Within the first few months of the distribution venture, 200 Bibles in 18 languages were given to more than 25 groups – including a small Chinese Christian fellowship, the Korean Presbyterian Church, and a Vietnamese pastor ministering to 7,000 refugees who have found a new home in Denmark.

The national distribution project was organised by the Intercultural Christian Centre (ICC), and partly funded by the worldwide fellowship of Bible Societies.

“We estimate that perhaps one third of New Danes have roots in a Christian church,” said ICC National Co-ordinator Birthe Munck-Fairwood. “However, because of language barriers and different church traditions, many have formed their own fellowships where they hold services, pray, sing, and listen to Bible teaching in their own language.”

The majority of members in many ethnic churches, however, had arrived in the country as refugees – and did not have the resources to buy sufficient numbers of Bibles in their own language.

“Second, it can be a strategic way of reaching out to non-Christian immigrants and refugees who are often much more open to receiving a Bible from a member of their own expatriate community than from a member of the host community.

“Many ethnic churches have a strong sense of community and interdependence and good links with non-Christian countrymen who attend social functions and special celebrations in church.”

Bibles have been distributed to immigrant and refugee churches and fellowships in Denmark in the languages of Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Croatian, English, Farsi, French, Hungarian, Korean, Polish, Rumanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Tamil, Tigrinya, and Vietnamese.

“In the light of our experience, we can strongly recommend Bible distribution to ethnic minority churches,” Birthe said. “In addition to being tremendously rewarding, it strengthens links between the Christian host community and the newcomers. Such links can be both spiritually enriching, very exciting, and an important testimony to the unity of God’s multi-ethnic people.” (WR 343/24 - 9.99) [PHOTOS]

In his home country he was ordained as a deacon in the ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which traces its roots back to the Ethiopian official who was baptised by the apostle Philip in Acts 8.

“As I did not understand the Danish language at that time, it was important for me and my family to meet with other Ethiopian Christians. “With my background as a deacon I knew that I would be able to teach others. So after about a year, four of us decided to start Bible classes on a regular basis.

This was the beginning of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Denmark, which now has almost 100 members out of a total Ethiopian/Eritrean population of 600. About 30-40 Ethiopians gather for Bible teaching every Sunday afternoon.

“I am very, very grateful for the Bibles,” the young deacon said. “Now our members can borrow a Bible during the week and read for themselves. In Denmark, many Ethiopians have forgotten their Christian faith. But now I have started teaching them the Bible right from the beginning.”

The Bible was in action the next day at a special commissioning service for the new Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were in attendance when the First Minister Donald Dewar read the first lesson.

When Sir David Steel, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, accepted the Bible from Lord Mackay of Clashfern, President of the NBSS and the longest-serving Lord Chancellor this century, he assured Lord Mackay he would find a place for the Bible and it would “not be put away in a cupboard”.

“As the first Presiding Officer and as a son of the manse, it is an honour to accept this generous gift on behalf of the Scottish Parliament,” Sir David commented. “The service to mark the ‘Kirking of the Parliament’ on the eve of its opening ceremony once again underlines the bond between Church and Parliament in Scotland.”

“We’re delighted to provide the Parliament with an official copy of the Book whose message has been a vital part of Scottish life for so many centuries,” noted NBSS Chairman Neil McTaggart. “Much has been said about needed improvements in public life, yet in fact it’s been said before – as we highlight in our inscription in the Bible, which quotes the prophet Micah, ‘… to do justly and to love mercy.’” (Micah 6:8) (WR 343/26 - 9.99) [PHOTOS]

The Open Book storytelling tent was known as “The Telling Place.” It was hosted by the Northumbria Community storytellers and was visually stimulating, with colourful drapes, an array of twinkling lights, and modern metallic displays. Inflatable chairs, cushions, and fans were also on offer for those who came to The Telling Place during its long opening hours – 9 am until midnight.

The visitor from Moscow was one of many to enjoy speaker, author and broadcaster Elaine Storkey, American master biblical storyteller Dennis Dewey, and others in a variety of storytelling sessions.

According to the Bible Society’s Events Co-ordinator Mark Thornett, “The Telling Place was virtually full the whole time, and there was always a very good atmosphere.”

“When I don’t know where else to go, I go to The Telling Place because there’s always something good happening there,” commented a visitor in the queue. And a young boy raced round the corner crying, “Yippee! The Telling Place!”

In The Telling Place, people could write words that were important to them, which were hung up around the venue. Meanwhile, visitors were also invited to look through a series of interactive display cabinets and discover what was inside. They could listen to poetry on tape, blow through a tube that moved words from the Bible inside, or write their own phrases on the side of the cabinets.

In addition, sculptor Laurence Tindall walked around the Greenbelt site with his mobile ark, bringing the Bible alive in a visual way and inviting people to do some sculpting themselves, which many did.

Other highlights included a whole host of storytellers taking part in an Epic Telling of the Book of Esther; and workshops where visitors could try their own skills. The Telling Place modelled some of the approaches the Bible Society is using in its The Open Book Project, which aims to creatively bring the Bible alive through the arts, drama, music and storytelling. (WR 343/27 - 9.99)

One area is the development of biblical languages – Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Illustrating this will be a display of materials used in recording the Word of God from early times, when stone, ceramic, papyrus, and skin scroll manuscripts were used, through to the printing of the first Luther Bible, and to the new technology of today.

