We started 2020 with a renewed commitment to the Word of God. The Good Book Club returned for a third year with the Gospel of John, as we read the compelling account—inspired by “the disciple whom Jesus loved”—during the time from Epiphany through Shrove Tuesday. We read stories only heard in John: Jesus turns water into wine at the wedding of Cana, encounters the woman at the well, raises Lazarus from the dead, and of course, the famous verse of John 3:16.
The full reading list for the Gospel of John is available here.
El cronograma de lecturas, que va del 6 de enero al 25 de febrero.
Resources—The Gospel of John | Epiphany 2020
Books/Study Guides
Go With Gratitude: A Reflection Guide for The Gospel of John. This downloadable booklet from the United Thank Offering (UTO) shares weekly reflections and questions for discussion or personal reflection written by UTO Grant Recipients. UTO invites all Episcopalians to participate in a personal spiritual discipline of gratitude and the giving of thank offerings in a UTO Blue Box. Each year, UTO collects thank offerings made and grants every penny donated to support innovative mission and ministry in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. UTO offers this booklet to support individuals or groups as they spend the season of Epiphany reflecting on gratitude and crossing boundaries as portrayed in the Gospel of John. We hope you’ll join us on a journey to explore how gratitude can deepen our faith and support us as we live into the mission that Jesus has called all of us.
John 101: A two-page introduction developed by Forward Movement to the Gospel of John, exploring authorship and major themes.
Juan 101: Una introducción al Evangelio de Juan de dos páginas preparada por Forward Movement; se explora quién es el autor y algunos de los temas principales.
Episcopal Migration Ministries will offer a seven-session Bible study. Each lesson will include a prayer, a group Bible study with discussion/reflection questions, and an Episcopal Migration Ministries “Teaching” in audio or video form.
A Journey with John: This book explores the Gospel of John with fifty days of scripture, meditations, and prayers written by dynamic spiritual leaders from across the United States and around the world. Available from Forward Movement and as an ebook on digital platforms.
Online/Digital
A Good Word: During the season of Epiphany 2020 Forma is excited to join the work of the Good Book Club, offering one verse each day, via social media, that is meant to encourage reading, sharing, and growing through the Gospel of John. These scriptures will correspond with the daily selections and will be posted on Forma’s Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts, as well as their webpage.
Building Faith, a ministry of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary, has some wonderful ideas for getting people of all ages involved. They will be preparing intergenerational activities throughout the Good Book Club.
Asset Map: Did you know that St. John’s is the most common name for an Episcopal congregation? Whether named for the Baptizer or the Evangelist, our congregations are excited to participate in the Good Book Club and share more about where God has called them to minister. The Episcopal Asset Map is a grassroots populated site that shares how we as The Episcopal Church are living out Christ’s call to us. Visit our Facebook page throughout the season of Epiphany for a short reflection on the daily reading and some stories about how God is at work across the Church!
Introducing John: For six weeks this Epiphany, meet with other students from around the world for a live, online class on the Gospel of John with Vicki Garvey, a respected teacher and author and canon for lifelong education at the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. In this free class, Vicki will teach about the author, origin, setting, and message of the Gospel of John. Classes will meet live on Thursday nights via Zoom from January 23-March 5, and they will last an hour. Register now!
This Week in John: Weekly emails by Forward Movement will preview the upcoming readings to provide context and background. The emails also will feature the ministries of partner organizations. Sign up and find archived emails here!
Introducing the Gospel of John: The Montreal Diocesan Theological College in the Anglican Church of Canada is hosting a 90-minute webinar about the Gospel of John on January 13 from 7 to 8.30 p.m. (EST). The Gospel of John is beautifully written and compelling. It tells complex and wonderful stories, alludes frequently to other passages of Scripture, and contains many structural elements that highlight repeated themes of the good news it has to share. But it also unlike any other part of Scripture and can be challenging to understand. This 90 minute online webinar provides a foundation for students to read the Gospel of John for themselves by offering an overview of the gospel’s content, structure, and key themes. Join us to learn about the gospel and then read it throughout the season of Epiphany to come to a deeper appreciation of the text and hear it speak to your lives in new ways. Taught by the Rev. Dr. Jesse Zink, principal of Montreal Diocesan Theological College
Self(ie)-Reflections: Missional Voices will host a weekly video series with leaders (laity, clergy, and seminarians) from around the Episcopal Church reflecting on where they see the mission of God in each week’s readings.
El Club Bíblico es un grupo de Facebook que congrega a personas hispanohablantes interesadas en el mensaje de la Biblia. Durante Epifanía varios miembros del grupo van a publicar mensajes y videos para explorar el Evangelio de Juan.
El Club Bíblico is a Facebook group that gathers Spanish-speaking people interested in the message of the Bible. During Epiphany, several group members will post regular messages and videos exploring the Gospel of John.
Follow the Star: The evangelism team of the Episcopal Church will post weekly memes to highlight an evangelistic action that we can follow inspired by stories of John as well as a weekly conversation prompt around an evangelism story on Instagram.
Vital Practices: Through the period of Epiphany 2020, Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices bloggers will choose a reading from the Gospel of John that resonates with them and their ministry and write a related blog post. These blogs will be published on ECFVP and invite readers to share in the experience.
Grow Christians: Grow Christians will share stories from parents who are reading and reflecting on the Gospel of John at home with children and teens.
Covenant: Each week, The Living Church will post on its blog, Covenant, an article that explores the text from John.
Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast: Bishop Russell Kendrick will post weekly videos online, offering theological insight on the readings from the Gospel of John.
The Good Book Club Calendar: RenewalWorks offers downloadable calendar bulletin inserts with the daily readings and cartoons by artist Jay Sidebotham. Each day will list the reading and feature an inspiring quote or cartoon. The calendar is perfect for coloring and appeals to all ages.
The Hive: In conjunction with The Good Book Club’s venture through the Gospel of John, The Hive will be exploring the 7 famous “I AM stamens found in John. In these statements, Jesus tells us who he is so that we can better know who we are. Each video induces teaching on the scripture as well as motivational meditations and are great for individuals or groups. Join in discussion on Facebook, or watch the videos at https://www.thehiveapiary.com/the-buzz.
The Hive is an online wellness and spirituality community centered around particles that strengthen faith and hone the modern mystic sight. You can find more at www.thehiveapiary.com
Download the 2020 Good Book Club Toolkit.
Archived Emails:
-Week 1
-Week 2
-Week 3
-Week 4
-Week 5
-Week 6
-Week 7
-Week 8