Worship Planning For Today's Episcopal Church
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Worship Planning For
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www.riteplanning.comPlanning for Rites and Rituals A Resource for Episcopal Worship, Year C, 2021–2022
Planning for Rites and Rituals
A Resource for Episcopal Worship, Year C, 2021–2022© 2021 by Church Publishing Incorporated
All rights reserved. No part of the book may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
Church Publishing Incorporated
19 East 34th Street
New York, NY 10016
Cover design by: Jennifer Kopec, 2 Pug Design
Typeset by: Linda Brooks
A record of this book is available from the Library of Congress.
ISBN: 9781640654617 (pbk.)Contents
Introduction
Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi
Year C: The Year of Luke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
Two Is Better than One: Lectionary Doublets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv
The Nature of Liturgy and the Planning of the Liturgical Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix
Advent
Preparing for Advent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Seasonal Rites for Advent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The First Sunday of Advent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 28, 2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The Second Sunday of Advent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Third Sunday of Advent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
The Fourth Sunday of Advent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Christmas
Preparing for Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Seasonal Rites for Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Christmas Eve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ: Christmas Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
The First Sunday after Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dec 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 1, 2022 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
The Second Sunday after Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Epiphany
Preparing for Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Seasonal Rites for Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
The Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
The First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . . Jan 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year C viiviii Contents
The Third Sunday after the Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jan 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
The Last Sunday after the Epiphany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feb 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Lent
Preparing for Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Seasonal Rites for Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Contents
Ash Wednesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mar 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
The First Sunday in Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mar 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
The Second Sunday in Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mar 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
The Third Sunday in Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mar 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
The Fourth Sunday in Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mar 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
The Fifth Sunday in Lent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Holy Week
Preparing for Holy Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Seasonal Rites for Holy Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Monday in Holy Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Tuesday in Holy Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Wednesday in Holy Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Maundy Thursday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Good Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Holy Saturday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Easter
Preparing for Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Seasonal Rites for Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
The Great Vigil of Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
The Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
The Second Sunday of Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apr 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
The Third Sunday of Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
The Fourth Sunday of Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
The Fifth Sunday of Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year CContents ix
The Sixth Sunday of Easter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Ascension Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
The Seventh Sunday of Easter: The Sunday after Ascension Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
The Day of Pentecost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Pentecost
Preparing for the Season after Penetcost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Seasonal Rites for Pentecost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
The First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
The Second Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Contents
The Third Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . July 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aug 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sept 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oct 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oct 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oct 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oct 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
The Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oct 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
All Saints’ Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
The Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
The Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost: Proper 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
The Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Thanksgiving Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Index of Seasonal Rites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year CWelcome
Welcome to Year C, 2021–2022 of Planning for Rites ♦♦ The Nature of Liturgy and the Planning of the
and Rituals. All of us at Church Publishing are pleased Liturgical Year comes to us from James Farwell,
to bring you this resource for liturgical planning. The professor at Virginia Theological Seminary.
editorial team (Milton Brasher-Cunningham, Wendy ♦♦ The essay on Lectionary Doublets is the work of
Barrie, and Nancy Bryan) tasked with creating this liturgical scholar Gail Ramshaw.
volume worked with some amazing folks to bring you
♦♦ Preparing for . . . seasonal overviews were written
a wide range of thought-provoking, creative options
by Miranda Hassett, rector of St. Dunstan’s
for Sundays and holy days throughout the liturgical
Episcopal Church in Madison, Wisconsin.
year.
