THE CHURCH YEAR - Squarespace · ADVENT Advent begins the church year with a period ... At...
Transcript of THE CHURCH YEAR - Squarespace · ADVENT Advent begins the church year with a period ... At...
THE CHURCH YEAR
INTRO
The Church exists to celebrate and proclaim the story of God’s
redemptive work in the world (what we call the Gospel, or good
news). In addition to celebrating this good news through our
preaching and serving our neighbors, we celebrate the Gospel by
retelling that story throughout the year, every year.
Advent marks the beginning of a new church year. The church, or
liturgical, year was developed during the first centuries of the early
church as a tool to help the people of God remember and celebrate
the story of the Gospel. Each season of the year calls us to focus our
hearts and minds on different aspects of the Gospel, from Jesus’
life, death, and resurrection, as well as his ascension, the day of
Pentecost and his promised return. By marking the passage of time
redemptively, the church calendar reminds us that God has acted and
continues to act in history, redeeming for himself his people. Marking
our days and weeks by the liturgical calendar helps us to abide with
Jesus and the find the meaning of our smaller stories within his grand
story of redemptive love.
ADVENT
Advent begins the church year with a period of focused longing. This
season of longing prepares our hearts for the joyful celebrations of
Christmas and Epiphany. Advent means “coming” and its mood is that
of longing, expectation and waiting. Appropriately during this time,
the church remembers Jesus’ first coming and anticipates his coming
again. Our lives and our world are broken, and so we yearn for Jesus
to come back as our King and to make all things new. The cry of
Advent is the cry of those who have experienced the tyranny of sin
and injustice in a world under the curse of sin. And it is the cry from
those who still have hope of deliverance because they believe in a
God who hears the cries of the oppressed and delivers them.
CHRISTMASTIDE
At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ. The longings of
Advent find their fulfillment in the coming of the Savior. The
feast of Christmas is more than a one day event, but a twelve day
celebration beginning at midnight of Christmas Eve. Jesus Christ
has come, full of grace and truth. He has come to show us the
Father and to redeem us from all of our sins and sorrows. This is a
high time for celebration in the life of the church.
EPIPHANY
Epiphany is the celebration of the revelation of Jesus. It begins
on January 6 (and the Sunday nearest to that date). It is focused
primarily on three events in the early life of Jesus, the visit of the
Magi, Jesus’ presentation in the Temple and his Baptism. Epiphany
is a time of seeing and celebrating the revelation of Jesus as the
light of the world. From Epiphany to the beginning of Lent we focus
our hearts on seeing Jesus in his earthly ministry and renewing
our calling to shine the light of Christ to the ends of the earth. In
keeping with this focus on the mission of God, we will pray for our
various missionary partners each day during Epiphany.
ADVENT WEEK 1 (DECEMBER 3-9, 2017)
APPROACHING GOD
Invitation“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put
my hope.” – Ps. 130:5
LISTENING TO GOD
Psalm 2
Readings for Week 1
· Sunday: Deuteronomy 18:15-19
· Monday: Isaiah 35:1-10
· Tuesday: Ephesians 5:1-21
· Wednesday: Matthew 11:25-30
· Thursday: Psalm 24:7-10
· Friday: Luke 1:68-79
· Saturday: Isaiah 61:1-4
QUIET REFLECTION
ADVENT ANTICIPATING JESUS
SPEAKING TO GOD
Free PrayerHaving reflected upon God’s Word, respond to him from your heart,
bringing your needs, desires, gratitude or confession to him.
The Lord’s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.
Concluding PrayerHeavenly Father, you have promised to hear what we ask in the
name of your Son. Accept and fulfill my prayers, not as I ask in my
ignorance, nor as I deserve in my sinfulness, but as you know and
love me in your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Blessing“Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with
God’s people.” – Rev. 22:20-21
APPROACHING GOD
Invitation“The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?”
– Ps. 27:1
LISTENING TO GOD
Psalm 24
Readings for Week 2
· Sunday: Isaiah 9:1-7
· Monday: Luke 1:5-17
· Tuesday: Luke 1: 18-25
· Wednesday: Luke 1:26-38
· Thursday: Luke 1:39-45
· Friday: Luke 1:46-56
· Saturday: Luke 1:57-66
QUIET REFLECTION
ADVENT WEEK 2 (DECEMBER 10-16, 2017)
SPEAKING TO GOD
Free PrayerHaving reflected upon God’s Word, respond to him from your heart,
bringing your needs, desires, gratitude or confession to him.
