The page you are looking can now be found in Chapter Three of ...
Friday, October 15, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Comments are Open
Dear Year D Readers:
There are a lot of controls on the dashboard of this website, and I confess I am novice, still a student driver really, when it comes to operating such a contraption, but from what I can tell the Comments section should be open and I would welcome the opportunity to hear from you.
• I will try to take on board your ideas where it comes to improving the usefulness of this site, to the extent time and my limited technical know-how will allow.
• Likewise, if you have questions regarding just what in the world I was thinking when I paired up certain texts with certain other ones, I'll do my best to field such questions ... as memory serves.
• The Comments section is also a good place to initiate conversations among yourselves, at least brief ones, on the texts under considerations.
• I would especially welcome your fresh theological discoveries and exegetical insights from the texts, and testimonies as to how your congregation responds to these texts.
With every blessing in Christ,
TMS
There are a lot of controls on the dashboard of this website, and I confess I am novice, still a student driver really, when it comes to operating such a contraption, but from what I can tell the Comments section should be open and I would welcome the opportunity to hear from you.
• I will try to take on board your ideas where it comes to improving the usefulness of this site, to the extent time and my limited technical know-how will allow.
• Likewise, if you have questions regarding just what in the world I was thinking when I paired up certain texts with certain other ones, I'll do my best to field such questions ... as memory serves.
• The Comments section is also a good place to initiate conversations among yourselves, at least brief ones, on the texts under considerations.
• I would especially welcome your fresh theological discoveries and exegetical insights from the texts, and testimonies as to how your congregation responds to these texts.
With every blessing in Christ,
TMS
Spread the Word
Dear Year D Readers:
With just a few days, a matter of hours really, before the end of Year C, let me encourage you to spread the Word about Year D to your colleagues in ministry, both within your denomination and across "party lines." Next week, the week after Christ the King, is a holiday week, that is, a short work week, so the time to plan for the First Sunday of Advent using this calendar of alternative texts is flying by.
Let others know about Year D, and we will no doubt be enriched by undertaking this journey together.
Meanwhile, you may wish to view this new post about scheduling possibilities.
Yours in Christ,
TMS
With just a few days, a matter of hours really, before the end of Year C, let me encourage you to spread the Word about Year D to your colleagues in ministry, both within your denomination and across "party lines." Next week, the week after Christ the King, is a holiday week, that is, a short work week, so the time to plan for the First Sunday of Advent using this calendar of alternative texts is flying by.
Let others know about Year D, and we will no doubt be enriched by undertaking this journey together.
Meanwhile, you may wish to view this new post about scheduling possibilities.
Yours in Christ,
TMS
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
More on Scheduling Options
Can’t decide whether to shift into the Year D lane? Advent's coming! Let's think it through.
First of all, if you have some hesitancy, that is understandable. Year D is not for the faint of heart, and may not be the best choice for the beginning preacher. These are tough texts, "strong meat" (Heb 5:12, KJV). Not that the RCL does not also include many tough, meaty texts. Obviously, it does. It's all "written Word of God," right? But the very design of Year D (with longer lections and fewer ready-made resources) will likely entail more time in the study, that is, if you want the worship service to hold together.
In many respects, it may be worth your while to give Year D some more serious thought, study, and prayer, perhaps in consultation with your staff or colleagues or with those who might be willing to work on developing more liturgical resources than I have been able to put together here.
On the other hand, to study it alongside your other weekly exegetical, preaching, and liturgical duties will likely divide your focus, and you may soon set it aside when the the pressure is on and the time is short. In this case, it's probably better to just take the plunge. But if you find that a daunting idea, bear in mind that the bulk of Year D was shaped in the pastor's study, from week-to-week, over the course of a single liturgical year. (Sure, this involved a lot of groundwork ahead of time, but when it came right down to it, the Spirit did most of the work firing off the intertextual connections and giving the Word its own peculiar resonance in light of the liturgical season. The preacher mostly just showed up and put the selections in the liturgical pigeonholes that seemed most appropriate. My point is simply this: if I can design it from week-to-week, you can certainly use it from week-to-week.)
And if you need any further encouragement to plunge into Year D, here it is: the church today needs these texts - desperately, far more desperately than you need the luxury of lingering over the decision. Don't just take my word for it. The texts that comprise Year D will prove themselves to you again and again. They themselves make the best case for Year D, and if you simply start down this road, you will soon find yourself saying, as I have said repeatedly: "What! You mean that text is not in the lectionary!?"
In many respects, it may be worth your while to give Year D some more serious thought, study, and prayer, perhaps in consultation with your staff or colleagues or with those who might be willing to work on developing more liturgical resources than I have been able to put together here.
