Exploring the Revised Common Lectionary

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Exploring the Revised Common Lectionary

• Prepared by Safiyah Fosua
• Director, Invitational Preaching Ministries,
• General Board of Discipleship,
• United Methodist Church,
• Nashville, TN
• PowerPoint Background purchased from Living Water
  Worship Designs

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Understanding The Lectionary

• The Revised Common Lectionary is a three-year
  cycle of readings intended for use in public
  worship
• The Revised Common Lectionary is one way that we,
  as the church, celebrate the common texts (Bible)
  that we share.
• The Revised Common Lectionary provides a
  systematic way to proclaim most of the Bible
  texts in the hearing of our congregations within
  the three-year cycle.

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Organization of the Lectionary

• Content
• First reading, usually from the Old Testament
• Psalm reading
• New Testament reading
• Gospel reading

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Use of Scripture
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Relationships

• From Advent to Trinity Sunday
• There is a relationship between the gospel and
  the other readings.
• Theme is governed by the gospel reading.

• Season After Pentecost
• (After Trinity Sunday and Before Advent)
• There is no relationship between the readings.
• Instead, there are three tracts of continuous or
  semi-continuous readings.

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What about the Time In-Between? (Ordinary Time
or the Season after Pentecost)

• Choose a track
• (For example Year B)
• Gospel
• Epistle
• Old Testament

• Mark
• Ephesians, James, Hebrews
• Life of David

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2 Major Cycles Major Teaching Opportunities

• Advent-Christmas Cycle
• The Cycle of Light
• Advent
• Christmas
• Epiphany

• Lent-Easter Cycle
• The Cycle of Life
• Lent
• Easter
• Ascension Day
• Pentecost

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The Cycle of LIGHT

• Advent Repentance and preparation to receive
  Christ into our hearts anew
• Preparation for the Second Coming of Christ
• Christmas Incarnation
• Epiphany - Revelation of God with Us

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The Cycle of LIFE

• Lent Repentance and renewal. We journey toward
  Jerusalem to face our own death.
• Easter Resurrection and its proofs. Christ is
  raised we are raised.
• Ascension Day! The Tomb is empty, and Christ is
  seated in Heaven!
• Day of Pentecost Emergence of the church with
  proof that Christ is alive.

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Other Holidays and Holy Days

• Trinity Sunday
• All Saints Day
• Christ the King/Reign of Christ

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For More Information

• Consultation on Common Texts Website
  http//www.commontexts.org/
• Questions about the Lectionary
  http//divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/
  FAQ/faq_lect.htm
• Rediscovering the Christian Feasts
  http//www.cokesbury.com/search.aspx?scopeallque
  ryrobertwebbersectionId1pagestart0pid25392
  5 -- by Robert Webber
• Ancient Future Time http//www.cokesbury.com/searc
  h.aspx?scopeallqueryrobertwebbersectionId1p
  agestart0pid0801091756 by Robert Webber
• GBOD Worship Website www.umcworship.org