The Liturgical Calendar is made up of seven seasons. The seasons of the year are centered around the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; the sending of the Holy Spirit to the Church; and our part in the Kingdom of God. Different seasons of the Christian Year have liturgical colors and symbols associated with them to remind us of the meaning of the season.
Central displays the liturgical colors and symbols on the altar. The color of the stole worn over the ministers' robe also celebrates the Liturgical season.
The Christian Year begins with the season of Advent. This first of the seven Church seasons is a preparatory season of four weeks including four Sundays leading up to Christmas Day. The season proclaims the coming of Christ.
The liturgical color for Advent is purple (or blue), representing both penitence and royalty. The primary symbols of Advent are the Advent Wreath and the Chrismon Tree.
Christmastide, the second of the seven Christian seasons, is a season of praise and thanksgiving for the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ, and consists of Christmas on December 25, and the eleven days following (a total of 12), leading up to the Day of Epiphany.
The liturgical color for the Christmas season is white (or gold), to represent the purity of Christ's humanity and the holiness of His divinity. The symbol for the Christmas season is the manger.
The third season of the Christian year is Epiphany, which begins with the feast of the Epiphany on January 6 and continues until the eve of Ash Wednesday, which begins Lent. Epiphany refers to the Star of Bethlehem appearing after the birth of Jesus and to the dove, tongues of fire, and voice of God appearing at His baptism.
The liturgical color for Epiphany is white. The color for the season of Epiphany is green to signify the growing Church and the spreading of the Gospel. The symbol of the season after Epiphany is the baptismal font, signifying the baptism of new believers in the Gospel.
The season of Lent lasts for forty days from Ash Wednesday until Easter Eve, not including Sundays. Lent commemorates the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. Lent is a renewal season and a time of penitence and self-denial, and of intensive cultivation of the life of the Spirit.
Since the date of Easter is based on the lunar calendar, the period covered by the Lenten season varies.
The liturgical color for Lent is purple to represent the royalty of Christ as King. On Good Friday, the commemoration of Jesus' death on the cross, the altar is stripped and left bare of any color until Easter. The symbol of Lent is the Cross of Christ. During the season of Lent, the altar cross, sanctuary cross and processional cross are draped in purple reminding us of the Body of Christ nailed to the cross of Calvary.
Easter is the high festival of the Church, celebrating the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Easter Season begins at sunset Easter Eve and continues through the Day of Pentecost. It is the most joyous and celebrative season of the Church year. Easter focuses on Christ's resurrection and ascension as well as the giving of the Holy Spirit on the first Easter (John 20:22-23) and the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2).
The liturgical colors for Easter are white and gold, representing the purity and divinity of Christ. Flowers, especially lilies, are symbols of Christ's resurrection. The royal crown placed on the altar and chapel crosses represents His dominion over death.
Pentecost begins the sixth season of the Christian year, the Season after Pentecost. Pentecost commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all people fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Pentecost is also the birthday of the New Testament Church. The season of Pentecost continues until the last Sunday in August and emphasizes the ministry of the Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, as the instrument of God's will in the world.
The liturgical color for Pentecost is red, signifying the fire of the Holy Spirit. The symbols for Pentecost include the descending dove, tongues of fire, and the mighty rushing wind.
Kingdomtide is a uniquely Methodist Christian season which begins on the last Sunday of August and continues until Advent. Kingdomtide stresses the principles of the Kingdom of God on earth and our social responsibility as members of the Kingdom.
The liturgical color for Kingdomtide is green, signifying the advancing Kingdom of God among the peoples and nations of the world. The symbol for Kingdomtide is a Triangle, signifying the Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).