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Seasons of
the Church Year
During the year, we take a deeper look at
different understandings of God and his son Jesus Christ that we learn in
scripture. The information below tells of human traditions that have built
up over the centuries. They are helpful ways of marking time and focusing
church attention on different aspects of the Christian story. The practice
of keeping the church year dates back to fifth century Jerusalem. Here are
the seasons with a brief word about each:
 Advent
From the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming," Advent is the first
season of the church year. It begins four Sundays before Christmas and is
set aside as a season to prepare for Christmas, Christ's first coming, and
to remember that he will come again. The color for this season is purple,
lavender or blue. This booklet on
Celebrating Advent in
the Home in Adobe .PDF format gives both ideas for the season and an
Advent wreath service with nightly readings for Advent.
Christmastide
This is the eleven days from Christmas Day until January 6, the the start of
Epiphany. It is a time for remembering Jesus' birth and the idea of the
Incarnation—God becoming human. The color for the season is white, often
trimmed in gold.
Epiphany
From January 6 until Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent, is the
season of Epiphany, which means "revealing" or "showing forth." Epiphany is
the season for remembering that Jesus came to be the savior of the whole
world. The color of the season is green.
Lent
This is the season of preparation for Easter, which starts on Ash Wednesday
and goes 40 weekdays and six Sundays to Easter. Lent is a time for
self-examination. Many people take on additional study in Lent, while others
deny themselves of something as an ongoing reminder of the season. That
practice can be helpful, but Lent is not a time for punishment, just
reflection. The seasonal color is purple or lavender, though unbleached
cloth is sometimes used as well. This booklet on
Keeping a Holy Lent
in Adobe .PDF format gives a fuller introduction to this season.
Easter
This is the oldest and greatest day of celebration in the Christian Church.
Easter is the day and season for remembering that Jesus not only died, but
that he was raised from the dead. The color is white, trimmed in gold. The
season of Easter lasts 50 days from Easter Day to the Day of Pentecost.
Pentecost
The day of Pentecost celebrates the birth of the Christian Church as it is
the day when the disciples felt the Holy Spirit come upon them and empower
them to go out and tell Jesus' story. The season lasts all through the
summer until Advent. During this season, which the Roman Catholic Church
calls ordinary time, we recount the stories of Jesus' ministry along with
readings from the Old Testament and the letters of the early church. The
color of the day of Pentecost is red, as red is the color associated with
the Holy Spirit. The color for the season of Pentecost is green, appropriate
for the season of growth.
On the grounds of Honey Creek
The Episcopal Conference Center on Dover Bluff Road
299 Episcopal Conference Center Road, Waverly,
Georgia 31565
contact@oursaviorhoneycreek.org |