You will find this resource offers planning ♦♦ Engaging All Ages offers ideas for deepening
suggestions grouped by liturgical season and date. engagement with worship for children, youth,
Each section of the book opens with an overview and adults. They include thoughts for the
of the liturgical calendar, as well as Seasonal Rites, congregation to take home and discuss, things to
which offers a number of expansive ideas for worship notice during worship (colors, senses, symbols,
in and outside the primary Sunday service. Specific gestures), and ideas for action. Contributors for
suggestions for every Sunday and holy day follow, these portions are: Imani Driskell, who serves on
offering a variety of material for the liturgy, as well the Christian Formation Committee in the Diocese
as ideas for formation and community engagement of Ohio; Fiona Vidal-White, director of Christian
within and beyond your church doors. formation at Church of Our Saviour in Arlington,
Dozens of individuals were part of the creation of Massachusetts; and Lindsay Gottwald, an
this all-in-one volume. Priests, educators, musicians, Episcopal educator in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
members of altar guilds, and many others are featured ♦♦ Making Connections offers insights into our
within these pages. Each year a similar mix of Episcopal tradition to each Sunday. This may take
established writers and new voices––those working in the form of referencing other areas of the Book
small parishes and those in larger ones, those in rural of Common Prayer, our Baptismal Covenant, or
locales and those in cities, clergy and lay—offer their faith in daily life. Contributors here are: Matthew
creativity, experience, and wisdom, and we are grateful Welsch, priest for youth and family at Trinity
for the lush blend of voices they create. Church Wall Street in New York City; Hickman
Here is a description of the areas to deepen themes Alexandre, vicar of St. James’ Episcopal Church in
of each Sunday and holy day, along with those who Brookhaven, New York; and Michelle Boomgaard,
have contributed their creative ideas this year: priest-in-charge of St. John’s Episcopal Church in
♦♦ The Gospel of Luke in Year C was written by Charleston, West Virginia.
Kimberly S. Jackson, a priest in the Diocese of ♦♦ Prayers of the People are the offerings of Geralyn
Atlanta and a member of the Georgia State Senate, Wolf, from her Intercessions for Year C, published
representing the 41st District. by Church Publishing.
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year C xixii W e lco m e
♦♦ Ideas for the Day approach the day and its text in ♦♦ Images in the Readings tap into the metaphors,
preaching and worship, including contemporary names, history, and theology that are found in
issues, movies, technology and social media, the day’s lections. Gail Ramshaw, well-known
literature, historical events, and figures related Lutheran scholar and author, is the source of those
to the Sunday lections and season. Contributing connections.
these ideas are: Jane Gober, interim rector at ♦♦ Hymns for the Day are drawn from Carl Daw
Grace Church in Pemberton, New Jersey; Will Jr. and Thomas Pavlechko’s Liturgical Music for
Mebane, rector at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C (Church
in Falmouth, Massachusetts; Paul Fromberg, Publishing, 2009). These complement the theme
rector of St. Gregory of Nyssa in San Francisco; and readings of the day and come from Hymnal
Ernesto Medina, pastor of First Lutheran Church 1982, Lift Every Voice and Sing II, and Wonder,
in Fremont, Nebraska; Mike Angell, rector of the Love, and Praise.
Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion in
♦♦ Weekday Commemorations are drawn from
St. Louis; Megan Castellan, rector of St. John’s
Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018 by Martha Baker,
We l c o m e
Episcopal Church in Ithaca, New York; Jay
writer, editor, and educator in St. Louis, Missouri.
Fluellen, a composer, organist, and choir director;
Lelanda Lee, poet, and church and community
leader in Longmont, Colorado; and Sharon Ely Thank you for the trust you put in Church
Pearson, Christian educator from Norwalk, Publishing Incorporated to provide liturgical planning
Connecticut. tools for your parish use. We value our partnership
on the journey and are grateful for the many ways in
which you care for the church’s worship.
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year CYear C: The Year of Luke
The Gospel of Luke in Year C (cf. Luke 15:11–32), and the Persistent Widow (cf.
Luke 18:1–8), are all included in Lectionary Year C
The Revised Common Lectionary Year C takes us on and are also unique to Luke’s gospel.
a journey through the Gospel of Luke, with a brief A major theme in the book of Luke is the message
pause for a few readings in John. In order to fit with of Jesus’s radical welcome for everyone—especially
the liturgical seasons, the readings from Luke are those people who were often looked upon as outcasts.
not always sequential, and some sections of Luke In some Episcopal churches, the invitation to
are completely omitted from this year’s lectionary Communion is preceded with these words, “Whoever
readings. Perhaps most notably, much of the first you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are
chapter of Luke describing the arrival of John the welcome.” The gospel readings for Year C reinforce
Baptist is absent from the appointed lessons. Despite such messages of welcome by describing the wide
the omissions and sometimes circuitous route through variety of people who become companions with
Luke, Year C provides exposure to the vast majority of Jesus. They are tax collectors, fishermen, women and
Luke’s gospel. children, people who are poor, sick, or even demon
possessed. In Luke, Jesus meets people wherever they
Things to Know about Luke are on life’s journey and invites them to follow him.
The stories and parables within Luke also lend
Traditionally, this gospel is attributed to a man named themselves well to regular preaching and teaching
Luke, who early New Testament scholars believed series about love, freedom, and justice. Beginning
to be a physician. More contemporary scholars in Advent with John’s prophesy of a restructured
now question Luke’s status as a physician, and most equitable world order; to the Christmas story of
conclude that Luke’s occupation is simply unknown. an unmarried woman being chosen to give birth to
Likewise, the Gospel of Luke is addressed to an our Lord; to the season of Epiphany in which Jesus
unknown person named Theophilus (cf. Luke 1:3). makes it clear that his mission is to “let the oppressed
Because the literal translation for the name Theophilus go free”; to a passion narrative that includes the
means “friend of God,” one could argue that the book redemption of a dying criminal (cf. Luke 3:1–6; 1:46–
of Luke is dedicated to anyone who is a “friend of 55; 4:14–21; 23:39–43)—Luke’s gospel offers the
God.” preacher multiple opportunities to reflect on Womanist
The Gospel of Luke is the longest of the four and Liberation theologies.
gospels and thus includes several points of information It is also important to note that the setting for the
and parables that are unique. Luke is the only gospel book of Luke is during a time when Jewish people
author who writes a detailed birth narrative for Jesus are living under Roman occupation. This context
and includes mention of the shepherds watching their is important to keep in mind as one considers the
flocks by night (cf. Luke 2:1–20). The stories of the subversive and dangerous nature of Jesus’s parables
Good Samaritan (cf. Luke 10:30–35), the Prodigal Son and actions.
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year C xiiixiv Y e a r C : T h e Y E a r o f Lu k e
Techniques for Preaching Luke Friends, I believe that we have a standing
invitation to, in the Spirit of the teachings of Jesus,
As noted above, the gospel of Luke includes more craft stories that help our listeners hear the Good
parables from Jesus than any other gospel. Remember News in a new way. We learn from Luke that Jesus
that parables are crafted narratives (read: stories) was often moving around from village to village,
designed to help the listeners hear a message of Truth. home to home, and from land to sea to land. His
These crafted stories are multi-layered and wide context was constantly shifting, so I encourage you
open to various meanings. So, no matter how many to consider reading these lessons in preparation for
times we read the story of the Good Samaritan (Fifth your sermon outside of your usual context. Instead of
Sunday after Pentecost) or the Prodigal Son (Fourth sitting in your office or favorite chair at home, change
Sunday in Lent), there are more layers in the story to surroundings and take these readings with you into
explore. Consider approaching these familiar stories the public square. While riding public transit or sitting
Ye ar o f L u ke
with a new lens by imagining the story from a more on a bench in a park, read the Beatitudes (cf. Luke
minor character’s point of view (e.g., the servants 6:20–31; All Saints’ Day). Notice the people around
working alongside the son). Or re-write the story to fit you and imagine what these sayings might mean to
a twenty-first-century context (e.g., instead of leprosy, and for them. Take Luke 4:21–30 (Fourth Sunday
imagine the person in need of healing is HIV positive). after the Epiphany) to the emergency room waiting
The aim is to keep mining the parables of Jesus room at your local hospital and read Jesus’s words in
in search of new lessons that the Spirt has prepared that context. The change in our own body posture and
for the people of God for such a time as this. As surroundings can help us hear the Spirit afresh.
we journey through Luke, I also invite you to try
integrating some of your own parables into sermons. Kimberly S. Jackson
The author of Luke provides several examples of this All Saints, Atlanta, Georgia
as he shares many of Jesus’s stories.
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year CTwo Is Better than One:
Lectionary Doublets
The sixteenth-century Anglican Thomas Cranmer is flies highest and thus sees farthest, and they relied
honored for his exemplary work in producing the on John’s gospel for guidance as they formulated the
early editions of the Book of Common Prayer.1 His doctrines of the faith. I mean here to discuss three
compositions are famous especially for what are called of the RCL’s liturgical doublets, to describe what is
his “doublets.” These doublets utilize a technique he compelling in each service, and to encourage a full
learned from the Psalms, in which almost everything celebration of both halves of these doublets each year.
is said twice. A fine example of Cranmer’s doublets
is in his prayer for Ash Wednesday: almighty and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made
and forgive the sins of all who are penitent (BCP, Christians did not celebrate the birth of Jesus until
264). The idea is that no single word is profound sometime in the fourth century, and in Puritan New
enough to convey the full intent of our prayer, England, all celebrations of Christmas in church or
and so we are given two words to benefit from the home were outlawed, being criticized as holdovers
resonances of both. In the mid-twentieth century, from European societal shenanigans. But in our time,
many denominations produced worship materials Christmas Eve is arguably the year’s most popular
that were stripped down to the fewest possible words. service, with its gospel reading the beloved narrative
But during more recent decades, the wisdom of from Luke 2 about Mary, Joseph, the infant, the
Cranmer’s doublets has been reclaimed, and liturgical stable, the angels, and the shepherds, a story that even
texts have been enriched with more biblical images non-Christians have encountered by means of carols
and occasional parallel phrases while still avoiding broadcast over loudspeakers at the mall. In many of
unnecessary verbiage. Thus: compelling rhetoric but our churches, this service is scheduled at 11 at night
no clutter. and is illumined by individual candles, thus connecting
The Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) and its the assembly with the first reading from Isaiah 9: “The
parent, the Roman Lectionary, have employed this people who walked in darkness have seen a great
same principle. The full mystery of Christ is beyond light.” The reading from Titus 2 assists the preacher in
our words, greater than any single set of biblical proclaiming the meaning of the Bethlehem narrative,
readings can express. Thus, for the most important stating that we have been saved by the grace of God,
occasions in the liturgical year—those celebrating offered redemption, and formed into a people zealous
the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ—two sets for good deeds. Entire families attend this service
of readings are offered, each with its own liturgy, together, singing the eighteenth-century carol “Angels
one featuring the gospel reading from the synoptics we have heard on high” (The Hymnal 1982, 96), and
and the other from the Gospel according to John. many are grateful for a service scheduled on Christmas
It may be that worshipers know well the synoptic Eve so that they can dedicate the whole of Christmas
accounts, perhaps having thought of them as fact- Day to home celebrations, a traditional feast, and
filled chronicles. Yet from the second century on, the monumental gift-giving.
church’s theologians likened John to the eagle who
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year C xvx v i Tw o i s B e t t e r t h a n o n e : L e c t i o n a ry D o u b l e t s
But we know that the mystery of the Incarnation Passion Sunday and Good Friday
is larger, deeper, than the story of Bethlehem. Indeed,
According to the RCL, Holy Week begins with Passion
biblical scholars assume that the early communities of
Two Is Be tte r th a n On e
Sunday, appointing for the reading of the Passion
Matthew, Mark, and John did not even know Luke’s
the appropriate chapters from the synoptic gospel of
story. And so, from about the fifth century on, the
that year: Matthew 26–27 in Year A, Mark 14–15 in
lectionary has presented a doublet: the narrative of
Year B, and Luke 22–23 in Year C. Yes, the service is
Luke 2 on Christmas Eve and the poetic prologue of
lengthy, but these are our high holy days, and there is
John’s gospel on Christmas Day. According to John
much to be said and heard and sung and enacted.
1, Christ comes among us now as the Word of God
There are fascinating differences in the three
and the light of the world. This Word forms us into
synoptic accounts of the arrest, passion, death, and
children of God—which we would not be without the
burial of Jesus, but all three are similar in their
Incarnation—and we are shown the glory of God. The
proclamation that the victim Jesus suffered throughout
gospel reading on Christmas Day goes back beyond
his ordeal and died in great pain. On Passion Sunday,
Bethlehem to the origins of the universe and the glory
borrowing language from the lament psalms, we grieve
of the Son of God in its creation. The reading from
over his agony, and we repent for our part in it. We
Isaiah 52 proclaims the meaning of our Christmas
sing “O sacred head, now wounded” (The Hymnal
celebration: “Your God reigns.” In Jesus Christ we
1982, 168/169).
see manifest, albeit paradoxically, “the holy arm of
Then, for its liturgical doublet, we gather again
the Lord.” The author of Hebrews says it this way:
on Good Friday for part two of the Three Days, and
Christ is “the reflection of God’s glory and the exact
we attend to John’s account of Christ’s passion and
imprint of God’s very being.” We accompany John 1
death. No kiss of Judas here: Jesus goes forward to
by singing the fourth-century hymn “Of the Father’s
meet his death as if it were his coronation. According
love begotten” (The Hymnal 1982, 82).
to the precise term in John’s text, an entire cohort—
The Bible offers several different ways to speak
that’s six hundred Roman soldiers (!)—comes to
of Jesus’s birth, and the lectionary appoints three
arrest him, and they fall at his feet when he calls out
different services at Christmas, each with its own set
“Ego eimi,” I AM. Jesus is arrayed in a purple robe;
of readings. On Christmas Eve, we are comforted by
from the cross, he attends to his family and followers;
hearing once again the narrative of Bethlehem, and
and he is buried in a garden and wrapped with a
on Christmas Day, we are drawn to meditate once
hundred pounds of spices. Perhaps some preachers
again on the wondrous life of God, creating the earth
are wary of highlighting John’s extraordinary details,
and saving its people through Jesus Christ. It may
a technique by which the fourth evangelist testifies to
be that most members will attend on Christmas Eve
the divinity of Christ. On Good Friday, responding to
and some on Christmas Day, with only a few people
John’s startling account of Jesus’s passion, we revere
attending both, but all we need for Christian worship
the life-giving cross and come to worship the Christ
is two or three gathered in Christ’s name. For those
of our salvation. We sing “There in God’s garden,”
congregations that do not hold a service with John
honoring the cross as “Tree of all knowledge, Tree of
1 on Christmas Day, the doublet can be provided on
all compassion, Tree of all beauty” (ELW, 342).
Christmas Eve by replicating the model of the two
Assisted by catechesis during Lent or by
gospel readings on Palm/Passion Sunday. As with its
appropriate visuals or handouts at the two services,
palm procession, the Christmas service can begin with
worshipers can see in this liturgical doublet the
a procession to the crèche (manger), where Luke 2 is
two sides of the Christian focus on Calvary. On
proclaimed, and then, as with the liturgy for Passion
Passion Sunday, a medieval painting of the agonizing
Sunday, the full liturgy of Christmas Day including
crucifixion can be projected, and on Good Friday, the
John 1 commences.
mosaic in the church of San Clemente, Rome, in which
Christ is crucified on a glorious tree of life.
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year CTw o i s B e t t e r t h a n o n e : L e c t i o n a ry D o u b l e t s xvii
Neither our sorrow over Jesus’s painful execution For the Easter doublet, we assemble, then, on
nor our confidence in God’s surprising victory over Easter Day to receive the synoptic account of the
death is by itself the whole story. The doublet of resurrection. In Year A, we hear many narrative
Two Is Be tte r t h a n O n e
Passion Sunday and Good Friday helps us proclaim details: an earthquake, an angel who appears like
the double Christian truth of the death of Christ. lightning, stunned guards, and then the women
seeing Jesus and worshiping him. In Year B, there
is no earthquake and no angel, only a youth sitting
The Easter Vigil and Easter Day
in the tomb who announces the resurrection, after
Christians gather every Sunday of the year in which follows the startling conclusion to the Gospel
celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, but for our of Mark, “and they said nothing to anyone, for they
grand annual festival, again the lectionary gives us a were afraid.” In Year C, the women see “two men in
doublet. At Easter, the doublet is reversed, with the dazzling clothes,” and the apostles and “all the rest” of
option of John’s gospel coming first and the synoptics the disciples do not believe what the women say; the
following. risen Christ appears to no one. Each year, these gospel
During the twentieth century, various narratives are supported by the other two readings, the
denominations around the world revived the Great preaching of Peter in Acts 10, and by passages from
Three Days. These Holy Week services developed in the epistles, and we sing one hymn after another filled
the fourth century, got lost in medieval times, and with the alleluias of Easter faith.
now are being restored as a profound way to keep Given that the center of the Christian faith is the
the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. Many resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is remarkable that the
Christians have come to prefer this new-old way to four gospel accounts of this mystery—to which we
keep Easter, praising it as flying higher and seeing can add Paul’s summary in 1 Corinthians 15—are
farther than what they had done in the past. each unique. The experience of believers has been
Historically, the Vigil of Easter was held sometime described in different ways. We are reminded by
near midnight on Saturday evening, but now in Paul, Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John that we, who
many places it is scheduled early Saturday evening to are accustomed to verifiable accounts of daily news,
include the children in creative presentations of the cannot reduce the truth of God in Christ to a verbatim
Old Testament readings. To prepare ourselves to hear narration of facts. The lectionary’s Easter doublet, one
the Easter gospel, we attend to God’s creation of the liturgy at night and one in the morning, accompanies
world, the protection of Noah and the animals, the our annual entry into the mystery of the triune God.
Israelites escaping from slavery, the bones rising up Sometimes two is one too many and only clutters
to new life, Jonah rescued by the fish, and the three up the space. But about the birth, passion, death, and
children surviving death by fire. Then comes the resurrection of Christ, two is better than one, and the
option of the gospel from John 20. Seeing the empty lectionary’s doublets draw us through two doorways
tomb, the disciple believes. The encounter between into the sanctuary, two paths toward our baptismal
the risen Christ and Mary is told with a Johannine mission. Here there is no unnecessary reduplication;
twist. In verse 15, Mary calls out to “Sir,” but in verse here is, rather, almost more grace than we can handle.
18, she proclaims to the gathered assembly, “I have
seen the Lord.” Encountering the risen Christ, “Sir” Gail Ramshaw
becomes “the Lord,” and we, the gathered disciples, Liturgical Scholar
receive Mary’s welcome word and worship the risen
Christ. We sing Martin Luther’s hymn “Christ Jesus
lay in death’s strong bands” in which the Paschal
Lamb dies on the accursed tree with strong love to
save us (The Hymnal 1982, 185/186).
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year CThe Nature of Liturgy and the
Planning of the Liturgical Year
It is useful, perhaps, for those who prepare the can accomplish! But, in terms of the method, our
liturgies of the church year to pause a moment before formation occurs by the power of ritual repetition.
beginning their work to recall the nature of Christian It does not happen immediately or automatically.
liturgy and its implications for the arts of planning. It happens only over time, as we move again and
For Christians, worship is the highest human again among the familiar centers of sacred space and
activity, and our principal public worship occurs through the familiar sacred seasons.
through rituals. Our particular rituals, Christians This is how ritual works. Furthermore, the
have often called “liturgies.” In Word and Sacrament, effectiveness of our worship to draw us unto the
around Book and Font and Table, we practice in mission of God, the liturgy that is God in Christ,
liturgy the fundamental posture of gratitude and requires our consent, our intentional participation.
