May 11: 1Samuel 14 Psalm 108 Proverbs 11 Romans 6,7

May 12: 1Samuel 15,16 Psalm 109:1-13 Proverbs 12 Romans 8

May 13: 1Samuel 17 Psalm 109:14-31 Proverbs 13 Romans 9,10

May 14: 1Samuel 18,19 Psalm 110 Proverbs 14 Romans 11,12

May 15: 1 Samuel 20,21 Psalm 111 Proverbs 15 Romans 13,14

May 16: 1Samuel 22,23 Psalm 112 Proverbs 16 Romans 15

May 17: 1Samuel 24,25 Psalm 113 Proverbs 17 Romans 16

May 18: 1Samuel 26,27 Psalm 114 Proverbs 18 Acts 21

May 19: 1Samuel 28,29 Psalm 115 Proverbs 19 Acts 22

May 20: 1Samuel 30,31 Psalm 116 Proverbs 20 Acts 23

May 21: 2Samuel 1,2 Psalm 117 Proverbs 21 Acts 24

May 22: 2Samuel 3,4 Psalm 118:1-14 Proverbs 22 Acts 25,26

May 23: 2Samuel 5,6 Psalm 118:15-29 Proverbs 23 Acts 27

May 24: 2Samuel 7-9 Psalm 119:1-16 Proverbs 24 Acts 28

May 25: 2Samuel 10,11 Psalm 119:17-32 Proverbs 25 Colossians 1,2

May 26: 2Samuel 12,13 Psalm 119:33-48 Proverbs 26 Colossians 3,4

May 27: 2Samuel 14,15 Psalm 119:49-64 Proverbs 27 Hebrews 1,2

May 28: 2Samuel 16,17 Psalm 119:65-80 Proverbs 28 Hebrews 3-5

May 29: 2Samuel 18 Psalm 119:81-96 Proverbs 29 Hebrews 6,7

May 30: 2Samuel 19,20 Psalm 119:97-112 Proverbs 30 Hebrews 8,9

May 31: 2Samuel 21,22 Psalm 119:113-128 Proverbs 31 Hebrews 10

June 1:  2Samuel 23,24 Psalm 119:129-144 Proverbs 1 Hebrews 11

June 2:  1Chronicles 1,2 Psalm 119:145-160 Proverbs 2 Hebrews 12,13

June 3:  1Chronicles 3-5 Psalm 119:161-176 Proverbs 3 Titus

June 4:  1Chronicles 6 Psalm 120 Proverbs 4 Philemon

June 5:  1Chronicles 7,8 Psalm 121 Proverbs 5 1Timothy 1-3

June 6:  1Chronicles 9,10 Psalm 122 Proverbs 6 1Timothy 4-6

June 7:  1Chronicles 11,12 Psalm 123,124 Proverbs 7 2Timothy 1,2

June 8:  1Chronicles 13-15 Psalm 125,126 Proverbs 8 2Timothy 3,4

June 9:  1Chronicles 16,17 Psalm 127 Proverbs 9 1Peter 1,2

June 10:  1Chronicles 18-20 Psalm 128 Proverbs 10 1Peter 3-5

June 11:  1Chronicles 21,22 Psalm 129 Proverbs 11 2Peter

June 12:  1Chronicles 23-25 Psalm 130,131 Proverbs 12 1John 1-2

June 13:  1Chronicles 26,27 Psalm 132 Proverbs 13 1John 3-5

June 14:  1Chronicles 28-29 Psalm 133,134 Proverbs 14 2,3John

June 15:  1Kings 1 Psalm 135 Proverbs 15 Jude

June 16:  1Kings 2 Psalm 136 Proverbs 16 Revelation 1

June 17:  1Kings 3,4 Psalm 137 Proverbs 17 Revelation 2

June 18:  1Kings 5,6 Psalm 138 Proverbs 18 Revelation 3

June 19:  1Kings 7 Psalm 139 Proverbs 19 Revelation 4,5

June 20:  1Kings 8 Psalm 140 Proverbs 20 Revelation 6,7

June 21:  1Kings 9,10 Psalm 141 Proverbs 21 Revelation 8,9

June 22:  1Kings 11 Psalm 142 Proverbs 22 Revelation 10,11

June 23:  1Kings 12,13 Psalm 143 Proverbs 23 Revelation 12,13

June 24:  1Kings 14,15 Psalm 144 Proverbs 24 Revelation 14,15

June 25:  1Kings 16,17 Psalm 145 Proverbs 25 Revelation 16,17

June 26:  1Kings 18,19 Psalm 146 Proverbs 26 Revelation 18

June 27:  1Kings 20 Psalm 147 Proverbs 27 Revelation 19

June 28:  1Kings 21,22 Psalm 148 Proverbs 28 Revelation 20

June 29:  2Chronicles 1,2 Psalm 149 Proverbs 29 Revelation 21

June 30:  2Chronicles 3,4 Psalm 150 Proverbs 30,31 Revelation 22

Church Calendar

The church calendar focuses on various events in the life of Jesus and the church. It provides a framework for celebrating and remembering special events in the life of the church. The purpose of the liturgical calendar is to relive and recognize the events of Jesus' life in our ordinary daily lives. Many of the passages from the Lectionary are planned in accordance with the various seasons of the church calendar. Here is a description of each season and holy day celebrated throughout the church calendar.

