Why do we have a church year?

For many Christians, our lives are ruled by a variety of calendars: the annual calendar that runs from January through December, a school calendar that marks semesters and summer vacations, the agricultural calendar that cycles around seasons of planting and harvesting, or the fiscal calendar that guides the ebb and flow of financial matters. Churches may plan activities and events around all these different calendars, but the most important calendar in the life of the church is the liturgical calendar. The liturgical calendar highlights the seasons in the church year, seasons that revolve around the birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and promised return of Jesus Christ. The liturgical calendar shapes our lives as the people of God.

In this session, participants will learn about the development of the church year, reflect on what it means to Christians today, and discover how it shapes our lives together.

We'll also present some "fun facts" about the Church Year. Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th? What was the first Christian holiday to be officially celebrated on an annual basis? When did we make the shift from the Saturday Sabbath to Church on Sunday? And what is "Ordinary Time," anyway?

This is an excellent foundational study for youth--any time of year!