— Community members are invited to gather at the City Park on Saturday, Aug. 22, for the annual Detroit Lakes Bible Reading Marathon.
The event, held at the park picnic shelter near the Alexa’s Elixir troll sculpture, will run from 9 a.m. to noon.
Organized by retired pastor Barry Schoder, the Bible Reading Marathon has become a summer staple. “Even during COVID, we managed to get it done,” he said.
Schoder recalls
in 2015 to foster a local sense of connection and reflection.
“It was strictly a Detroit Lakes event,” Schoder said. “We weren’t trying to impact the world, just our little community, just bringing the presence of God into people’s consciousness.”
Detroit Lakes resident Barry Schoder, next to one of the Lord’s Prayer-themed signs that he installed along West Lake Drive a few years ago.
Detroit Lakes Tribune file photo
He said the idea came about after he read an article about a church in Europe that had organized a non-stop, round-the-clock Bible reading marathon. The first Detroit Lakes event took place over the course of seven days, involving more than 90 hours of assigned reading time and hundreds of volunteer readers.
Over the years, the event has switched formats a few times. This year, Schoder decided to introduce a more flexible approach, designed to remove pressure from participants who may be intimidated by long or difficult bible passages, with hard-to-pronounce names of both people and locations.
Unlike previous years where readers were assigned specific texts and time slots, participants are now free to select their own passages and read for as long as they choose, whether that be for 10 minutes, an hour, or more.
Local volunteer Rosemary Dent read a passage from the Holy Bible at Peoples Park as part of the Fifth Annual Detroit Lakes Bible Reading Marathon. This year’s event is set for Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026 at Detroit Lakes City Park.
Detroit Lakes Tribune file photo
“Anybody can come and read anywhere they want, for as long as they want, at any time between nine and noon on that Saturday,” Schoder said.
Organizers have set an ambitious attendance goal of 250 people, a number chosen to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States’ birth.
Schoder advises attendees to come prepared for the outdoor setting.
“People need to bring a lawn chair of some sort, folding chair or whatever,” he said, adding that attendees should also dress appropriately for the weather, with jackets or sweatshirts at the ready if there’s a morning chill in the air, and an umbrella or raincoat if it’s raining, or looks likely to do so.
The goal of the Bible Marathon is to expose people to the word of God.
Detroit Lakes Tribune file photo
Other essentials: A personal Bible, and a bottle of water to “whet your whistle,” as Schoder put it.
Listeners are also welcome. “Anyone who wants to stop by and listen for a while is welcome to do so,” he said.
Bible reading marathons are held in communities across the nation, and even around the world, with a shared purpose of honoring God and spreading the messages of the Holy Bible. Schoder said that what began as a local effort in Detroit Lakes has expanded well beyond the city limits. Similar reading events have since been established in neighboring communities including Perham, Fergus Falls, Alexandria and Thief River Falls, as well as farther afield.
For more information, contact Schoder at 972-757-0078 (call or text).
A reporter at Detroit Lakes Newspapers since relocating to the community in October 2000, Vicki was promoted to Community News Lead for the Detroit Lakes Tribune and Perham Focus on Jan. 1, 2022. She has covered pretty much every “beat” that a reporter can be assigned, from county board and city council to entertainment, crime and even sports. Born and raised in Madelia, Minnesota, she is a graduate of Hamline University, from which she earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature (writing concentration). You can reach her at 218-844-1454 or vgerdes@dlnewspapers.com.