We begin our journey with Advent. As far as the Church Universal is concerned, Advent is the place of beginnings and, to some degree, endings. That has to do with the fact that for the Christian year, not to be confused with the calendar year, fiscal year, or anything else like that, begins with the first Sunday in Advent.
The Christian year (sometimes called the liturgical year) is something that surrounds those in the church, but we are often unaware of it – apart from Christmas and Easter! However, there are signs and symbols all around that point to the season through which the church is currently moving. For example, the colors of the banners, paraments, and even the color of the stole the pastor is wearing point to the Chrisitan year (Purple is for Lent and Advent (though Advent can also be blue), Red is for Pentecost, White is for Easter, etc.).
But why? Why go to this trouble?
Simply, to tell the story of the Christian faith. Or, in other words, evangelism!
To that end, the Christian Year begins with the season of Advent – the four Sundays prior to Christmas. Advent is designed not only to be the beginning of a new Christian year, but to remind us that our faith began with the anticipation of Christ’s advent or arrival into the world. It is, as I alluded to earlier, also about endings as Advent itself is a season of expectation with two facets. First, there is the ancient expectation of the Messiah. Secondly, there is the expectation within the Christian community of Christ’s return. This second Advent is a theme that runs throughout the Advent season as well, which means that both ideas inform the season.
Then comes the Christmas Season (or Christmastide) which begins on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Did you catch that? The Christmas Season does not begin until December 24th and 25th. It then lasts for 12 days (there is a song about that, I think…) until the Sunday of Epiphany, which is traditionally when the story of the arrival of the Magi is celebrated. Following that, we move through the Epiphany season which often has the unfortunate title of “Ordinary Time” – a reference to the idea that these Sundays do not belong to a particular church season.
Following the season of Epiphany, the church moves into the Season of Lent (beginning with Ash Wednesday) which lasts for 40 days (not counting Sundays) and ends with Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday) and culminates with Easter.
After Easter comes Eastertide. As for the Christian year itself, after Easter there is much more. In fact, if one follows the Gospel narratives, when one reaches the book of Acts, it becomes clear that the focus is now on the next generation of Christ followers who, after the Ascension, begin the work of evangelism on the day of Pentecost.
Following Pentecost Sunday comes Trinity Sunday and then the church moves once again into “Ordinary Time” or, in some denominations such as the United Methodist Church, “Kingdomtide.” This particular stretch of time lasts from the Sunday after Trinity Sunday until the Sunday prior to Advent which is called Christ the King Sunday.
And then it starts over!
Again, but why?
The Christian year, beginning with Advent, is structured around the repeating narrative of the Christian faith. We believe in the expectation of the coming of the Messiah which was, Christians believe, realized in the person of Jesus. Jesus then taught, proclaimed the Good News of the Kingdom, healed, performed miracles, and traveled in a particular geographical region. He was arrested and executed by the Roman Empire but was resurrected on Easter. After Easter, Jesus spent 40 days on earth before ascending into the heavens, from which we anticipate a return. This is the Christian journey with Christ that repeats yearly and, because of that fact, is a great way to tell “the old, old story” of faith anew. The season after Easter is designed to focus on the work of the church – how do those who follow the story of Jesus the Christ live out that faith?
This is no accident.
The Christian year is an established pattern that goes back to the first century AD and, to some degree, prior with regard to various Jewish Holy Days and festivals. The Christian year itself is a special calendar dedicated specifically and precisely to the narrative of the life of Christ as well as the theological underpinnings of the Christian faith.
I invite you to take this journey. I would especially invite you to join with Ḵunéix̱ Hídi Northern Light United Church as we take this journey of faith as a congregation. If it is your first time or fiftieth time through the Christian year there is always something new to experience.
May peace be with you this season and through this new Christian year!
Pastor Charles
Please read more of Dr. Ensminger’s essays and thoughts at https://khnluc.org/learn/pastor-perspectives/ .