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28 May 2012

One in every 100 UK citizens to get Jubilee gift from UK churches

One in every 100 people in the UK is being given a copy of a specially-produced Diamond Jubilee New Testament to mark the Queen’s 60 years of service to Britain and the Commonwealth.
 
Longton Community Church in Preston is giving 10,000 New Testaments out to all 39 schools in the South Ribble area to mark this once-in-a-lifetime moment.
 
Ruth Edy, who is married to the vicar, is presenting them to children in Ducklington Primary School in Oxfordshire, her local primary school. Ruth was given a New Testament 60 years ago to mark the Queen's coronation.
 
In the north of England, a Cumbrian youth project is also giving away the special New Testaments. The Shackles Off youth project in Seascale has ordered 100 copies to give away as part of their local Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
 
These are just a few of the hundreds of ways in which these special souvenirs are being used.
 
HOPE, the Church of England and Biblica have produced the souvenir Diamond Jubilee edition of the New Testament. More than 655,000 copies have been ordered already by churches and individuals to give away to friends and neighbours, making the Diamond Jubilee New Testament one of the most popular paperbacks in the UK this year.
 
Roy Crowne, executive director of the national mission movement HOPE, said: “What has been so exciting is the stories that we have begun to receive about the places and occasions where the New Testaments are being given out. We are glad that so many churches are using this opportunity to give this special gift to people in their communities as they celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.”
 
Mark Finnie, church and Bible engagement director at Biblica, said: “We could never have imagined the response to the Diamond Jubilee New Testament offer when the idea was first discussed. The New Testament will reach over one in 100 people in the UK, with 675,000 copies placed in the hands of people as they celebrate the Queen’s 60 years of service. We hope this will inspire churches, schools and agencies to create other custom Bibles and New Testaments for all sorts of occasions.”
 
Special presentation labels are available free from HOPE’s website to print and stick on the Bibles to give the gift a personal touch.
 
The souvenir Diamond Jubilee edition of the New Testament includes eight pages of images from the Coronation and the Queen’s life, linking her 60-year reign and her Christian faith. There is a suggested reading section with Bible references on various topics and a clear guide to help readers understand the significance of Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection.