OUR CURRENT LITURGICAL SEASON: ORDINARY TIME
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Ordinary Time is the long liturgical season that stretches between Eastertide in the spring and Advent after Thanksgiving. During Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany we focus on “God with Us” and during Lent, Easter, and Pentecost we remember “God for us.” The emphasis of Ordinary Time, then, is “God through us.” Falling directly after the Feast of Pentecost, during which we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit, Ordinary Time invites us to explore the ways we can bring God’s light and love into the world in our ordinary, everyday lives.
LITURGICAL COLOR
During Ordinary Time, we decorate the church with the color green because it represents hope and growth.
THEMES
During Ordinary Time, we actively participate in God’s work in the world. Significant celebrations and feast days in the Church during the season of Ordinary Time include Trinity Sunday (June 15), the Feast of the Transfiguration (August 6*), The Feast of St. Francis (October 4*), All Hallow’s Eve (October 31*), All Saints’ Day (November 1*), All Souls’ Day (November 2*), and Reign of Christ Sunday (November 23). Of course, many special events may occur in your everyday life, such as family vacations, birthday parties, or the first day of school. Ordinary Time reminds us that even the ordinary aspects of our lives are sacred, too.
* These dates remain the same each year.
PRACTICES
Since Ordinary Time is a season for growth, it’s a great time to commit to a regular practice that can help you grow in faith, such as reading a different bible story each week or saying a short prayer each night before you go to bed. You can also find ways to make your ordinary, everyday activities “shimmer” with the sacred. For example, gather leaves or flowers while on a nature walk and place them in a special location at home to remind you of the gift of God’s creation. Another idea is to watch the sunset together as a family. The sun rises and sets each day, but we don’t often pause to notice it. When you do, you’ll realize just how special small moments like this can be and will be reminded that God cherishes these small moments with you, too.
ORDINARY TIME RESOURCES
MINI-SABBATH NOTECARDS
In the midst of a busy life, just a few minutes can bring us great peace, focus our minds, and usher us back to God’s presence. Use these Sabbath Cards to incorporate mini-sabbath moments into your family's lives each day.
MEALTIME PRAYER CARDS
Mealtime is the perfect time to begin participating in spiritual practices as a family and is an ideal exercise for children of all ages. At the beginning of your meal, take a mealtime prayer card out and use it to guide your mealtime prayer. Then, place it back in the basket for the next day! Take turns choosing a prayer each day. If your children can read, they can take turns leading the prayer as well. You can start by saying "Let us pray." There are even blank cards on which to write your own family prayer!
30 DAYS OF PRAYER PROMPTS
Commit to praying 30 days in a row as a family with these simple and creative prayer prompts. Includes a sheet to track your progress! Wondering when to start? Try it at bedtime for 30 days as a way to model for your children how to begin praying using our own words, also known as "spontaneous prayer."
NOVEMBER GRATITUDE CALENDAR + TREE
Gratitude offers a great way to start a family spiritual practice, and there's no better time to begin than the month of November! Below, download a calendar with a short gratitude prompt for each day in November. Simply add the practice to your family dinner conversations! You can also download materials to create a gratitude tree throughout the month or on Thanksgiving Day.
Questions or comments? Contact Lacy Clark Ellman, our Kids and Families Ministry Coordinator, at kids@apostleschurch.org.
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