Church Year

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice."
Phi 4:4

In the Episcopal Church, we observe the traditional Christian calendar which moves us through the life of Christ in the course of a year.

The first season is the season of Advent, during which we prepare for the birth of Christ at Christmas. Advent begins on Sunday closest to November 30.

The second season is Christmas twelve days.

Then comes Epiphany (Jan. 6) where the light of Christ breaks out into the world.

Lent, the forty days of penitential preparation before Easter, begins on Ash Wednesday and is a time of reflection and penitence.

Holy Week is the week prior to Easter. The most deeply spiritual services of the year take place during this week in which we commemorate the last days of the life of Christ culminating in his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

During the Easter season, we focus particularly on the experiences of the risen Christ in the early Church.

Pentecost begins 50 days after Easter and continues until the end of the church year. Pentecost is when the disciples are filled by the Holy Spirit and sent into the world and for us is a season of spiritual growth ministry.

For more information on the church year, visit The Lectionary Page.