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THE CALENDAR OF READINGS
(LECTIONARY)

From its beginnings the Church has read aloud from the Scriptures in its worship. As the Calendar of seasons and festivals developed certain readings became attached to particular occasions, and in time a scheme of readings for the services of each day of the year was devised. This is called the Lectionary and there have been many over the centuries. One of the consequences of the denominational division of the church, especially from the 16th century onwards, has been that each denomination has followed its own Lectionary without reference to others. In the Church of England the Book of Common Prayer (1662) has its own lections, the epistle and gospel, printed in full for each Sunday and major festival of the year. In this parish, as we use the Book of Common Prayer for Holy Communion on Sundays at 8am, we also use its lectionary at that service. However, one of the fruits of the movement for church unity - ecumenism - has been the formation of a lectionary which is now followed by many churches, including Anglican, Methodist and Roman Catholic. This is called the Common Lectionary and we follow its provision at our Common Worship services, principally the Parish Eucharist (9.45am St Marks). The Common Lectionary gives unity to the Church's worship across cultural and denominational boundaries. It follows a three year cycle of readings, with one of the three synoptic gospels - Matthew, Mark and Luke - being the dominant text for the Sunday Gospels in a given year. Advent Sunday marks the beginning of the Church's year and on 3rd December we begin the cycle of readings from St. Luke's gospel (Year C). In each of the three years most of St. John's Gospel is also used, especially during the season of Easter.

The readings printed below reproduce the Lectionary as it is followed in this parish for both 8am and 9.45am Sunday services and festival occasions during December and January. The bracketed reading is usually omitted in Church. A quiet and prayerful reading of the lections beforehand is recommended as way of preparing oneself for worship

SUNDAY 5TH THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
  Isaiah 40. 21 - END; 1 Corinthians 9 16 - 23; Mark 1. 29 - 39
SUNDAY 12TH SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
  Proverbs 8. 1, 22 - 31; Colossians 1 15 - 20; John 1. 1 - 14;
SUNDAY 19TH SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE LENT
  2 Kings 2. 1 - 12; 2 Corinthians 4. 3 - 6; Mark 9. 2 - 9
SUNDAY 26TH FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
  Genesis 9. 8 - 17; 1 Peter 3. 18 - end; Mark 1. 9 - 15;

February begins with the celebration of Candlemas, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. This feast is a celebration of the Incarnation, the Word made flesh, and it belongs in the Christmas/Epiphany cycle. It has long been the custom to regard the Feast of the Epiphany itself (6th Jan) as an end, the point at which things go back to normal.

Yet there is an ancient tradition, attested by the 17th C priest and poet Robert Herrick of stripping the halls of their boughs of holly on Candlemas Day. In common with many churches we honour this tradition of extended reflection on the great mystery of the Incarnation by keeping the Crib in situ until 2nd.

At the end of the Candlemas Eucharist (held this year on the eve of the feast: Wed 1st 10am) there is a procession to the font where candles are extinguished and we recite a litany in which the focus of reflection shifts from Crib to Cross. Lent is on the horizon and beginning this year on 22nd February, Ash Wednesday, with the Eucharist and ceremony of Ashing.