Church Calendar  

Hebrews 12:1-2

      If you’ve been around Headwaters for any length of time the you’ve heard talk about seasons of the church calendar as explanations for practices that we’re pursuing privately as individual’s or collectively as a church. If you didn’t grow up in a liturgical tradition (like me) you probably have no idea what these seasons represent or why they’re even important.

We have chosen to follow the Church calendar as a rhythm that binds us to the life and story of Jesus.  Glenn Packiam gives us an insight into why we would do this as people of faith:

Rhythms anchor us and center us. A rhythm may move slowly at points, and more frenetically at others, but the cadence gives order to it. Breathing is a rhythm. Life happens in rhythm.

But whose rhythms are we living in step with?

Sacred rhythms keep us in line with the Spirit’s work. They provide us with the space to listen, to look, to learn. The Church Calendar is a rhythm shaped by Christ’s birth, His revealing, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His gift of the Spirit.

The Church, of course, is not the first to recognize the value of sacred rhythms. They were following in the footsteps (rhythms!) of their Jewish forefathers, who had feast days and festivals and fasts that were given to them by God while they were still in the wilderness. Think of it: a wandering people with no home yet, no real routines or sense of place…and God gave them a rhythm to live in, a rhythm that would help them worship, and repent, and remember. The early Christians understood how these Jewish feasts were fulfilled in Jesus and so they re-shaped them to mark time around the life of Christ.

But a rhythm doesn’t just help us pay attention to God, it also reminds us that we are not alone. When we participate in a celebration of Christmas or Easter or in the humbling repentance of Lent, we are joining with all who have gone before us. We are walking a well-worn path. We are discarding the arrogance of independence, the pride of “doing it my way”, and humbly joining a chorus of saints.

Above is an image of how these seasons roughly work within the calendar year. I hope this gives you some insight into why we worship using the church calendar at Headwaters. I see myself as an infant in leaning these sacred rhythms, and invite any and all conversations and feedback as we continue to grow and worship into this sacred rhythm together. 

This is my prayer as we continue to learn these rhythms of the calendar: 
Father in Heaven, very close at hand,
reshape us and transform us in love, truth and action together. Make us passionate followers of Jesus rather than passive supporters. Help us to live rhythmically as we faithfully pursue you in all things, guided by the Spirit. All this we ask in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.