This being the month of December, many will pick up the Bible and turn to the Gospels to read the Christmas Story silently, or aloud to their children. Or they will hear it read to them in church. Sometimes as an accompaniment to a group of fellow parishioners in “Biblical garb” which looks suspiciously like bathrobes. This month’s article is not about that story, but about a man literally holding up the Bible as a reminder to his fellow man.

One of the advantages of being a choir member at Danville’s First Presbyterian Church is being able to look out on the congregation, seeing members in their usual places, members sitting in a different pew (very rare, practically nonexistent), or the visiting, prospective new members.

Some weeks ago, my “congregational gaze” encompassed the presence of a book being held high This was, of course, not just any book. “What it was, was the Bible!”(paraphrasing Andy Griffith).

This Bible’s “living pedestal” was a man who appeared to be in his late 30s, who has now been attending for the good portion of a “month of Sundays.”

The man’s arm strength is amazing, being able to raise and keep the Bible aloft from the service’s beginning all the way through to the benediction. After the service, and being very friendly, he enjoys conversing with fellow parishioners. He carries his Bible at his side. While, of course, using his other hand for “God’s work” in the shaking of hands.

One time, I saw him with the Bible raised high in both hands over his head (sort of a “Holy calisthenic”)! I figured this was a case of “one hand helping the other” (a paraphrase of the popular “handwashing” phrase).

All of this talk (writing) about “hands” makes me think of another phrase: “Place your left hand on the Bible and raise your right hand.” If the same hand is holding and raising the Bible, I wonder if that implies a double dose of veracity?

I haven’t thought to take note of whether the gentleman alternates arms (and of course, hands) in his raising of the Bible from one service to the next. But he never switches the Bible from one hand to the other during the same service (not a “switch hitter”).

I’ve also seen him, with a spiraled notebook in hand, tearing out written sheets and giving them to drivers at stoplights (like the words of the old gospel song “In the Highways”). The message which he writes on them is always spiritual and scriptural. (I started to add “spiraled,” but that might be too much alliteration).

As I mentioned before, this man’s raised Bible catches attention.  but recently, he performed a variation (not the “Paganini” kind) which astonished me!

You’ve seen those businesses along the road which have a piece of “iconic sculpture” out front related to that business’s specialty, in order to catch the attention of passing prospective customers. (‘m thinking about a tire store I once saw which used a mechanically rotating tire atop a tall spire).

Well, this gentleman performed a feat of astounding dexterity that Sunday. He held the Bible high, while rotating it with the fingers of one hand.

Just like that rotating, advertising “tire on a spire,” he really got my attention that morning. It was fascinating to see how his fingers “walked” the Bible in a 360-degree circle (a lot more amazing than fingers walking through the Yellow Pages). He told me later that he could also do the same with a basketball. His moving digits that morning almost reminded me of “sleight of hand,” or “Now you see it , now you don’t.” (but there’s nothing “tricky” about “the Word.” It’s right there in plain sight, to be both seen and heard).

After the church service, and on the way out past the table where a stack of bulletins is always placed for the worshipers, I saw one of the man’s handwritten “bulletins,” torn from his spiral-bound notebook, lying next to the stack of printed church bulletins. I figured that just like the regular bulletins, it had been placed there to be taken.

I had already folded my church bulletin, putting it in my pocket to take home.

So, with his “bulletin,” I did likewise.