Seasons for Living
The Church Year (sometimes called The Christian or Liturgical Calendar) is an ancient way of telling time. Rather than measuring time exclusively according to the natural seasons, Christians have traditionally measured time in their worship with a calendar built around the life and ministry of Jesus. These seasons are infused with meaning that adds depth to our journey of faith, both as individuals and as a congregation. Some of the seasons of the Church Year date back to our earliest written records of Christian worship. The current form of the Christian calendar, including its colors, dates, and feasts, was firmly in place by the medieval period. The Christian Calendar is organized around two movements described as a seasons of "Not Yet" and seasons of "Already."
The "Not Yet" seasons are marked by a time of preparation and anticipation. They include Advent and Lent. The "Already" seasons are times that focus one's attention on the fulfillment of God's plan for humanity. They include Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost.
The time following Pentecost is commonly referred to as Ordinary Time, from the word "ordinal," which simply means counted time (First Sunday after Pentecost, etc.). Ordinary Time is used to focus on various aspects of the Faith, especially the mission of the church in the world.
We invite you to move past the regular cycle of day in and day out and week to week to engage a larger, historical and meaningful cycle. The following links explain each of these seasons.
Advent
Christmas
Epiphany
Ash Wednesday
Lent
Holy Week
Easter
Pentecost