A season of repentance and preparation

The Season of Advent

(the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas)

“Advent” means “coming” or “arrival.” During the season of Advent, we celebrate Christ’s coming into the world and watch with expectant hope for his coming again. In its historical origins, the season of Advent was patterned after the season of Lent, a six-week period of penitence and preparation for Easter. Similarly, the four weeks of Advent present an opportunity for communal discernment and personal examination, as the church prepares to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord and looks with hope for Christ’s return.

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The Christian Year?

God has provided a rhythm of seasons which orders life and influences the church’s worship. God’s work of redemption in Jesus Christ offers the Church a central pattern for ordering worship in relationship to significant occasions in the life of Jesus and of the people of God. The Church has thus come to observe the following days and seasons:

  1. Advent, a season to recollect the hope of the coming of Christ, and to look forward to the Lord’s coming again;
  2. Christmas, a celebration of the birth of Christ;
  3. Epiphany, a day for commemorating God’s self-manifestation to all people;
  4. Lent, a season of spiritual discipline and preparation, beginning with Ash Wednesday, anticipating the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ;
  5. Holy Week, a time of remembrance and proclamation of the atoning suffering and death of Jesus Christ;
  6. Easter, the day of the Lord’s resurrection and the season of rejoicing that commemorates his ministry until his Ascension, and continues through
  7. the Day of Pentecost, the celebration of the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church.

The church also observes other days such as Baptism of the Lord, Transfiguration of the Lord, Trinity Sunday, All Saints Day and Christ the King.  Click her to learn more. 

Click on the image for a simple (humorous?) explanation.