Liturgical Seasons & Symbols

The term “liturgy” refers to the work of public worship. Like many other churches, EPC follows a standard church calendar that designates the various liturgical seasons and holidays.
Throughout the year, there are seven special seasons: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, and Pentecost. These seasons move through the life of Christ, from preparation for his birth in Advent, to celebration of his return on Christ the King Sunday, the last Sunday of the liturgical year. The time in between these special seasons is known as “Ordinary Time.”

Although we celebrate special events throughout the liturgical year, not everyday can be a holiday. It is also important to have ordinary time. This term has the same root as “ordinal,” a mathematical term indicating numerical position. So, another way to think of Ordinary Time is as “counted time.”

The principal liturgical colors used in the liturgical seasons are green, purple, white, and red. At EPC you will see these colors incorporated in the banners, paraments (cloths used on the pulpit and communion table), and in the stoles that our pastors wear.

Ordinary Time

The main liturgical color for Ordinary Time is green, symbolizing spiritual growth and building up of the church. May we find that as a congregation we grow and flourish in much the same way.

Lent

Purple is the primary liturgical color of the season of Lent. Purple can be thought of as a color for royalty, symbolizing the coming King, as well as a somber color, reminding us of the approaching events.

Easter

Easter is not just one day, but an entire season. It begins with our celebration of the day of resurrection and continues for fifty days to Pentecost. The season of Easter is marked with white, which can symbolize purity, hope, and Resurrection.

Pentecost

The Easter Season transitions naturally into Pentecost, the day we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church. The liturgical color for Pentecost is red, a symbol of blood and fire.

Advent

After Pentecost, we observe a long season of Ordinary Time, and then move into the season of Advent. Advent marks the beginning of the church year as we anticipate the birth of the Christ child. Purple is used during Advent as during Lent, to symbolize the coming of the King, and the coming of God’s Kingdom.

Christmas

Advent culminates with Christmas, the twelve days we celebrate the birth of Christ. We mark the end of Christmas with the Day of Epiphany. Again, we use our white banners. As with Easter, we are marking events in Christ’s life that are filled with hope for us. For Christmas and Epiphany, there is hope in the manifestation that Christ is coming for all people.
With a better understanding of the liturgical seasons and symbols, the use of color and fabric can enrich the meaning of the time being celebrated. Our worship is enhanced as we better understand the gracious acts of God, and we are better equipped to go out into the world, and into God’s kingdom.