The Lord’s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.
Concluding PrayerMerciful God, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach
repentance and prepare the way for our salvation. Give us grace to
heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy
the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Blessing“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
– Ps. 27:14
APPROACHING GOD
Invitation“Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may
be saved”
– Ps. 80:3
LISTENING TO GOD
Psalm 3
Readings for Week 3
· Sunday: John 1:1-14
· Monday: Mark 1:1-7
· Tuesday: Matthew 1:18-25
· Wednesday: Micah 4:1-5
· Thursday: Micah 5:1-5
· Friday: Jeremiah 31:31-34
· Christmas Eve: Luke 2:1-7
QUIET REFLECTION
ADVENT WEEK 3 (DECEMBER 17-24, 2017)
SPEAKING TO GOD
Free PrayerHaving reflected upon God’s Word, respond to him from your heart,
bringing your needs, desires, gratitude or confession to him.
The Lord’s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.
Concluding PrayerMay the splendor of your glory dawn in our hearts, we pray,
Almighty God, that all shadows of the night may be scattered and
we may be shown to be children of light by the advent of your Only
Begotten Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Blessing“May the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will
come to us from heaven, shine on those living in darkness and
guide our feet into the path of peace.” – Luke 1:78-79
CHRISTMAS (12/25/16 – 1/6/17)
WELCOMING JESUS
APPROACHING GOD
Invitation“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
– Isaiah 9:6
LISTENING TO GOD
Readings for Christmastide · Christmas Day: Luke 2:8-21
· 12/26: Psalm 3
· 12/27: Psalm 13
· 12/28: Psalm 14
· 12/29: Psalm 18
· 12/30: Psalm 27
· 12/31: Psalm 42
· 1/1/18: Psalm 62
· 1/2: Psalm 95
· 1/3: Psalm 121
· 1/4: Psalm 138
. 1/5: Luke 2:22-38
· 1/6: Matthew 2:1-12
QUIET REFLECTION
SPEAKING TO GOD
Free PrayerHaving reflected upon God’s Word, respond to him from your heart,
bringing your needs, desires, gratitude or confession to him.
The Lord’s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.
Concluding PrayerGod, we are as confounded as Joseph and Mary, as busy as the
innkeepers, as lonely as the shepherds, as frightened as Herod,
as wayfaring as the Magi. Turn us again to the place where, with
quietness, you wrap up your truth and promise, your love and
salvation in the child born in a crude barn. We ponder these things
as the noise and clamor of the world are stilled for a time, and there
is a peace that settles deep within us. Bring us to Bethlehem, to
the place where Jesus was homeless, but where we are truly at
home. Amen.
Blessing“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to
his people and redeemed them.” – Luke 1:68
EPIPHANYSEEING JESUS
APPROACHING GOD
Invitation“For the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen
his glory, glory as of the only Son from the from the Father, full of
grace and truth. For from his fullness we have all received, grace
upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth
through Jesus Christ.”
– John 1:14,16-17
LISTENING TO GOD
Psalm
Scripture Reading
(see reading schedule on following spread for Epiphany)
QUIET REFLECTION
SPEAKING TO GOD
Free PrayerHaving reflected upon God’s Word, respond to him from your heart,
bringing your needs, desires, gratitude or confession to him.
(see prayer schedule on following spreads for Epiphany)
The Lord’s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day
our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those
who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, for
ever and ever. Amen.