Advent

Four Sundays before Christmas through Christmas Sunday

The church calendar begins in late November or early December, rather than January, with the focus on the coming of Jesus. Advent revolves around the themes of hope and expectation. In advent, we focus on celebrating the first coming of Christ, as a baby in a manger. We are also reminded of the second coming that Christ has promised. It is with hope and expectation that we await Christ's second coming.

Christmas Season

Twelve Days, starting on Christmas Day

Although usually celebrated on just one day in western culture, Christmas is recognized as a season in the church calendar. It begins with the season of Advent as we wait in anticipation of the coming King. This is followed by the Christmas Season in most traditions and begins at sunset on Christmas Eve. Since, there are 12 days, sometimes this season is referred to as The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Epiphany

First Sunday of January through Ash Wednesday

The general focus of the season of Epiphany is Jesus' manifestation of himself as God. (The Greek word epiphany means 'to manifest' or 'to reveal'.) Many church services in this season will focus on who Jesus is, beginning with His baptism. Epiphany reminds us that just as Christ had a mission to the world, we too are to take the gospel to all the world. It is marked in the biblical tradition by the wise men who came to visit the Christ-child. They came in expectation of a Messiah, and in doing so, 'revealed' Jesus to the world as Lord and King. They went to spread this message throughout their lands. Epiphany follows after Christmas and as such, we are first reminded of the hope that we have in Christ and then during the season of Epiphany focus on spreading this message of hope to all.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is always celebrated 40 days (not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is the symbolic beginning of the penitent season of Lent. The traditional custom for Ash Wednesday services is for people to receive a mark of ash on their forehead in the sign of a cross, as a visible reminder for their sins. This cross is a sign of our humility before God, a symbol of mourning and sorrow at the death of Christ. Ash Wednesday is a somber day of reflection on what we need to change in our lives in order to walk as faithful Christians.

Lent

Ash Wednesday through Holy Week

Lent is a penitent season of the church year that is usually marked by sacrifice. L ent is a season of soul-searching, reflection, and repentance. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves, and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism.

Lent is the forty-day period before Easter. We skip Sundays when we count the 40 days, because Sundays commemorate Jesus' Resurrection. The tradition of 40 days is derived from the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness praying and fasting. In this same way, Christians set aside this season to choose to sacrifice or fast something in their lives. Some choose to fast meals. Others choose to fast a specific type of food, deserts, TV, media, internet, etc. The point is to sacrifice or abstain from something that will daily remind you of Christ and the sacrifice that he made. It is also meant to be a time of examining oneself, repenting of sins and committing to lead a faithful and obedient life.

Holy Week

The week prior to Easter

This week focuses on the activities in the life of Jesus leading up to his passion, death and resurrection. Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. Other specific days in the week that are commemorated are Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter.

Palm Sunday

Sunday of Holy Week

Palm Sunday is marked by the triumphal entry of Jesus as he rode into the streets of Jerusalem . Jesus rode on a donkey and the people gathered in the streets proclaiming him as the messianic King, waving palm branches and crying out 'Hosanna!' The people truly believed their prophesied Messiah had come. Many also believed, however, as did some of the disciples, that he would now set up his earthly kingdom and reign as a political leader. Little did they know, that within a week's time he would be crucified, dead, buried and then rise again. In this, Christ initiated his kingdom, the Kingdom of God .

Maundy Thursday

Thursday of Holy Week

On Thursday, Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples, instituted the practice of communion, was betrayed by Judas, and arrested. Maundy Thursday is remembered as the day that Jesus ate his last meal with his disciples. The term Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum , which literally means 'to give' or 'to order.' It is usually translated into English as 'commandment.' In John's Gospel, Jesus shared this last meal with his disciples, washed their feet in a sign of humility and servanthood, and then gave them this new commandment:

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, you also ought to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

Good Friday

Friday of Holy Week

Good Friday is the day that the passion of Jesus took place. Many churches hold Good Friday services on this day to commemorate his trial, suffering, crucifixion, death and burial. Since communion is a celebration, it is usually not shared on Good Friday. As a day of mourning, the cross will usually be covered or draped in black to symbolize Christ's death. Between Friday and Sunday, this covering is changed to a white draping to symbolize Christ's resurrection.

Easter

Easter is the greatest celebration of the church. Although Christ was laid in the grave on Good Friday, on Sunday morning the stone was rolled away and he arose from the dead. This is a glorious celebration of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

Sundays of Easter

Seven Sundays following Easter Sunday

In the church calendar Easter is not just celebrated as one day, but as a season. The 50 days that follow Easter Sunday continue to celebrate the reality of Christ's resurrection. In fact, every Sunday that we gather together is, in essence, a reminder of Christ's resurrection. Every Sunday we are reminded of the reality that Christ died and rose again and now forgives us of our sins.

Pentecost

Eighth Sunday after Easter Sunday

This is the day in the church calendar that celebrates God's gift of the Holy Spirit to the church. Pentecost celebrates the Acts 2 account of when the disciples were gathered together in the upper room and received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was given in fulfillment of Old Testament passages of prophecy, such as Joel 2.

Ordinary Time

This term is derived from the Latin term ' ordinal' meaning 'counted' or 'marked' time. In this, we realize that each season within the church year has meaning, significance, and is marked. Ordinary Time does not focus on any specific biblical teaching or account in the life of Jesus. Rather, this season is used to focus on other issues of the church, such as faith, giving, and our mission to the world.

The church year begins again with the season of Advent.

Sources consulted:

http://cresourcei.org/

The Services of the Church Year , Robert Webber, editor

http://www.kencollins.com/holy