About the Church Year

Each time we gather for worship, we enter in to the entire arc of salvation history, from the creation to the coming of Jesus to our own time, and looking ahead to the age to come. As we move through the church year, different elements of God’s presence in the world come into focus. The first part of our year centers around Christmas, for which we prepare in the four weeks of Advent, and which continues past Epiphany to Jesus’ first public acts. The other major cycle of the year centers around Easter: beginning with Ash Wednesday, Lent consists of 40 days of reflection and preparation for the events of Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday), the Great Vigil of Easter, and Easter morning. This celebration continues for 50 days culminating with day of Pentecost, which marks the coming of the Holy Spirit. Through the rest of the year, in the cycle of Sundays and holy days, we are reminded of Jesus’ teachings and miracles, and of the history of God’s people in scripture.

Holy Days and Feasts

• Advent: The four Sundays at the end of November and into December that celebrate the coming of Christ into the world.

• Christmas: Celebrating the birth of Jesus.

• Epiphany: January 6, marking the Magi’s visit to the infant Jesus.

• Feast of Jesus’ Baptism one of the four baptismal days of the year, (the others being Easter, Pentecost, and All Saints/All Souls) when we celebrate Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, always the first Sunday after Epiphany

• Ash Wednesday: The beginning of Lent.

• Lent: The 40 days before Easter, marking Christ’s sojourn in the wilderness after his baptism.

• Palm Sunday: The Sunday before Easter, marking Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week.

• Holy Week

  • Maundy Thursday: An evening service commemorating the last supper of Christ and his disciples.

  • Good Friday: The day of Christ’s crucifixion, commemorated by a afternoon and evening services.

  • Great Vigil of Easter: Begins in darkness and concludes with a blaze of light to celebrate Christ’s resurrection.

  • Easter Day: A celebration of the resurrection of Christ that continues for the seven following Sundays.

• Pentecost: The seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.

• Trinity Sunday: The first Sunday after Pentecost, acknowledging the mystery and unity of the Holy Trinity (God, son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit).

• Feast of St. Mary the Virgin: August 15, A feast honoring the mother of Jesus.

• Feast of St. Francis: The first Sunday in October, celebrating creation with a special liturgy – we invite animals into the church for blessing.

• Feast of All Saints: November 1, A feast celebrating the communion of saints, departed, present and yet to come.

• Feast of All Souls: November 2, A feast for which our parish is named.

• Thanksgiving Day: Giving thanks for what has been given us.

The Church Year

Important dates to mark for our life together in 2019:

January 
27: Annual Meeting

February
1-3: Vestry Retreat

March 
6: Ash Wednesday

April
14: Palm Sunday, Continuing the Feast brunch
18: Maundy Thursday
19: Good Friday
20: Great Vigil of Easter
21: Easter Day

June 
1: General Confirmations at Grace Cathedral (Saturday morning)
9: Pentecost
16: Parish Picnic in Tilden Park
Late June: Middle School Immersion Trip

July 
19-21: Big Sur Parish Camping Trip (tentative dates)
Late July/Early August: High School Immersion Trip

August 
Early August: Camp All Souls
25: Rally Sunday kickoff to the new school year & Blessing of the Backpacks

September
13-15: Parish Retreat at the Bishop’s Ranch

October 
6: St. Francis Day and Blessing of the Animals, with Continuing the Feast brunch
25-26: Diocesan Convention

November 
3: All Saints Sunday: Our Feast of Title, with Continuing the Feast brunch
28: Thanksgiving Day Service

December 
1: Advent Festival
4, 11, 18: Advent Series (Wednesday evening)
24: Christmas Eve
25: Christmas Day