A Baptist look at the Liturgical Calendar

Taken from: "At Home in Wyoming" Blog
As a child growing up in Virginia, we attended a Methodist church that my father helped found. Thinking back, I remember stained glass windows and the progression of the church calendar, the Protestant Liturgical Calendar, that focused on the life and ministry of Jesus. As a child, I loved following the seasons...the time of Advent and the Advent candles, the celebration of the birth of Jesus at Christmas, the dark time of Lent and Good Friday, and the glory of Easter and the beauty of the Resurrection.

When I look back on my childhood, I think that the reason the impact of the church calendar stayed with me all these years, was that it involved so many of the senses. I heard the specially selected readings from the Bible, I saw the different colors on the pulpit and communion table covers, I heard and loved the hymns appropriate to each season, I smelled the melting wax from the advent candles, the lilies at Easter and touched the palms on Palm Sunday. As young as I was, the impact of all of this was that I realized that these celebrations of the Christian faith were sacred times. Because so many of the senses were involved, the memory of that time didn't fade, but stayed with me.

Many years later, I committed my life to God by asking Jesus to abide in my heart. I began attending Baptist churches...and was surprised to find that they did not follow the church calendar--other than the celebration of Easter and Christmas. ( I since learned that some Baptist churches do follow the Western Protestant Liturgical Calendar, but not the churches around here). I am not sure why...probably something about it causes offense. (I was watching the Waltons on DVD last week, and they were decorating the church at Christmas, and the preacher said that some congregation members may take offense at the draping of pine...and the Walton boy said that you can always find some Baptist that will take offense at just about anything! I can say that with love because I am a Baptist!).

But a few years ago I began to organize my Christian walk around observing the seasons of the church calendar. I just sort of adapted it into a personal tool for growth in Christ. During Advent I read all the gospels up to the point of the birth of Christ. During Lent I read everything leading up to the Crucifixion. I follow the Lent practice of giving up something...this year it is time--I am setting aside extra time for prayer. I usually give up something that will draw me closer to God. Observing the time of Lent helps me to think about the suffering of Christ on the cross, just as Advent stirs me into thinking about how much God loved us to send his Son. Since I started doing this, I have noticed that I do a lot more reflection on the life of Jesus.

I have read that there is an increase in Protestant churches following the Western Liturgical Calendar. I can't answer the reason why different denominations do what they do...but I can say that our culture is becoming increasingly chaotic, everyone just too busy and overwhelmed by the too fast pace of daily life. We are also becoming increasingly secular...the children know Easter as the season of the Easter bunny and Christmas as a time for Santa...but not much time is spent anymore on the reflection for the real reasons for each celebration. When I follow the church calendar, I slow down the pace of my life, and reflect on the life of Christ. Maybe others are craving this in their lives, also. I am NOT advocating anyone else do this if they are not so inclined...I am just sharing something that was a tool for me for growth. The Bible says,

"So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12).

One of the ways I personally number my days is to observe the Christian celebrations of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. And there you have it folks, this Baptist's look at the Liturgical Calendar!