While this one-volume guide is especially useful for Christian educators, showing them how to teach week by week according to the ethos and tradition of the Episcopal Church, it also provides a valuable and useful reference tool for all church leaders and members in connecting Christian faith to daily life.

This new guide to Christian education and formation is based on the Book of Common Prayer, the cornerstone of Anglican liturgy and theology. Keyed to the Revised Common Lectionary, all activities and lessons are structured on the seasons and lessons for Years A, B, and C. The guide stresses the major themes of baptismal theology and shows how teachers, parents, and children can live the liturgical cycle in Christian formation ministries at church and at home.

The Prayer Book Guide to Christian Education

By Sharon Ely Pearson Robyn Szoke

Morehouse Publishing

Copyright © 2009 The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8192-2337-1

Contents

Acknowledgements...................................................................1Foreword...........................................................................3Our Heritage and Textbook..........................................................5Faith Developpment and the Book of Common Prayer...................................7Who Are the Educators of Christians?...............................................10Who Can Use This Book?.............................................................11The Church Year: Framework for Christian Living....................................12Ways to Use This Guide.............................................................13The Sundays of the Season..........................................................21Advent.............................................................................23Christmas..........................................................................30Epiphany...........................................................................36Lent...............................................................................43Holy Week..........................................................................52Easter.............................................................................60Ascension Day......................................................................68The Day of Pentecost...............................................................70Trinity Sunday.....................................................................76The Season After Pentecost.........................................................81All Saints' Day....................................................................89Lesser Feasts and Fasts............................................................95Ember Days.........................................................................96Rogation Days......................................................................96Independence Day...................................................................96Thanksgiving Day...................................................................98Reading Scripture in Worship.......................................................101An Explanation of the Lectionary...................................................102A Summary of the Lectionary Texts..................................................104The Sundays of Advent..............................................................104The Days of Christmas..............................................................110The Sundays of Epiphany............................................................114The Sundays of Lent................................................................127The Days of Holy Week..............................................................133The Easter Vigil...................................................................137The Sunday of the Resurrection (Easter Day)........................................141The Great Fifty Days of Easter.....................................................143Ascension Day......................................................................150Pentecost..........................................................................151Trinity Sunday.....................................................................152The Sundays of Pentecost...........................................................153The Sundays of Advent..............................................................189The Sundays after the Epiphany.....................................................193The Sundays of Lent................................................................201The Sundays of Easter..............................................................205Pentecost..........................................................................209Trinity Sunday.....................................................................209The Season after Pentecost.........................................................210The Sundays of Advent..............................................................239The Sundays after the Epiphany.....................................................243The Sundays of Lent................................................................251Pentecost..........................................................................261Trinity Sunday.....................................................................261The Season after Pentecost.........................................................262The Learning Process...............................................................291The Roles of Teachers and Learners.................................................291Planning an Educational Offereing..................................................293Telling the Story..................................................................297Telling the Story with Young Children..............................................298The Story Through Music and Drama..................................................299Reflection after Worship...........................................................299Bible Study Methods for Home and Church............................................300A Seasonal Guide to "An Outline of the Faith"......................................313Advent.............................................................................313Christmas..........................................................................313Epiphany...........................................................................314Lent...............................................................................314Holy Week..........................................................................314Easter.............................................................................315Ascension Day......................................................................315The Day of Pentecost...............................................................315Trinity Sunday.....................................................................316The Season after Pentecost.........................................................316All Saints' Day....................................................................316All Days and Seasons...............................................................317Suggested References and Resources.................................................319The Lectionary.....................................................................319Liturgy and Worship................................................................320Learning Resources.................................................................321Music..............................................................................324Bibles.............................................................................325Websites...........................................................................326

Chapter One

PART I: The Calendar of the Church Year

The Seasons of the Church Year

Advent

Definition

Advent means "coming" in Latin. Advent is the first season of the Western Christian year. It has four Sundays; the first is the Sunday nearest November 30. The last day of Advent is always December 24, the day before Christmas. In Greek, Advent is translated from parousia, commonly used in reference to the Second Coming of the Messiah.

