Many Christians follow
The Church Year or
Calendar and, according to several church websites, this custom or tradition was designed to help people know God and remember what He has done.
The Church Year follows Jesus' life, death, resurrection, ascension, and the sending of His Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Beginning with Advent, it moves in order through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost with Scripture readings and special colors for each season.
Advent, which this year begins on November 29th, is celebrated on the four Sundays preceding Christmas. The word means
coming or
presence. The theme of Advent is waiting, but it remembers more than the many centuries when the world awaited a Savior. It also calls us to patiently wait for God's work in our own lives, and the return of Jesus at the end of earthly time. Though some churches use the color purple for Advent, others use blue, the same as the sky, because it reminds people of the endless hope all believers have in Jesus Christ. Although we don't know the exact date of Christ's birth, the
Christmas Season begins on December 25th, and ends on January 6th with
Epiphany Day. That's why people speak of the
Twelve Days of Christmas. Christmas has a short season of two Sundays associated with it, running right up to the season of
Epiphany. The colors of Christmas are white and gold because it is a festival of our sinless Savior.
The word epiphany comes from a Greek word meaning to
shine upon.
Epiphany begins with January 6th, the day we commemorate the arrival of the wise men, who followed a star to the baby Jesus in Bethlehem, and brought him gifts. Because of this, historically, many Christians give one another presents on this day rather than on Christmas Day.
Here in the library there will be many Advent items on display around the room. Stop by and check them out!
