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Over many centuries, we Christians
have created church seasons that help us
remember and celebrate God’s mighty acts in our world and
in our lives. These church
seasons can be perplexing at first, but most people pick
them up quickly. Here is an
outline of the major seasons and holy days with a brief
explanation of each.
The four Sundays leading up to Christmas comprise the
Advent season.
The word means “coming” and Advent is a time to prepare
ourselves for
the coming of Christ: his birthing in Bethlehem, his
coming into our
individual lives, and his coming again in power and glory
at the end of
time. In contrast to the busy December rush of shoppers,
Advent is a
season of quietness and prayer, a time to invite Jesus
into our hearts
anew. In Advent we hang purple stoles in the sanctuary, a
royal color reminding us that
we are waiting for our King.
Christmas is not just a day, but a season. The Christmas
season
begins on December 25 and lasts for twelve days, usually
including
two Sundays. You already know what a joyful and special
time this is
as we celebrate the birth of our Lord. The Christmas Day
service in
our congregation is a wonderful and warm gathering. The
color of the
season is white, the color of purity and celebration. If
you have
trouble telling the difference between Advent and
Christmas, think of it this way: Advent
is a time of waiting, like pregnancy; Christmas is a time
of celebration, like a birth.
After the joy of Christ’s birth, we begin the march toward
his
victorious resurrection from the dead, but first we must
pass through
the season of Lent. Like Advent, Lent is a time of
preparation and
self-examination. For six Sundays (forty days) we review
our lives in
the light of God’s holiness, and we seek God’s help in
becoming
more faithful Christians. Lent is a serious season, but
not a sad
time. After all, God loves us as we are, and God is
already at work
shaping us into the likeness of Christ. The last Sunday of
Lent is
Palm Sunday, recalling Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and in
the following week we
schedule special services on Maundy Thursday and Good
Friday to remind us of the
Last Supper and our Lord’s crucifixion. The color of Lent
is purple in honor of the King
who was crowned with thorns and enthroned upon a cross for
our sake.
The resurrection of Jesus is too big to celebrate on a
single day, so we have seven
Sundays of Easter joy. Again the color is white, marking
Jesus’ triumph over sin and
death. During Easter we remind ourselves that Jesus shares
his victory with us, and
someday we too will know the power of resurrection.
On the fiftieth day after Easter, Pentecost arrives with a
bang! Pentecost is the celebration of God’s Holy Spirit
given to us. Turning to the story of the Spirit’s
powerful, fiery arrival in Acts 2, we give thanks for
God’s presence within us and the gifts of the Spirit that
we share for the service of Christ and
the up-building of his church. The color for Pentecost is
blazing red, and don’t be surprised to find balloons,
dancing and a party atmosphere in our worship on that day.
After Pentecost, we enter a long season called Ordinary
Time. Of course, with God no
time is ordinary, but the name means that we have about
six months without any major holy days or special
occasions. Ordinary Time fills up the summer and the fall.
If you think about your own life, you can find exciting
high-points here and there, but most of our days are spent
in the “ordinary” pursuits of working, building a family,
and growing. The long stretch of Ordinary Time on the
church calendar is a time to strengthen our congregational
ties, seek opportunities for mission, and to mature as
disciples. Symbolizing life and growth, green is the color
for this season.
As winter draws near, Advent
begins the annual cycle anew, giving a shape to our year
and walking us again through the milestones of our shared
Christian faith. Some stories deserve to be told over and
over. The Christian calendar helps us keep our most
important stories alive and well year after year!
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