The Keeper of Time

The Church Year

A year shaped like a story

Luther didn't invent the church year, and he wasn't interested in tearing it down. He kept most of the calendar he'd grown up with in the Western church: Advent's waiting, Christmas, the magi at Epiphany, the fasting of Lent, Palm Sunday, Easter, the Spirit at Pentecost, and the long green season after it.

What changed was emphasis: worship in the people's own language, hymns the whole congregation could sing, and a calendar that taught the faith as the year went by. Lutherans also added a feast of their own, Reformation Day on October 31, remembering October 31, 1517, the day Luther sent out the Ninety-Five Theses. Every year, the same story gets told again from the beginning.

Play this stop

Same story, three ways to learn it.

Word Search Find the names and words from The Church Year's story. Crossword A harder look at the same names and words. Key Terms Match each clue to the word it describes.
← Back to the trail Next: Bible Stories →

At the kitchen table

A 10-minute guide for parents, grandparents, and mentors

You don't need the answers. Just ask, and listen.

“God of every season, thank you for this time together. Amen.”

  1. The church has its own calendar with colors for each season. Which season is your favorite, and why?

    Listen for
    Christmas is common. Ask what they'd miss if it disappeared.

  2. What color is the church right now? What does that season mean?

    If they don't know
    Look it up together, or check on Sunday. Green means growing.

  3. What does this mean for us this week?

    Why this question
    Maybe: mark the season at home with a candle, a color, or a prayer.

Share: Tell about a church season or tradition from your childhood.