CHICAGO, IL (September 15, 2016) – Covenant Retirement Communities across the country will participate together in the Covenant Community Bible Experience, John Satterberg, manager of chaplain services, said.

“It will enable us to highlight something that has always been of central importance in the Covenant—reading the Bible—and it will bring together people from different church backgrounds around the Scripture they hold in common,” Satterberg said. “It also will provide an opportunity for our residents to get better acquainted with each other in small group settings to discuss what they had read by responding to questions that are unlike the questions they are used to in a typical Bible study.”

One concern the chaplains had was the need for a large print edition but they discovered one of the many resources available through Biblica is an audio reading of the text available for those who have difficulty with small print.

Covenant Village of the Great Lakes (CVGL) has already signed up about 90 people to read together in multiple small groups. Fifteen of them are staff members.

“Staff and residents alike are intrigued with the unique format of the Books of the Bible text with chapter and verse removed to read more like a book along with the reordering of the New Testament books,” said Brian Kyle, chaplain at CVGL. “It will be a unifying experience as many residents and staff are reading the New Testament passages at the same time weekly.”

Greg Asimakoupoulos, chaplain of Covenant Shores, plans to lead Monday night discussion groups. “Every year we choose a book to read as a campus to foster a spirit of community,”

Asimakoupoulos said. “I anticipate a new level of mutual respect and understanding as people from different denominational backgrounds come together to reflect on what they have read each week.”

At least ten of their twelve CRC campuses will be participating and thinks it is likely all twelve will eventually sign up.