Holy Days in Advent

• St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30)

• St. Thomas the Apostle (December 21)

Advent Themes

A season of preparation, to prepare the way of the Lord:

• For the Messiah (Savior) promised by God and foretold by the prophets;

• For the expected coming of the baby Jesus, born of Mary at Bethlehem;

• For Christ, the Prince of Peace, who is coming again at the close of this age (called Eschaton) to rule as Lord over the promised kingdom (or reign) of God;

• For each of us to pray the Lord's Prayer with conviction: "your kingdom come, your will be done." The constant question to ask is: If Jesus revealed God's will and kingdom, how do we as individuals and the church witness to that reality?

Great Words of Advent

Angels (messengers of God) Light of the world Annunciation Longing Anticipation Redemption Apocalypse Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus! Coming Messiah Deliverance Peace Eschatology (end times) Preparation Expectation Promise Fulfillment Prophet Hope Reconciliation Judgment Waiting Kingdom of God

Advent Through the Eyes of a Child

In Advent, we, along with our family and all who are the church:

• Wait for the birth of the baby Jesus, who is a gift God gave to us and to all people because God loves us so much and has made us one big family;

• Prepare for the time that Jesus will come again to earth, and God will be in all and make all things new;

• Ask what we can give to others to celebrate the fact that in Jesus, God loves us so much his promise to be with us always is complete;

• Tell the stories of hope and promise, and wonder how the light breaks through the darkness;

• Examine an Advent wreath, a circle of evergreen with three purple or blue candles and one pink one, one to be lit each Sunday. Say special prayers (such as the Collect for each Sunday of Advent) when lighting each candle, or read a verse of Scripture.

• Remember that Jesus will come again in glory and loving power to make all things new;

• Understand Advent by experiences of waiting, hope, promises, and love in our lives now.

Advent Worship Sentence for Young Children

"Come down to dwell with us, Lord Jesus. Open our hearts to receive you."

Suggested hand motions: Arms outstretched above head; hands brought down, arms crossed over heart on word "heart" and then opened wide at 45-degree angle.

Advent Through the Eyes of Youth

In Advent we advertise that we have faith in the birth of Jesus as well as faith that Christ will come again. We in the church:

• Wait with joy! Prepare for the birth of Christ by giving the gift of yourself.

• Hold on to the promise that Christ will come again by having an "alternative gift fair" after or between worship services during Advent. Invite members to "buy" their Christmas presents there, filling out a simple order form and writing one check when they are done, choosing to make donations to local agencies or world wide relief agency efforts such as Heifer Project International, Church World Service, and Episcopal Relief and Development. When purchasing, give them gift cards to fill out.

• Learn and share the Advent stories each week. Week 1: the prophets; Week 2: Mary; Week 3: Joseph; Week 4: The time when Christ will come again.

• Pray, ask, and respond: Who are the people in our world who need the message of God's love? What are our hopes for how people today can receive the message of God's love? How do we help others know God's love?

Advent Through the Eyes of Daily Life

Advent is a time of preparation, of patience, of remembering what grounds and sustains us. The function of Advent is to remind us who God is and who we are meant to be, as well. Advent is about the riches of emptiness. God coming as an infant without retinue or riches is the metaphor of a humility that requires us to remember how really small we are in the universe. In our secular culture, a tone of wanting more, spending more, and accumulating riches on earth surround us. As Christians, we long for our society to live up to God's vision, for the kingdom to come in its fullness outside of materialism. The cry of Advent, "Wake up! Be alert! Watch for his coming" is difficult amidst the busyness of the season. We can practice some simple, but not easy, disciplines. We can fast from the media to become more alert to the still small voice of God. We can focus on the giving of ourselves to God. Plan to spend time apart from the busyness of the season each day so you can be alert to God in the silent, the small, and the simple.

Advent Through the Eyes of Our Global Community

Advent is a time of concern for God's judgment, particularly in reference to the coming kingdom. The power of this theme of judgment brings about a realization of the sinfulness of the present age. As Christians, we believe it is Jesus who bears this judgment through his life, death, and resurrection, revealing the reign of God to the church in every generation. Our Eucharistic Prayer reminds us that Christ will come again. This is the hope for Advent and this is the hope we find in the Lord's Prayer.

