How and why Christians order time

In the beginning, time was ordered. The account of Creation in the book of Genesis shows an essential rhythm in God’s work. We are creatures made to attend to the patterns of time, which accounts both for the fundamental reality of music and for the human cultural habit of marking anniversaries, birthdays, and other calendrical cycles.

Israel’s life was ordered by an annual cycle of feasts, fasts, rituals, and sacrifices. Jesus observed this ordering of time, and early in the Church’s history, it seemed fitting to honor the central events surrounding the coming of the Word into the world by annual commemorations. And so the Christian Year began to take shape.

While there are more special days in that year than are presented below, the days listed link to pages that itemize the music planned for the corresponding services in our parish.

Advent 2011 - Trinity Season 2012

First Sunday in Advent  (November 27, 2011)

Second Sunday in Advent  (December 4, 2011)

Third Sunday in Advent  (December 11, 2011)

Fourth Sunday in Advent  (December 18, 2011)

The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Eve)

                                                              (December 24, 2011)

The Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Day)

                                                              (December 25, 2011)

The Circumcision of Christ  (January 1, 2012)

First Sunday after Epiphany  (January 8, 2012)

Second Sunday after Epiphany  (January 15, 2012)

Third Sunday after Epiphany  (January 22, 2012)

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany  (January 29, 2012)

Septuagesima  (February 5, 2012)