ADVENT: Period of four Sundays before Christmas that marks the time of waiting for the first coming of Christ. Color: violet
CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMASTIDE: Period of up to two Sundays after Christmas that marks the time of celebrating Christ’s birth. Color: white
EPIPHANY: Epiphany is January 6 and runs up to eight Sundays after Christmas-tide. This season marks the coming of the wise men to worship the Christ-child and celebrates God making Himself known to us in human form. Color: white
ASH WEDNESDAY: The first day of Lent. It gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the forehead of the faithful as a sign of repentance. Color: violet
LENT: Period of 40 days (excluding Sundays) beginning with Ash Wednesday and leading to Easter. It is a time of fasting and prayer where we remember the last journey of Christ to Jerusalem. Color: violet
HOLY WEEK: Begins on Palm Sunday and celebrates the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem (violet). Maundy Thursday marks the day that Jesus ate the last Passover meal with His disciples where He instituted the Lord’s Supper prior to his arrest (white). Good Friday (God’s Friday) is the day on which Christ was crucified (red). On Easter Sunday, we celebrate His resurrection. Color: white
EASTERTIDE: Period of 6 Sundays beginning with Easter day. This period begins the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or next after March 21. It marks the time that Jesus spent with His disciples after His resurrection. Color: white
PENTECOST: Celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter (50 days). This day marks the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and is considered the “birthday” of the Christian Church. Color: red
TRINITY SUNDAY: First Sunday after Pentecost that is dedicated to honoring the Triune God of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Color: white
KINGDOMTIDE/ORDINARY TIME: Period of up to 27 Sundays that follows Trinity Sunday and leads to Advent. This time marks the celebration of the Kingdom of God upon the earth. Color: green
CHRIST-THE-KING SUNDAY: Both the last Sunday after Pentecost and the last Sunday in the Christian year. Helps people prepare for Advent by stressing the continuity between the celebration of Kingship and the expectation of Christ’s coming again. Color: white
Gateway Presbyterian Church 