From the Church of England

Lectionary is a best-selling Christian book – and now an increasingly popular app for iPhone and iPad. 

The Common Worship Lectionary - the resource which lists references for the daily Bible readings used in Common Worship services- is more popular than ever in its printed and digital formats.It was number 7  in the Top 20 Religion: UK book chart for 2012. Combining sales of the Common Worship Lectionary and the SPCK Lectionary 2013 would take the resource to the number 3 position. This makes the Lectionary the best-selling Christian title sold through high street bookstores.

The Lectionary’s ongoing popularity has led to the launch this month of the iPhone app Lectionary: The Official Common Worship Calendar from the Church of England, available now at https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/lectionary-official-common/id583885035?mt=8; the first version of the app (initially for iPad only) has already been downloaded more than 5,000 times since its initial release in February 2013.

The Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Revd Stephen Platten, chair of the Liturgical Commission, said: “The popularity of the new app, and the fact that the Lectionary continues to sell so well in printed form, shows how regular Bible reading lies at the heart of the lives of so many people.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

• The Top 20 Religion: UK chart was published in The Bookseller edition dated 8 March 2013; it was compiled by Nielsen Bookscan USCM.
• Common Worship Lectionary includes references for the daily Bible readings used in Common Worship services - weekdays as well as Sundays.

The Lectionary app was developed by Aimer Media.