Concluding PrayerAlmighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light
of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and
Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he
may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Blessing“We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are
being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory
to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
– 2 Corinthians 13:18-19
READINGS FOR EPIPHANY
Jan. 7: Psalm 5, Isaiah 60:1-6
Jan. 8: Psalm 6, Acts 10:34-43
Jan. 9: Psalm 7, Acts 15:1-11
Jan. 10: Psalm 8, Ephesians 3:1-6
Jan. 11: Psalm 9, Ephesians 3:7-12
Jan. 12: Psalm 10, Matthew 2:13-18
Jan. 13: Psalm 11, Matthew 2:19-23
Jan. 14: Psalm 12, Mark 1:4-8
Jan. 15: Psalm 13, Luke 3:15-17
Jan. 16: Psalm 14, Matthew 3:13-17
Jan. 17: Psalm 15, Acts 19:1-7
Jan. 18: Psalm 16, John 1:35-42
Jan. 19: Psalm 17, John 1:43-51
Jan. 20: Psalm 18, John 2:1-11
Jan. 21: Psalm 19, Isaiah 62:1-5
Jan. 22: Psalm 20, John 3:1-8
Jan. 23: Psalm 21, Luke 4:14-22
Jan 24: Psalm 22, Luke 4: 31-37
Jan. 25: Psalm 23, Luke 4:38-44
Jan. 26: Psalm 24, Luke 5:27-32
Jan. 27: Psalm 25, Matthew 5:1-12
Jan. 28: Psalm 26, Matthew 5:13-16
Jan. 29: Psalm 27, Matthew 5:17-20
Jan. 30: Psalm 28, Matthew 5:21-24
Jan. 31: Psalm 29, Matthew 5:27-32
Feb. 1: Psalm 30, Matthew 5:33-42
Feb. 2: Psalm 31, Matthew 5:43-48
Feb. 3: Psalm 32, Matthew 6:1-8
Feb. 4: Psalm 33, Matthew 6:9-18
Feb. 5: Psalm 34, Matthew 6:19-24
Feb. 6: Psalm 35, Matthew 6:25-24
Feb. 7: Psalm 36, Matthew 7:1-6
Feb. 8: Psalm 37, Matthew 7:7-14
Feb. 9: Psalm 38, Matthew 7:15-20
Feb. 10: Psalm 39, Matthew 7:21-29
Feb. 11: Psalm 40, Mark 2:1-12
Feb. 12: Psalm 41, Mark 2:18-22
Feb. 13: Psalm 42, Mark 2:18-22
Feb. 14: Lent Begins
PRAYERS FOR EPIPHANY
Sunday: Pray for the worship and witness of our church, together
with our sister churches Christ Church Mandarin and East, and for all
of the churches in our city. Please hold up our local college ministry
partners with Reformed University Fellowship and Campus
Outreach, Alan Marsh, Joe Naramore, and Tommy Park, as they seek
to show the love of Christ to college students at the campuses of
UNF, JU, and Embry-Riddle.
Monday: Pray for our mission partners Carol Arnold and Josh
Dickinson. Carol regularly travels to remote villages throughout
Africa to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to
equip local leaders to do the same. Josh and his wife Anna live in
Bundibigyo, a small town in western Uganda, where Josh uses his
engineering background to develop a sustainable and safe water
supply, and Anna her education background to teach the children.
Tuesday: Please pray for our local ministry partners, Chelsie
Coleman of Youth For Christ, who is working to bring the hope
of Jesus Christ to Jacksonville’s Juvenile Detention Centers, and
First Coast Women’s Services, which serves everyday to protect the
dignity of human life. Please pray for Chelsie, who is also a Christ
Church InTown member, that she would be able to fully raise the
support needed to move forward with full-time ministry work.
Wednesday: Please pray for our ministry partners in Thailand, Dave
and Melody Murray, who are working with Mission: Hope, to bring
holistic gospel transformation to their community in Thailand.
They are still in the process of getting settled, so please pray for
them and their two boys, Micah and Levi, as they get acclimated
to a new culture, new schools, and as they work to get their local
businesses up and running. Please also pray for our partner in India,
Paul Devakumar, who leads India for Christ Ministries, and works
to evangelize and disciple future local leaders in the church, and to
plant new churches throughout India.
Thursday: Please pray for Pinedale Elementary school and all who
labor there; the teachers, administrators and our tutors who serve
there. Please also pray for Charles and Carissa Gardner as they minister
through Young Life Urban to the kids at Lee High School. Please also
pray for Kim Carr, together with the staff, volunteers, and students
at the International Learning Center in Jacksonville, Florida, as
they evangelize through literacy programs to the immigrant
communities in our City.
Friday: Please pray for our ministry partner Jim Fitzgerald of Equipping
Pastors International who is actively working to disciple men and
women throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Jim is presently
working to raise funds for one of his students who pastors a church in
Rabat, the capital of Morocco, to obtain a dedicated space to worship
for their church body in Morocco. Please also pray for Kurt Nelson, the
CEO of East-West ministries, who provides leadership and oversight to
the worldwide ministry endeavors in the 50+ countries in which East-
West operates.
Saturday: Please pray for Kate Schell, also a CCIT member, as she
works with Wycliffe Ministries and her team in the Philippines (having
previously lived there for two years and now traveling there twice per
year for one month each visit) to minister to the marginalized Sama
people of the Philippines. Specifically, they are currently working
to translate the Old Testament of the Bible into the Sinama language,
and then, just as importantly, teaching the Sama to read their own
spoken language. Kate and her team also work together with local
government officials and educators to influence their decision-
making with regard to the use and adoption of Sinama into the
educational materials.
