Introduction
The festivals and seasons of the
Christian year (or liturgical calendar) offer a way to order the annual life of
the church according to the life of Christ and the events of salvation history.
Maybe the liturgical year it is something you have noticed, and wondered about,
or maybe it is something that you’ve never paid much attention to. But we cycle
through seasons of the year inside the church, just like outside. This Sunday,
which is Christ the King Sunday, marks the end of the church year, and next
Sunday is the beginning of the new year: the first Sunday of Advent. To mark
this change, and to perhaps help us to experience the liturgical year more
deeply, this worship service is shaped like the church year – in rewind! You’ll
see, as we move through worship, that we will have readings and music that lift
up a particular day or Season. You will notice that some seasons focus more on
certain texts or ideas. So have fun with this, see what new things you can
learn, and enjoy the service as we rewind the church year and get ready for the
new year!
(Note to readers: much of this information came from the website of
the PC(USA) - http://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/worship/christianyear/
For the children's time, we talked about the seasons and how they change, and each child received a bookmark decorated with ribbons of green, purple, red and white. Our table, as you can see above, was adorned with stoles of the seasons. Each of the four readers wore a stole as well, and the stoles corresponded to the season they discussed. All songs come from the Presbyterian Hymnal.)
Christ
the King
At the conclusion of the
Christian year, the church gives thanks and praise for sovereignty of Christ,
who is Lord of all creation and is coming again in glory to reign (see
Revelation 1:4-8). Its color is WHITE, the color we use for celebrations –
weddings, the Lord’s Supper, and funerals. The scripture readings and music are
those which lift up the reign of Jesus Christ over all of creation and the
church. This festival is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Christian year, a
week before the season of Advent begins.
Call to Worship Colossians
1:15-20
Leader: He is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in
heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones
or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and
for him.
People: He himself is before all things, and in him all things
hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first
place in everything.
Leader: For in him all the
fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to
reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace
through the blood of his cross.
ALL: Let us worship God!
Opening Song: Come Christians Join to Sing
Ordinary
Time
Ordinary time is actually two
different seasons – the period between Christmas and Lent, and the period
between Pentecost and Advent. The term “ordinary time” may sound like it refers
to something that is everyday and uninteresting, but it is actually a term
referring to “ordinal” or numbered Sundays. Usually the scriptures and music in
this season focus on the stories of Jesus and the Epistles of the New
Testament. The color for ordinary time is GREEN unless it is pre-empted by a
special day or ceremony.
Matthew 4: 18-23
As he walked by the Sea of
Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his
brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said
to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Immediately
they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two
other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with
their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately
they left the boat and their father, and followed him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and
proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every
disease and every sickness among the people.
Song: Amen, Amen
Pentecost
Pentecost is the day when we
celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit descending in a mighty rush of wind and
flame to inspire the church’s proclamation of Christ’s rising and to empower
its mission and ministry to the world. Easter is a season of 50 days ending at
Pentecost, because it is based on the ancient Jewish festival of the Festival
of Weeks or Shavuot. The Festival of Weeks later came to be called
Pentecost (“50th day”) by Greek speaking Jews. The color of Pentecost is RED.
On Pentecost we sing and celebrate the Holy Spirit, and we read scripture about
the Holy Spirit, such as this one from Romans 8, our call to confession.
Call to Confession Romans 8: 26-27
Likewise the Spirit helps us in
our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit
intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And
God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the
Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints
according to the will of God.
Prayer of Confession (sung): Spirit
Silent prayers
Assurance of Pardon Romans
8: 28-31
Leader: We know that all
things work together for good for those who love God, who
are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be
the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he
predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and
those whom he justified he also glorified.
People: What then are we
to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? In Jesus
Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God.
Easter:
The Resurrection
Easter isn’t just a Sunday — it’s
a season. One day out of 365 is hardly sufficient to celebrate the
great mystery of our faith — that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Easter
lasts seven weeks, spanning the 50 days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to
Pentecost Sunday.
The season of Easter is intended
to be a joyful time for celebrating the presence of the risen Christ in the church.
During this season, the scriptures focus on the resurrection of Jesus, and on
the post-resurrection events described in the Gospels. It’s appropriate to sing
Easter hymns throughout the season. The color for Easter is white – the color
of celebration.
