The Lectionary

From the very beginnings of our faith, the Scriptures were read publicly and those Scriptures held the public reading and study of the scriptures as a core value (1 Timothy 4:13). And in an effort to ensure that the full scope of the Bible is read OUT LOUD, the lectionary came into being. Lectionary means “schedule of readings.” In addition to providing our faith community a more full exposure to the Bible, the lectionary provides a schedule of scriptures to illumine the seasons. Example: scriptures for Advent and Christmas are scheduled to be read during that season, the same for Lent and Easter, and so on it goes. This practice also challenges the preacher and worship planners to move beyond their particular bias (Everyone loves the story of the Prodigal Son but how many times do you want to hear it?). The lectionary also provides daily readings for the spiritual formation of the individual believer. One final note on this: the lectionary is a helpful guide that may be laid aside from time to time, in order to address certain matters significant in our life together.

The Seasons: The church year is organized around two major cycles: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany; and Lent, Holy Week, and Easter, concluding at Pentecost. The rest of the year following Pentecost is known as Ordinary Time.

Each season comes alive with worship planned with attention to the vital themes of each season, including the atmospherics of the sanctuary. On some Sundays you may see a banner made by members of the church, or you may smell fresh bread that was baked in a bread-maker in the sanctuary in anticipation of the Lord’s Supper. You will certainly see the color of the season reflected in the paraments found on the pulpit and altar table, as well as the stoles worn by the worship leaders. All of these actions are undertaken to announce the movements of our worship and invite this fellowship to explore the depth and richness of our lives as followers of Jesus Christ.