Advent /Advent Season (Nov 29 - Dec 24, 2009)
Advent means Coming, or Arrival. It is the beginning of the
church year, the 4th Sunday before Christmas. We light one of 5
candles each week on the Advent Wreath to count down the time to Jesus
birth, the 5th one being Christmas Eve.
Christmas/12 Days of Christmas (Dec 25, 2009 - Jan 5, 2010)
From the birth of Christ to the day the wisemen were supposed to have
brought gifts.
Epiphany (Jan 6 - Feb 17, 2010)
Epiphany means "to show, to make known, to reveal."
The wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child were the first
Gentiles to acknowledge Jesus as "King" (one of the first
indications that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, of all
races, and that the work of God in the world would not be limited to
only a few)
Ash Wednesday (Feb 17, 2010)
The first day of Lent - ashes on forehead signify humility &
acknowledgment of consequences of sin; this is a time of mourning and
reflection.
Lent (Feb 17 - April 3, 2010)
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and lasts through Holy Saturday. See more about Lent
Holy Week (March 28 - April 3 2010)
Holy week is the time leading up to Christ's resurrection, and
includes the following:
Palm Sunday (March 28, 2010)
When Jesus rode into town and the people waved palm branches.
Maundy Thursday (April 1, 2010)
When Jesus ate the last supper before his death with the 12
disciples & washed their feet
Good Friday (April 2, 2010)
Jesus' arrest, trial, crucifixion and burial
Holy Saturday (April 3, 2010)
The day Jesus rested in the tomb
Easter (April 4, 2010)
Jesus is resurrected from the dead!
The Season of Easter (April
4 - May 22, 2010)
Easter itself is a period of time rather than just a
day. It is actually a seven-week season of the church year called
Eastertide, the Great Fifty Days that begins at sundown the evening
before Easter Sunday (the Easter Vigil) and lasts for six more Sundays
until Pentecost Sunday (some traditions use the term Pentecost to
include these Fifty Days between Easter and Pentecost Sunday). These
seven Sundays are called the Sundays of Easter, climaxing on the seventh
Sunday, the Sunday before Pentecost Sunday. This is often
celebrated as Ascension Day (actually the 40th day after Easter Sunday,
which always falls on Thursday, but in churches that do not have daily
services it is usually observed the following Sunday). Ascension Day
marks not only the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, but his
exaltation from servanthood to Ruler and Lord as the fitting climax of
Resurrection Day (Eph 1:20-22).
Pentecost (May 23, 2010)
The 50th day after Easter (including Easter); celebrating the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room w/Jesus and His
Disciples.
Ordinary Time/Season After Pentecost (May 30 -
November 27 2010)
Advent Season (Nov 28)
Begins the church year 2010-2011.
First Sunday of Advent:
Second Sunday of Advent:
Third Sunday of Advent:
Fourth Sunday of Advent:
