What do we mean by "ordinary time"?
For most Christian churches, there are two major "seasons" of the church year: the "season of Christmas" (Advent and Christmas) and the "season of Easter" (Lent, Easter and all the events between the Resurrection and the Ascension). The remainder of the liturgical (church) year falls into the category called "ordinary time".
The Sundays of ordinary time begin after Pentecost Sunday and last until the first Sunday of Advent.
Some people mistakenly think that the phrase "ordinary time" is used to describe the period between Pentecost and Advent because nothing special happens during this time. Nothing could be further from the truth! The term "ordinary" comes from the word "ordinal," which simply means "counted time". The Sundays between Pentecost and Advent are counted in order from Pentecost. Some churches refer to these Sundays as "proper time".
The first Sunday after Pentecost is Trinity Sunday - which celebrates the Christian doctrine of the trinity, the doctrine which teaches us that God is one God who exists in three distinct Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In 2017, Trinity Sunday falls on June 11th.
After Trinity Sunday, the Sundays of "ordinary time" are counted and referenced to Pentecost. For example, for 2017, June 18th is referred to as the "Second Sunday after Pentecost". June 25th is the "Third Sunday after Pentecost". This is carried through until the Sunday before Advent. In 2017, November 26th is the "Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost". The next Sunday, December 3rd, is the beginning of the season of Advent. The beginning of Advent starts the new liturgical (church) year.
The Revised Common Lectionary supplies Bible readings for each Sunday of "ordinary time". However, many pastors use "ordinary time" to focus on major Bible themes or other special occasions that are meaningful to the specific church.
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The Sundays of ordinary time begin after Pentecost Sunday and last until the first Sunday of Advent.
Some people mistakenly think that the phrase "ordinary time" is used to describe the period between Pentecost and Advent because nothing special happens during this time. Nothing could be further from the truth! The term "ordinary" comes from the word "ordinal," which simply means "counted time". The Sundays between Pentecost and Advent are counted in order from Pentecost. Some churches refer to these Sundays as "proper time".
The first Sunday after Pentecost is Trinity Sunday - which celebrates the Christian doctrine of the trinity, the doctrine which teaches us that God is one God who exists in three distinct Persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In 2017, Trinity Sunday falls on June 11th.
After Trinity Sunday, the Sundays of "ordinary time" are counted and referenced to Pentecost. For example, for 2017, June 18th is referred to as the "Second Sunday after Pentecost". June 25th is the "Third Sunday after Pentecost". This is carried through until the Sunday before Advent. In 2017, November 26th is the "Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost". The next Sunday, December 3rd, is the beginning of the season of Advent. The beginning of Advent starts the new liturgical (church) year.
The Revised Common Lectionary supplies Bible readings for each Sunday of "ordinary time". However, many pastors use "ordinary time" to focus on major Bible themes or other special occasions that are meaningful to the specific church.
Click here to return to Special Services and Events page.