EVENING PRAYER
This form is appropriate for use throughout the year and will help you to reflect on your day before God and close the day in prayer.
Call to Prayer
We will bless the Lord, from this time forth for evermore.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, the maker of heaven and
earth.
Prayer of Praise and Thanks
Give thanks to God for the gifts of the day. Thank him for his faithfully
loving and preserving you this day.
Prayer of Confession
Most merciful God, I confess that I have sinned against you in
thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I
have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart;
I have not loved my neighbor as myself. I am truly sorry and
I humbly repent, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have
mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Reflect on your day. Name to God how you have sinned – what you
have done or left undone, your failures to love whether large or small.
Psalm of the Day
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Blessing
“Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:
your word has been fulfilled.
My own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people;
A light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”
- Simeon’s Song, Luke 2:29-32
PRAYING THE LORD’S PRAYER
“To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against
the disorder of the world.”
– Karl Barth
As you engage with these prayers, you will be praying the Lord’s
Prayer twice a day. This pattern of prayer was given to us by Jesus
and has shaped the prayer lives of Christians for two millennia. We are
not to simply repeat the words mindlessly, but to let them form our
prayer life. In this prayer Jesus teaches us how to approach God, how
to speak to God and what to pray for.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
The prayer opens by teaching us how to address God. He is our Holy
Father in heaven. He is as intimate and loving to us as a Father, and yet
he is holy and sits enthroned in heaven. Start your prayer by aligning
your thoughts about God to his revealed nature. He is not stern,
distant, powerless or disinterested in you, but a Father in heaven who
loves you.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Before we pray for our desires, we pray for God’s desires to be done
on earth. We pray that this world, in all of its sin and brokenness
would be brought into line with God’s will – just as in heaven. Pray
for the knowledge of God to spread over the world, and for the
undoing of all of the effects of sin in our community and world.
Give us this day our daily bread.
God cares about your daily needs. None of your concerns are too
small to matter to God. He cares about your job, your resources, your
relationships, your family and your health. Ask God for what you need,
knowing that he hears you and cares about you.
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass
against us.
As sinners under grace, living in a world full of sinners we must
become fluent in asking and giving forgiveness. Here, we confess
our sins to God and ask his forgiveness. We ask him to make us
forgiving people. As those reconciled to God, we are to be agents
of his reconciling grace. Pray that God would help you to lay down
your anger and forgive those whose sin has wounded you.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Pray that God would protect you and guide you as you follow him.
Pray that he would protect you from the temptation to sin and give
you the power by his Holy Spirit to flee from sin and pursue love
and righteousness. Pray about the ways that you know you are
repeatedly tempted and fall into sin.
For thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory.
Amen.
We seek and desire the glory of God in our prayers above all else.
His glory fills our hearts and our vision. Conclude your prayers by
worshipping and adoring God.
ABOUT CHRIST CHURCH INTOWN
OUR MISSIONOur mission is to seek the renewal of all things in Jesus Christ, by
cultivating a Gospel-centered community that multiplies churches
and develops partnerships in Jacksonville and around the world.
What is a Gospel centered church and how do we live and grow
within it?
OUR VISIONTowards that end, we are committed (by God’s grace and for
his glory) to cultivating personal transformation, an uncommon
fellowship, and the flourishing of our neighbors.
PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION IN CHRIST -
The Gospel renews people from the inside out. We seek to share
Christ with those who do not yet know him, and to help all people
grow into maturity in Christ through worship, community, service and
daily prayer.
AN UNCOMMON FELLOWSHIP IN CHRIST -
In our world, most people tend to cluster with those who look, live
and think like them. We believe that the church is called to transcend
this by becoming and uncommon fellowship made up of people of
different races, socio-economic groups, and cultures. We desire to be
a cross-cultural church where the reconciling power of the Gospel
creates a new kind of family.
THE FLOURISHING OF OUR NEIGHBORS IN CHRIST -
We seek now only our own health and wholeness in Christ, but
that of our neighbors. We desire to see our neighborhoods and
our city renewed spiritually, culturally and socially. We believe that
the church is God’s agent for the holistic transformation of our
community.
A congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America
Office Address: 426 McDuff Ave S. | Jacksonville, FL 32254 www.christchurchintown.org
426 McDuff Ave S, Jacksonville, FL 32254
SERVICE EVERY SUNDAY AT 10 AM