The Lord's Prayer leads us to pray that God's will (not ours) be done, "on earth as in heaven." As we pray, "thy Kingdom come," how do these familiar words call us into a reality of the real presence of Christ in our lives as we look at our own response in our own time? How do these familiar words call us into judgment?

The Collects of the Advent season give us a natural way of reflecting on this incarnational judgment. They remind us how we are living in the reality of Christ's presence that allows us to approach ethical, social justice, and global issues:

THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT

"Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness" (BCP 211).

• In personal ethics—things we do as individuals that we are ashamed of when we hold our actions up to the light of Christ;

• In business and political ethics—looking at business practices that fail to measure up to the demands of the coming kingdom.

THE SECOND AND THIRD SUNDAYS IN ADVENT

"... who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation" (BCP 211).

Social issues raised by Amos and Isaiah provide an outline of contemporary issues:

• Corruption in public affairs;

• Oppression of peoples, especially the poor, through selfish, self-indulgent lifestyles;

• Failing to carry out justice for the good of the people, and to care for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the disadvantaged;

• Practicing empty formalism in religion, concentrating on self-fulfillment rather than the word of the Lord, listening to false prophets who mislead the people;

• Relying on military power for security;

• Seeking wealth by acquiring lands and acquisitions to the detriment of others (corporate ethical responsibility);

• For freedom from want, from oppression, and from war (Isaiah 9:1–7);

• When has religion been used for unjust actions?

THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT

"... Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself ..." (BCP 212):

• Whatever we do personally and publicly will be done in a way that prepares the world for the coming of Christ.

Symbols and Traditions of Advent

• Color—dark "royal" purple or Sarum blue (from the Medieval Sarum Rite) symbolizes preparation, penitence, and royalty

• Advent wreath—a green wreath with candles (purple or blue to coincide with your church practice), one for each of the four Sundays

• The third Sunday of Advent, known as Gaudette ("Rejoice," from an ancient antiphon based on Philippians 4:4) Sunday, has an especially joyous emphasis, heightening the eager sense of anticipation as Advent moves toward its longed-for fulfillment. Often the candle in the Advent wreath for this third Sunday will be the joyful color of rose or pink.

• Jesse tree—a tree with symbols of Old Testament prophecies of Jesus' coming; compare the Jesse tree to your own family tree or one about your parish

• Empty crèche—awaiting the Christ child

• Advent calendar—to count the days to Christmas

• Light contrasted with darkness—Jesus is the Light of the world; at the time of Christmas, the days begin to get longer

• The Gloria and other "glorious hymns"—omitted as we solemnly prepare for Christ's coming

• The "O Antiphons"—study the hymn "O come, O come, Emmanuel" with concordance and Bible

• An Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols—a traditional English service, found in The Book of Occasional Services

Great Bible Stories for Advent

THE MESSIANIC PROPHECIES IN ISAIAH

• The Lord's sign to the House of David (Isaiah 7:10–17)

• The stem of Jesse and the peaceable kingdom (Isaiah 11:1–10)

• Comfort, O comfort my people (Isaiah 40:1–11)

• A light to the Gentiles (Isaiah 42:6–7)

ELIZABETH

• Mary visiting her cousin (Luke 1:39–56)

• The birth of John the Baptist is promised (Luke 1:5–25)

JOHN THE BAPTIST

• Baptizing in the river Jordan (Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:718)

• Messengers sent from John (Matthew 11:2–11)

MARY AND JOSEPH

• The Annunciation (Luke 1:26–56)

• Joseph's dream (Matthew 1:18–25)

Great Hymns of Advent

FROM THE HYMNAL 1982

• Advent hymns 53–76, including:

• Come, thou long-expected Jesus (Hymn 66)

• O come, O come, Emmanuel (Hymn 56)

FROM WONDER, LOVE AND PRAISE

• Advent hymns 721–726, including:

• People, Look East (Hymn 724)

FROM LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING

• Advent hymns 2–20, including:

• We're Marching to Zion (Hymn 12)

FROM VOICES FOUND

• Advent hymns 31–34, including:

• Comfort ye my people (Hymn 32)

• Jesus, name above all names (Hymn 81)

• God, creator, source of healing (Hymn 93)

• Jesus calls us (Hymn 128)

FROM MY HEART SINGS OUT

• Advent hymns 58–63, including:

• Stay awake, be ready (Hymn 62)

• Prepare ye the way (Hymn 63)

Advent in the Book of Common Prayer

PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS

• Eucharistic Prayer B emphasizes the Incarnation (BCP 367–369)

• Collects 6 and 7 (BCP 395) conclude the Prayers of the People with Advent themes

CANTICLES

In keeping with Advent's contemplative mood, the Kyrie eleison or Trisagion is sung in place of the more joyous Gloria in excelsis.

