from Isaiah. He asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” It gave him an opportunity to speak to him about the good news of Jesus. He was so moved by this, that he paused his journey to get baptized. (Story found in Acts 8.)
  • King Xerxes was having trouble sleeping, so he ordered that the chronicles of his reign be read to him. (Imagine someone reading your biography aloud.) During this passage, he was reminded of how Mordecai (Esther’s cousin, King Xerxes’ wife) had exposed a plot by two of the king’s officers and spared King Xerxes from assassination. He ended up rewarding Mordecai, and ultimately Haman was executed for his devious plot that had been revealed. (Story found in Esther 6-7.)
  • Ezra read from the Book of the Law (Torah) for seven days from morning to midday, after the Nehemiah and the Israelites completed rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after being in exile for 70 years. When he read, the people stood. The Levites helped to translate and explain what was being read. They were so moved and convicted in their hearts. Maybe they felt remorse for falling short of God’s laws. But the Levites encouraged them and said let the “joy of the Lord be their strength” (Nehemiah 8:10, NIV). They were reminded of what to do and how to observe His laws. They rejoiced in their understanding.

If these events had not been recorded, they wouldn’t have impacted either those who were reading or hearing the words that were being read aloud. The written word is powerful and transforming.

John, the apostle, wrote about his gospel, “These [signs or miraculous works] are written that [we] may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing [we] may have life in His name” (John 20:31, NIV). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, NIV). Jesus Himself is “logos”—the written word in the flesh.

Read your Bible daily. You will get to know Jesus and His ways better. I challenge you to choose a reading plan that will get you through the Scriptures. And as Paul encouraged Timothy in his ministry, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13, NIV) so that we can continue sharing the transforming, good news of Jesus. Not only will the text become internalized, but it will impress those who hear it too