sketch out with our bodies, voices, and words the true Only when we are intentional in our engagement with
nature of LIFE as God intends it—how God in Christ liturgical practices does liturgy have the power—here
redeems our lives to come out of the darkness, out of a little, there a bit more—to awaken us to what God
death, and into the LIFE for which we long. is up to in the world, in all the places and times of our
After all, our redemption in Christ is the first and lives. Liturgy might, in fact, be described as a place
primary meaning of the word liturgy. The term in its and a form in which we practice our capacity to pay
origin meant not so much the “work of the people” attention to what God has done, and even teaches us
but a work for the people, for the common good—in that to which we ought to attend. We trust that God
this case, for the good of the whole world. So it was is at work in our liturgies to convert us, slowly but
that scripture used the term liturgy to refer to Jesus surely, to the reconciliation with God that they already
as our great High Priest, the one in whom the mission enact.
of God was revealed and effected (e.g., Hebrews 8:6). Liturgy, then, is serious and joyful business!
Our rituals, then, are referred to as “liturgies” in a It matters that liturgy be done well, not with a
secondary sense: through our liturgies, we enter into commitment to perfection (a neurosis, probably, and
the great Liturgy, the work that God has done and impossible to sustain), but surely with a commitment
continues in Christ, by the Spirit’s power. We render to excellence. God does not need liturgy to redeem
thanks, rehearse the reign of God, and practice the and renew us. Like the waters of a river blocked by
coming kingdom, a great flourishing that is at once fallen trees and debris, God’s love and will to redeem
distant from the broken form in which the world will find a way; but how much better to clear the
now lives and, as Jesus says in Luke’s gospel, already stream, to let the waters flow. (This image we borrow
among and within us (Luke 17:21). In our liturgies, gratefully from Gordon Lathrop.) To let the waters
we enter into the Mystery that is Christ, the Crucified- flow in liturgy with power and clarity, it must be
Risen One. planned well, prepared thoughtfully, with its purposes
How does this happen in liturgy? By God’s grace, in mind and its particular seasons and ritual elements
of course, since standing before God with praise and carefully coordinated.
thanksgiving, with deep reverence and yet unafraid,
is the very goal of the mission of God that only God
Planning for Rites and Rituals: Year C xixx x T h e N at u r e o f L i t u r g y a n d t h e P l a n n i n g o f t h e L i t u r g i c a l Y e a r
This last point brings us directly to the art of So, as the book before you provides suggestions
planning. The wise planner of liturgy who understands for liturgical celebration for each season and Sunday
its power to form us over time, will understand that of the year, let the user be wise: remember that the
Liturgy and Planning
to plan one season involves planning them all. The planning of any one season’s liturgies should be linked
elements appearing with regularity in each season to the planning of all the others, and the choices made
have power to shape us because they are linked to about any particular occasion will contribute to the
the variables of the other seasons. For example, an rhythm and symmetry of the whole. To do this well
extended period of celebration without Confession is to release the full potential of liturgy to remake us,
in the Easter season can transform our sense of how by God’s own grace, into the Body of Christ in the
deeply God knows and loves us unconditionally, world; becoming what we receive, as Augustine put it;
no matter our sins, precisely because we have just becoming witnesses to the power and the will of God
finished the sustained penitential practices of Lent in to transfigure the world.
which we acknowledge those very sins. The luminous,
haunting power of plainchant sung by a cantor in James Farwell
Advent, perhaps, or music sung without instrumental Virginia Seminary
accompaniment in Holy Week, will be a function of its
contrast to a glorious symphony of instruments and
robust power of congregational song in the adjacent
seasons of the year—and vice versa. And this is not
just a matter of meaning by difference: hymnody well
chosen for, say, Advent and Epiphany, will touch one
another like echoes across a valley.
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