Each season of the Christian year is designed to help congregations declare the gospel and prepare or send disciples of Jesus Christ into mission in the world. The readings provided by the Revised Common Lectionary support the purposes of each of these seasons.
Advent confronts us with the good but daunting news of the culmination of all things in Christ.
Christmas Season, from Christmas Eve through the Feast of the Epiphany, enables us to celebrate and contemplate the mystery of God becoming flesh and dwelling among us in Jesus Christ.
But what is the Season after Epiphany for? Is it just a way to count time between the end of Christmas and the beginning of Lent? Is it a primarily time to talk a lot about light? Or is it something more?
It is something more. Much more.
How it is more in your congregation depends on how your worship planners and leaders choose to make use of the readings for each Sunday.
Like the Season after Pentecost, the Season after Epiphany is bookended by Sundays in which all of the readings are chosen to relate to the Gospel reading. These are Baptism of the Lord (first Sunday after Epiphany) and Transfiguration (last Sunday after Epiphany). These bookends preview the sweep of the Christian life from its beginning at baptism to its culmination in resurrection and new creation.
During the other weeks of the Season after Epiphany, the reading from the Hebrew Bible is chosen to correspond to the Gospel reading, and the Epistle reading is semi-continuous (a series of readings from the same book). The Epistle reading is intentionally not related to the other readings.
This arrangement of readings, both bookends and what lies between them, is designed to help congregations get ready for their Lenten work of preparing inquirers, candidates and their families and sponsors for baptism while also strengthening the congregation’s faithfulness in living out the baptismal covenant.
By offering two distinct tracks of reading for the bulk of the Season (Hebrew Bible/Gospel as one, Epistle as the other), the Revised Common Lectionary helps worship planners, pastors, and discipleship leaders hone in on what the congregation needs most to get ready for its Lenten work.
The Hebrew Bible/Gospel track focuses on Jesus calling his disciples and inviting others to hear the good news of God’s kingdom drawn near. This track supports congregations whose preparation for their Lent will primarily involve evangelism and outreach to engage inquirers and invite candidates for baptism.
The Epistle track focuses on selections of one of Paul’s letters that address significant points of challenge or struggle in the early Christian communities he nurtured. This track supports congregations who need to deal with matters in the life of the church that may be impeding it from inviting new disciples and on strengthening the baptismal living of the congregation so it can better accompany inquirers and candidates on their Lenten journeys toward baptism at Easter.
Either track provides a foundation not only for worship, but for ministries of outreach, education, and community-building to help support the purpose of the season.
Whichever track your leaders choose, the ultimate purpose of the Season after Epiphany is the same: to call, nurture, and send disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!
Rev. Burton Edwards is director of Ask The UMC, the information service of United Methodist Communications.