Matthew 28:1-8
After the sabbath, as the first
day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the
tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the
Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on
it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as
snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But
the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are
looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been
raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go
quickly and tell his disciples, "He has been raised from the dead, and
indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my
message for you." So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great
joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Easter song: Jesus Christ is Risen
Today
Lent
The season of Lent is a time
of prayer, fasting and self-examination in preparation for the celebration of
the resurrection of the Lord at Easter. It is a period of 40 days — like the
flood of Genesis, Moses’ sojourn at Mount Sinai, Elijah’s journey to Mount
Horeb, Jonah’s call to Ninevah to repent and Jesus’ time of testing in the
wilderness. Sundays are not counted in this reckoning of the time, because
every Lord’s Day is a celebration of the resurrection. In the early church,
Lent was a time of preparation for the celebration of baptism at the Easter
Vigil. In many communities of faith it remains a time to equip and nurture
candidates for baptism and confirmation and to reflect deeply on the theme of
baptismal discipleship. The scriptures during this time help us to reflect on
our discipleship and to accompany Christ on his journey to the cross. The color
for Lent is purple, the color of penitence.
Matthew 20: 17-28
While Jesus was going up to
Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them
on the way, "See,
we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the
chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be
mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised." Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with
her sons, and kneeling before him, she asked a favor of him. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She
said to him, "Declare that these two sons of mine will sit, one at your
right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are
asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?"They said
to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will indeed drink my cup,
but to sit at my right hand and at my left, this is not mine to grant, but it
is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two
brothers. But
Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the
Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be
great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your
slave; just as the Son of Man came
not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
Lenten Song: What
Wondrous Love
There is no better response to
the wondrous love of God expressed in Jesus Christ than to offer our gifts –
our time and talent, and our offerings. Let us bring our offerings to God.
Offering
Response
Prayer of Dedication
Epiphany
Epiphany is the celebration of
God’s presence in the world in Jesus Christ. In particular, we celebrate the
revelation of God’s promise and purpose to the nations of the world. The magi
came from the East to worship to the Christ child, and God’s covenant of grace
is extended to all who believe the good news of Christ Jesus. The symbolism of
light reminds of the star that guided the magi, and of the bright dawning of
God’s self-revelation in Christ. Epiphany hymns and scripture tell of the visit
of the magi to see Jesus, and its color is white.
Matthew 2: 1-12
In the time of King Herod,
after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king
of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all
Jerusalem with him; and
calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired
of them where the Messiah was
to be born. They
told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the
prophet: "And you, Bethlehem,
in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from
you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.' " Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had
appeared. Then
he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the
child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay
him homage." When
they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star
that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his
mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure
chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to
Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Epiphany Songs: We Three
Kings
Christmas
The Season of Christmas extends
for 12 days – from Christmas Day to Epiphany. Since
at least the fourth century in Rome, Christians celebrate the incarnation and
nativity of Jesus Christ on December 25. The season between December 25 and
January 6 (Epiphany) has become an occasion for the church to celebrate and
give thanks for the arrival of God’s Word made flesh which even death could not
extinguish. Its color is white.
Matthew 1: 18-23
Now the birth of Jesus the
Messiah took
place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before
they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling
to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of
the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do
not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from
the Holy Spirit. She
will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people
from their sins." All
this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the
prophet: "Look, the virgin
shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which
means, "God is with us."
Christmas Song: Joy
to the World
Advent
“Advent” means “coming” or “arrival.” During the season of Advent,
we celebrate Christ’s coming into the world and watch with expectant hope for
his coming again. In its historical origins, the season of Advent was patterned
after the season of Lent, a six-week period of penitence and preparation for
Easter. The four weeks of Advent present an opportunity for communal
discernment and personal examination, as the church prepares to celebrate the
Nativity of the Lord and looks with hope for Christ’s return. Scripture and
songs focus our attention on prophecy and preparation. The color for Advent is
purple, the color of penitence.
This year, our observance of
Advent will focus on the prophecy of the Messiah from the book of Isaiah, and
the many names and descriptions of the Savior. Our celebration of Advent each
will lift up a different aspect of the prophecy and fulfillment we find in
Jesus Christ.
Closing Song: Prepare the Way
Benediction
Response
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