It is easy to get started with the group with just a minimal amount of material.

     
The most recent edition of the New American Bible or the New Jerusalem Bible is recommended. Paraphrased editions are  discouraged as they offer little if any help when facing difficult textual questions. Choose a Bible you feel free to write in or underline.       

  Bibles are also available through the Little Rock Organization.  Simply click on the image of the bible to the left and you can order one online.

Study Set: A Study Set includes both a Study Guide and a Commentary. Study Guide: contains assigned readings and daily questions to guide you through a particular Scripture study, for example, The Acts of the Apostles. Commentary: Little Rock Scripture Study makes use of  commentaries published by Liturgical Press. For example, this Sampler makes use of the New Testament series, New Collegeville Bible Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles, by Dennis Hamm. Optional Materials might include a good Bible dictionary, such as The Dictionary of the Bible by John L. McKenzie (Simon & Schuster), and a personal notebook for taking lecture notes and recording your personal reflections.

Examples of Study Programs

The Roster for the Sacred Heart Little Rock Scripture Study Group can be opened with a password only.  Please contact Ed Biebrich to obtain this password. 585-4864

Sacred Heart Parish proudly utilizes the world reknowned Little Rock Scripture Study Series.  This internationally recognized ministry is committed to providing Catholic Bible study materials and experiences to help parishioners encounter Christ in a personal way, apply core biblical teachings to daily living, and increase commitment to the believing community. Prayer, study, small group faith sharing and integrating lectures provide the framework for these Bible studies.

Little Rock Scripture Study meets Tuesday mornings 9:00 - 10:00 in room 8.

Little Rock Scripture Study provides a solid balance of Catholic biblical scholarship, reflection, and application. Adults will better understand the Bible and the tools needed for study, grow in their relationship with Christ, and build strong community life in neighborhoods and parishes. Through personal study, small-group discussion, wrap-up lectures, and prayer, participants will discover the tools needed to continue to grow as followers of Christ.

BENEFITS FOR PERSONAL AND PARISH LIFE

• fuller understanding of the Bible
• richer appreciation of the faith tradition of the church
• ability to make connections between faith and daily life
• deeper, more personal relationship with God
• increased lay leadership and ministry within the parish
• stronger sense of family faith and prayer
• wider social concern and desire for service
• fuller experience of Christian community

FOUR ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

1. 1. Daily Personal Study Participants spend about twenty minutes each day prayerfully reading and reflecting on an assigned section of the Scriptures. They use a Bible and the appropriate Study Set for a given course (Study Set includes a commentary and Study Guide). The commentary for each course provides solid scholarship that leads to deeper understanding. The Study Guide directs the reflection with daily questions and space for written responses. Daily Personal Study forms the foundation for each week’s small-group discussion.
2. Weekly Small-Group Sharing Participants gather weekly in small groups (eight to twelve people in each group is ideal). This gathering includes time for group prayer and for sharing the fruits of the Daily Personal Study. A trained facilitator will help to create an atmosphere of openness and trust in which God’s word and its application to daily life can be discovered and discussed.
3. Weekly Wrap-Up Lecture A fifteen- to twenty-minute lecture follows the small-group discussion to develop and clarify the themes of the lesson. Qualified people from the local community may be invited to provide the lectures, or recorded lectures may be purchased for each course.
4. Prayer is the most essential of the elements. In addition to personal prayer during each person’s daily study time, the group uses a simple, effective method of shared prayer to begin each session. A source of unity, support, and guidance, prayer is the key to the success of Little Rock Scripture Study at every stage.