by Philip A. Blows, Operations Director

While this article specifically discusses the distribution of the Society’s Platinum Jubilee Bible, the same principle can be applied to all of our commemorative Bibles.

The previous Operations Report contained an announcement regarding the commemorative Bible which the Society is publishing for Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. I am pleased to report that, at the time of writing, these Bibles are being printed and we are expecting them to be received into stock in the early part of 2022. Please see pages 32–33 for more information about this Bible.¹

We anticipate a significant opportunity to distribute Platinum Jubilee Bibles in schools, mainly in the United Kingdom and in Commonwealth countries. Our UK auxiliaries will be contacting schools in their regions to offer these Bibles free of charge to their pupils and students, and we encourage all supporters who have a TBS auxiliary in their area to prayerfully consider supporting their auxiliary in this Scripture distribution effort. Churches and individuals may also wish to offer free Jubilee Bibles to local schools or other institutions. Should you wish to do this, we commend to you the following process:

1. Check if you are in an area covered by a TBS auxiliary. If you are, liaise with the auxiliary officers to agree who will contact which schools; it is best that schools do not receive similar offers from multiple sources.
   
2. Discuss the possibility of distributing free Bibles to local schools with your minister, elders, and/or other church leadership, and commit the matter to the Lord in prayer.
3. Establish, if proceeding, which schools to contact and how many Bibles you can afford to give away.
4. Identify the schools in your area and note down the names and contact details of the headteachers/principals.
5. Compose the emails/letters that you will send. See below for a suggested template.
6. Send the emails/letters, then follow up by phone.
7. Order the Bibles from TBS for those who accept the offer. You may want to deliver them yourself; alternatively, order the Bibles from TBS and give the school’s address as the shipping address.
8. Finally, maintain appropriate records of the project:

a. Who was contacted.
b. Their full contact details.
c. What their response was.
d. Number of Bibles distributed.
e. Possible opportunities for the following year, e.g., to school leavers.
f. Any other notes which will help the next person who contacts the school.

Here is a template that you may wish to use or adapt for your own use when contacting the schools. Ideally the email will be sent from a church email address or the letter printed on a church letterhead:

Subject: Free Platinum Jubilee Bibles for Pupils/Students

Dear [Correct salutation],

On 6 February 2022 Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will commemorate her ascension to the throne 70 years ago. At her coronation the Queen was presented with a copy of the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible and vowed to be a defender of the Christian faith.

The Trinitarian Bible Society are marking the occasion by publishing a special Platinum Jubilee Authorised (King James) Version Bible. This commemorative edition will feature a purple cover bearing the official Platinum Jubilee logo and will contain special presentation and introductory pages.

This timeless translation, the most popular book of all time, also serves a literary purpose, having been translated during what many see as the high point of the English language. Knowing that many pupils and students appreciate keepsakes for special occasions, we would like to offer all of your pupils/all of your Y6 leavers/all of your Y13 leavers [delete or amend as applicable] a free copy of this commemorative Platinum Jubilee Bible. (Stocks are limited, so while we cannot guarantee to fully meet every request, we will strive to do so.)

If I may, I will call you next week to follow up on this letter. In the meantime, if you wish to contact us, our details are below.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your position]

If you would like any further advice or suggestions regarding this special opportunity to distribute the Scriptures, please contact your local TBS office. Let us all pray ‘that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you’ (2 Thessalonians 3.1).

First published in Quarterly Record 638. Edited 10 March 2025.