Each Sunday, our ministers will present a selection of readings from the Bible. They are taken from a Lectionary of Common Texts used by most world churches. The sermon and the choir's anthems are chosen from themes in these passages. Over a recurring three-year cycle, our congregation will have the opportunity to hear chosen sections from across the entire Bible. The lectionary covers about 70 percent of the New Testament and about 20 percent of the Old Testament.
By using a lectionary, we are able to follow the pattern of the church year, taking us from the coming of the Messiah in Advent (late November), to the Holy Spirit's empowering of the church at The feast of Pentecost (celebrated in May). The lections for the rest of the year (called "Ordinary Time"), offer a wider variety of groupings allowing for different themes to be examined.
We refer to a passage as "the Word of God" in that it contains inspiration from beyond its time, content, and form. There are many translations of the Bible into English from its original Hebrew and Greek texts. We find the most scholarly and inclusive version to be the New Revised Standard Version which we read publically in our services. You may borrow a Bible from the sanctuary and follow along as the text. Large print Bibles are available as well.
