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What Is the Church Year, or the Christian Liturgical Calendar?

What Is the Church Year, or the Christian Liturgical Calendar?

Lately, I’ve noticed a rise in evangelical circles showing an interest in celebrating the church year. As someone who grew up in a liturgical context, I think this is awesome! I find it rather unfortunate that the richness of these traditions were done away with in many evangelical churches. I’ve always loved the church year and celebrating through the cycle of the whole Story of the Bible. In this post, I will be breaking down the structure, seasons, and value of the church year. If you are new to the church year and what it’s all about, this post is for you!

The Structure of the Church Year

The church year, or liturgical calendar, is a tool used to keep one in Story – the grand narrative of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

The first half of the church year includes the seasons of Advent, Christmas, the Season after Epiphany, Lent, and Easter, and celebrates the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It takes place roughly from December through May. 

The second half of the church year consists of the season after Pentecost, which focuses on the birth and work of the Church and reminds us of our worldwide connection to other believers. It begins with Pentecost Sunday (typically in June) and lasts until the season of Advent begins at the end of November or beginning of December.

Many times, you will see the seasons of the church year depicted in a wheel, like the image below.

what is the church year | liturgical cycle wheel calendar
Image under public domain

The Seasons of the Church Year

As I mentioned above, there are six major seasons of the church year. Just like our secular calendar has the seasons of fall, winter, spring, and summer, so the church year has its own seasons.

The Value of the Church Year

The church year is an ecumenical tool to see the invisible Church as a unified body and to find connection to other Christians in doing so. Celebrating the liturgical church year connects us to the whole of the whole history of Christianity; it is enriching to realize and see that for all times and in all places around the world, the Christian church has united around the same festivals and feast days throughout the year.

As humans, we are cyclical, routine creatures, who thrive on rhythms and repetition. I find celebrating the church year incredibly valuable. By recognizing the various seasons of the church year, we keep the redemptive narrative of the Bible at the forefront of our lives by focusing on various aspects of the story of Jesus and the Church. 

While the reality for us today is that Christ has come, that He died and rose from the dead, and that at Pentecost the Holy Spirit came, we can’t really dwell on all these things at once, so spreading it out helps remind us of the greater narrative. For example, while every Sunday can be an Easter in and of itself because of the reality that Christ IS risen, observing it at a particular time of year helps to remind us of that reality.

Advent calendar christmas giveaway calligraphy artwork print scripture passage hymn | what is the church year

I hope this was a helpful introduction for you in learning what is the church year. If you are interested in more resources concerning the church year, check out my Church Year Resources in my shop! I currently have guides and kits for Advent, Christmas, and Lent/Easter. Additionally, check out my blog post with my top 5 tips to get intentional and avoid overwhelm this holiday season!

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What Is the Church Year