The 12th annual Advent Book, titled “Christmas Peace,” is now available from members of Gwynn’s Island Baptist Church.

The Rev. Dr. Ed Jordan, pastor, said members of the church write, publish and distribute 2,000 copies of each year’s booklet, and that all copies are given out, usually within three weeks of publication. “It is quite phenomenal,” Jordan said.

Why does the church write, publish and give 2,000 books out, free of charge, each year? 

“We originally started doing this as a way for our church people to give the life of Jesus to 2,000 people a year,” Jordan said. “Jesus is the real gift of Christmas, so we give out stories about how Jesus touched our lives. It also the church’s way to give something valuable back to the people of Mathews and Gloucester counties. This is one way for us to help people focus on Jesus, and to get us all in the mood for Christmas.”

He said these booklets end up all over the country, and some even go overseas. “One of our members found one at a plane gate in the Chicago Airport,” Jordan said. “This year, in the first week of distribution, about seven hundred copies have already been distributed.”

The book contains 25 brief readings, one for each day between Dec. 1 and Christmas Day.  The stories are “interesting and real,” said Jordan, and local watercolor artist Gib Pulley paints a cover for the book annually. “The Gazette-Journal publishes them at a reasonable price, and our small congregation gets great joy in passing them out,” he said.

Jordan added, “You can get a free copy of “Christmas Peace” by coming to our 10 a.m. Sunday services, or by calling the church to request one, at 804-725-2384. 

Also, he said, the Dec. 1 through 25 daily readings are posted on the church website www.gibchurch.com and on the Gwynn’s Island Facebook page.