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What are the seasons of the church year?
What is Advent, Lent, Holy Week, Pentecost? Why do the colors change?
Brief answers on these and other changes in the church year appear
below.
Please contact Pastor Rob or the church office (229-8581) for more information.
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Lent |
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The 40-day season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and
concludes on Easter. Lent is considered to be a time of penance and
discipline. It is thought that the tradition of 40 days recalls the 40
days Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting and being tempted by Satan.
During Lent, worship tends to be more solemn and purple, red violet, or
dark violet are used during this season as these colors symbolize the
pain and suffering leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus. (Also purple
is the color of royalty)
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Ash Wednesday |
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On this day, Christians focus on their sinfulness and the necessity of
Christ's suffering and death to insure their salvation. Ashes remind
people of their mortality - that "you are dust, and to dust you shall
return" (Genesis 3:19) Imposition of Ashes is the custom of mixing a
small amount of oil with the ashes and for those who wish to come
forward, the pastor will dip his thumb into the ashes and mark the sign
of the cross on the forehead of each worshipper. There are no flowers
used in the sanctuary during Lent to reflect the mood of penitence and
reflection.
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Holy Week is the last week of Lent and follows
the last days of Jesus’ life in human form.
Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday—marks the triumphal entry of Jesus into
Jerusalem as the crowds cheered and waved palm branches welcoming him.
Passion meaning “to suffer” is used anticipating Jesus’ impending death.
Maundy Thursday—an observance of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples and
the institution of Holy Communion; Jesus washing the feet of his
disciples as a sign of the mandate for us to serve one another in love;
the betrayal of Judas; prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and the arrest
of Jesus.
Good Friday— the trial, crucifixion and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
The cross and all altar coverings are black signifying the death and
mourning of Jesus. The service often follows the stations of the cross
as Jesus walks toward his crucifixion and can be combined with a Tenebrae service (Service of Darkness) as candles and lights are
gradually extinguished in the sanctuary symbolizing the growing darkness
of hopelessness in the world without God.
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 Easter - The Resurrection
of Our
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On Easter Sunday we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead. This is a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and God's
promise of new life for us all. Easter, like Christmas is a period of
time rather than just a day. It is actually a seven-week season marking
the time between the Resurrection and Ascension Day when Jesus takes his
place as Ruler and Lord.
The colors for Easter are white and gold. White symbolizes the hope of
the resurrection and the purity and newness that comes from victory over
sin and death. The gold symbolizes the light of the world brought by the
risen Christ.
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| For information about other seasons of the
church year go to next page (Advent) |
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