“This will give the pilgrim a new interest in their own Bible Society and, hopefully, a renewed interest and thirst for the Lord and His Word,” said Doron.

In addition, a multimedia biblical program will provide visitors with opportunities to look at selections from the Bible in around 500 languages. They will also have access to information about the 2,200 languages that the Scriptures have been translated into.

A video on How the Bible came to us will also be produced, to be shown as part of the exhibition, as well as being broadcast independently and possibly on national television.

Another Bible Experience is being planned in Bethlehem, where thousands of pilgrims and tourists are expected to visit to celebrate the bimillenary of the birth of Jesus.

“It is important that all those who come and visit the Holy City will experience its people, its culture, its history and its sites,” said Labib Madanat, Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in the West Bank.
“It is also important for those who visit, and for those who live in the Palestinian territories, to experience the true and absolute reason why all these celebrations are taking place.”

A 150-year-old building, located between two major streets in downtown Bethlehem, has been chosen to house the Bible Experience. Manger Street, from the north, is used by pilgrims and tourists, while St Paul IV Street, in the south, is used mostly by the local population.

“The Bethlehem Bible Experience will clearly present a unique light in an area that has been overshadowed with commercialized darkness,” Labib commented. “From the glass displays that will be part of the alleyway outside the building, visitors will begin to see and feel the biblical richness of Bethlehem and experience the power of the Word of God.

“Entering the basement will be a unique experience in visiting the traditional setting of a house that could have existed 2000 years ago. Walking up the stairs to brighter and more open settings one will feel the richness and strength of God’s Word as the living bread of our life.”

The first focus of the exhibition will be on Bethlehem as the town of David, as a place of the greatest romance of all (Ruth and Boaz), the Messianic prophecies, and the birth of Jesus. Another focus will be the development of the Book, the Bible – who wrote it, how it spread. These and other questions will be answered in interactive 3D presentations.

As part of the ongoing desire of the Bible Society to spread the Word of God to all people and all ages, a special section will be dedicated as a Bible Society bookstore where books and souvenirs will be available for visitors.

Along with the Bethlehem Bible Experience, the official Bethlehem 2000 Committee has also endorsed the Bible Society’s ‘Christmas Book’ project. These are the only two Christian activities backed by the committee, which mainly works with cultural and infrastructure matters.

The two versions will differ both in content and appearance. One will be an “upmarket” version which will be sold to tourists, and the other, the “missionary edition”, will be a less glossy version which will be distributed free to Palestinians visiting or living in Bethlehem.

The tourist book will be available first in Arabic and English, and possibly other languages according to the expected number of visitors from different countries.

It will be printed in English, Hebrew and Arabic, and is meant to encourage both Israeli and Palestinian Christians in their ministry to spread the peace of God to those around them – including family, friends and traditional enemies. (WR 343/28 - 9.99) [PHOTOS]

The channel, which went on air in May 1996, has expanded from a modest two-hour weekly transmission to a four-day service for Christians across the Middle East and North Africa. This has proved so popular, that there are plans afoot to expand even further, to provide a daily service to its viewers early in the year 2000.

Believers in many parts of the Middle East are treated with hostility, and as a result thousands of Christians emigrate each year. SAT-7’s aim is to support and encourage the remaining minority Christian populations. Judging from the popularity of the channel, they are succeeding in this aim – phone calls and letters from viewers are increasing by 40 per cent a year.

One viewer from Dubai recently expressed his appreciation of SAT-7’s work in a letter. “I was hoping for such a thing to happen – an Arabic Christian channel”, he wrote. “You are supporting a lot of people spiritually – keep it up!”

The channel is run mainly by Middle Eastern Christians, and works with all the major denominations in the region. This ensures that the programmes are suitable for a Middle Eastern audience, and that they are authentically Arab in style and content.

The brainchild of British publisher Terry Ascott, SAT-7 was founded in 1995 when 25 agencies and churches from the Middle East and beyond, including the United Bible Societies, partnered together to form the satellite-based ministry.

“SAT-7 is the dream and hope of many Christians,” said the Rev Dr Safwat-al-Baiady, Head of the Protestant Churches in Egypt. “It has opened its doors for all churches to work together.”

Dr Yohanna Golta, Bishop of the Coptic Catholic Church of Cairo, agrees. “I wholeheartedly endorse this ministry,” he said. “I commend it to you for your prayers and practical support.”

SAT-7 is a charity which relies entirely upon donations. Its annual cost is just £1 per viewer, making it extremely good value. For its planned expansion to a seven-days-a-week service in the year 2000 to go ahead, SAT-7 will require additional financial support. (WR 343/32 - 9.99)

Taking 60 children at a time, who were then divided into five groups and rotated every half hour, the team helped the children look at -Creation, using food to talk about identity, and then got them to decorate a gingerbread man.

Each child was then given a booklet containing the stories and some real-life situations relating to the theme and some questions to think about. “It was a lot of hard work, time, and effort,” explained Glenis Ruston, one of the team who organised the event. “But it was such an unusual experience for the children, and we have never done anything like it. The letters we got back were lovely, the children enjoyed it, and the teachers were positive too.” (WR 343/33 - 9.99) [PHOTOS]