• Canticle 9: The First Song of Isaiah (Ecce, Deus, BCP 86)

• Canticle 3 or 15: The Song of Mary (Magnificat, BCP 50 or 91) especially on the Fourth Sunday of Advent

• Canticle 4 or 16: The Song of Zechariah (Benedictus Dominus Deus, BCP 50 or 92) especially on the Second or Third Sundays of Advent

• Canticle 11: The Third Song of Isaiah (Surge, illuminare, BCP 87)

A SERVICE WITH ADVENT THEMES

• Order of Worship for the Evening (BCP 109–114)

Living the Advent Season at Home and Church

• Make an Advent calendar.

• Start a collection of food, clothes, or toys in preparation for sharing Christmas love with someone who is needy.

• Try some creative writing (a poem, prayer, or story) on an Advent theme—hope or waiting or light, for example. Mary was waiting (Luke 1:26–38); what is it that you are waiting for? Or discuss why hope is an Advent theme and what a message of hope might be for you.

• Make an Advent capsule (like a time capsule) to tell the children and adults in your family (or congregation) twenty-five years from this Advent what is important to you today. Include news items that may be offered with the Prayers of the People.

• Express through the visual arts (banners, murals, paintings, PowerPoint) some of the prophecies about the expected Messiah. What do they tell us about Jesus and the kingdom of God?

• Talk about the dreams you may have as you contemplate the coming of the fullness of God's reign. Share the beautiful poetry of hope in passages such as Revelation 21:1–6. What imagery and poetry could we use to describe God's intentions for the coming day based on what we know of Jesus and the great men and women of the Bible who pointed to God's way?

• Plan and keep an Advent discipline, perhaps daily Bible reading and reflection with shared prayer time.

Christmas

Definition

December 25 is the feast day on which we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our word "Christmas" comes from the old English "Christmasse" (Christ's Mass). In ancient calendars the feast was set close to the winter solstice, when the sun returned light to the world.

Holy Days in the Christmas Season

• St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr (December 26), Symbols: stones and a palm branch

• St. John, Apostle and Evangelist (December 27), Symbol: an eagle The Holy Innocents (December 28), Symbols: crown with stars representing martyrdom

• The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ (January 1) tells of the naming of Jesus in accordance with the divine plan (Luke 2:21). Jesus means "the Lord saves," and in remembering his name we remember what God's love has done for us.

Christmas Themes

Christ is born!

• In the birth of Jesus, God gave us the greatest gift by becoming a human being and dwelling among us. Jesus is truly God and truly human—the Incarnation is God's plan for reconciling and redeeming his people.

• It is important to emphasize at Christmas that the great celebration is more than a remembrance of the birth of the baby Jesus. It is a joyful proclamation of the Incarnation. God is known in the flesh of human life. People who knew Jesus realized with awe and wonder that to be with Jesus was to be with God. They knew God in their flesh and blood relationship with Jesus. The good news of Christmas is that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can still know God in the flesh of human life and relationship. God is not a distant creative power. God is as close as the love that binds one to another in a way that points beyond the human encounter to the divine revelation.

• In Christ we, who are made in the image of God, behold the dignity of our human nature. Because Christ came to bring salvation (healing, "salving"), we have hope and assurance of sharing his life both now and always.

Great Words of Christmas

Angels Nativity Annunciation New light Celebration Reconciliation Fulfillment Redeemer Incarnation Savior Judge

Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child

At Christmas, we who are the church:

• Welcome Jesus and joyfully celebrate his birth; the church is often filled with greens and trees and lights. Something wonderful has happened and it is time to celebrate. Children love celebrations.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from The Prayer Book Guide to Christian Educationby Sharon Ely Pearson Robyn Szoke Copyright © 2009 by The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. Excerpted by permission of Morehouse Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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