Ah, back once more in the 'green season' - or 'ordinary time' to others. Some reading this may have no idea what I'm talking about so here's a quick deffo.
Our natural year starts in January and has four seasons, but the church year starts on Advent Sunday at the beginning of December and has a number of seasons starting with Advent then progressing to Christmas, Epiphany, a little pre-Lent interlude, then Lent itself, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost - which starts on the old 'Whit Sunday' and ends one week later on Trinity Sunday. Through these seasons we remember and celebrate different aspects of the life-story of Jesus.
Trinity Sunday marks the start of 'ordinary time' - or as I like to call it the 'green season'. It lasts till Advent (or till the Kingdom Season in November if your church does that) and encompasses most of June - October/November each year. The church colours are green, so the altar cloth, the vicar's stole (the scarf thing round his/her neck) etc. are all green.
Some Christians are sad when the green season comes because most of the significant fasts and feasts have ended for a few months. But, for myself, I love the green season. I like the sense of ordinariness about it - I do tend to feel a bit 'festivalled out' by the time the leaves on the trees match the season with their rich green (that's here in the UK - sorry to those who live elsewhere!).
For me, there is a sense of stability and gentleness about this season. Benedictine monks and nuns take a vow of 'stability'. They promise to be steadily faithful and committed to their community - Benedictines are not usually wandering monks! The steadiness and continuity of the green season reminds me of this stability of life and draws me towards a willingness to be faithful and committed to my own community and congregation.
There is also a peace and gentleness in our worship during this season - the dramas of Christmas and Easter are not in direct focus - and there is time to think about some ordinary things that get pushed out in the constantly changing pattern through the rest of the church year.
I wonder, does anyone else feel this way? Are there any other green season fans out there?
The Green Season - Ordinary Time
Posted by Kath Williamson Labels: Benedictine, Christmas, Church year, Easter, Jesus
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Understanding Alice
13 June 2009 at 11:26
Green season in ourlives is very important, after all the rush and high drama I feel its a time to "come away and rest" with Jesus... mind you as a youth worker I dont get much green season as the summer holidays approacheth... :)
Anonymous
13 June 2009 at 22:22
I tend to feel a little 'out of it' at times because I find it hard to get into Christmas and Easter, I do get something from Pentecost and feel a sense of calm so perhaps, without having thought about it until I read this, I am an 'ordinary season' fan. Perhaps it doesn't really matter that I don't enjoy Christmas or Easter or perhaps it does.
Kath Williamson
14 June 2009 at 21:59
Yes, UA, taking time to rest ourselves in God's presence is really important. Thinking of you in your busy times.
Anon - I think that different things appeal to different people - that's why we have various denominations. If Christmas and Easter leave you cold, then just concentrate on the other things that 'warm you up' so-to-speak. It's a bit like the old adage - pray as you can and not as you can't.
Thank you both for your responses.
Kath Williamson
14 June 2009 at 23:27
Kath Williamson
14 June 2009 at 23:28
Jackie Bellfield
15 July 2009 at 22:48
We call in "ordinary time" in Methodism. A strange time since our God is nothing but ordinary