On the other hand, to study it alongside your other weekly exegetical, preaching, and liturgical duties will likely divide your focus, and you may soon set it aside when the the pressure is on and the time is short. In this case, it's probably better to just take the plunge. But if you find that a daunting idea, bear in mind that the bulk of Year D was shaped in the pastor's study, from week-to-week, over the course of a single liturgical year. (Sure, this involved a lot of groundwork ahead of time, but when it came right down to it, the Spirit did most of the work firing off the intertextual connections and giving the Word its own peculiar resonance in light of the liturgical season. The preacher mostly just showed up and put the selections in the liturgical pigeonholes that seemed most appropriate. My point is simply this: if I can design it from week-to-week, you can certainly use it from week-to-week.)
And if you need any further encouragement to plunge into Year D, here it is: the church today needs these texts - desperately, far more desperately than you need the luxury of lingering over the decision. Don't just take my word for it. The texts that comprise Year D will prove themselves to you again and again. They themselves make the best case for Year D, and if you simply start down this road, you will soon find yourself saying, as I have said repeatedly: "What! You mean that text is not in the lectionary!?"
Second, let’s look at some more scheduling options. As I mentioned in “Expand the Lectionary!”, the effect of many churches doing Year D when lots of other churches do not sets up a cross-rhythm, a sequence of interweaving three-year and four-year cycles. The main point I’m trying to convey is that such “diversity” (!) is not necessarily “divisive” and might in fact be very creative.
Meanwhile, there are other options besides committing indefinitely to a four-year cycle (as with Option X below). When discussing this matter of scheduling, one colleague suggested Option Y, which appears to be a good compromise with, or adaptation of, the current three-year arrangement.
Year | RCL | X (4 -year/†-rhythm) | Y (3-year/adapted RCL) |
2009-10 | C | C | C |
2010-11 | A | D | D (in lieu of A) |
2011-12 | B | A | B |
2012-13 | C | B | C |
2013-14 | A | C | A |
2014-15 | B | D | D (in lieu of B) |
2015-16 | C | A | C |
2016-17 | A | B | A |
2017-18 | B | C | B |
2018-19 | C | D | D (in lieu of C) |
Option X is interesting to me, as I have said, for the cross-rhythm pattern by which, after three cycles of four years and four cycles of three years, everything will "come 'round right."
Option Y, my colleague’s suggestion, keeps the user on the same cycle as the RCL, moving in waltz time, so to speak, but altering the standard RCL pattern every fourth year.
Option Z is what I would simply term “ad hoc,” and this by way of four possible modes: on an annual basis (Z1), season by season (Z2), Sunday by Sunday (Z3), or using a Sunday-by-Sunday hybrid (Z4).
Option Z is what I would simply term “ad hoc,” and this by way of four possible modes: on an annual basis (Z1), season by season (Z2), Sunday by Sunday (Z3), or using a Sunday-by-Sunday hybrid (Z4).
By an annual ad hoc basis (Z1), I simply mean plugging in Year D any year when the pastor thinks the variation would be helpful or necessary. You can simply return to the RCL after that and pick up where you left off.
By way of another example, when I first shared Year D with a small group of colleagues, one pastor who evidently had some hesitancy regarding a commitment to an entire year was nevertheless inspired to preach through the passion, thus exercising option Z2 here.
On the other hand, since most of the preaching I do now is as a guest preacher on a supply basis, I tend to exercise option Z3. Yes, even as the designer of Year D, my first stop is generally the current selections according to the RCL; then I turn to Year D to consider some alternative selections from different perspectives within the canon, and this can open up some new dimensions. This has been helpful on such occasions when the RCL presents me with a text (or texts) that has (have) simply become too familiar.
For a further variation on this theme and by way another example, on a recent Transfiguration Sunday, I found I was able to gain some fresh insights on the familiar RCL gospel lection, the transfiguration of Jesus, by coming at it from a variety of Year D lections (Psalm, OT, and Epistle), not all of them necessarily from Transfiguration Sunday itself, but from various parts of the Year D "Index of Lections." In short, I retained the RCL gospel lection and varied the other lections, thus implementing a hybrid option (Z4). I think it was perhaps the best Transfiguration sermon I have ever preached.
I hope this helps you think ... and pray ... through all the possibilities.
TMS
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Index of Lections (Year D)
LINKS TO COMMENTARY
|
LINKS TO LITURGICAL EVENT
|
Genesis 3:1-7 (8-21) 22-24
| |
Genesis 4:1-16
| |
Genesis 6:1-8
| |
Genesis 13
| |
Genesis 14:1-24
| |
Genesis 19:1-29
| |
Genesis 38:1-30
| |
Exodus 4:1-17
| |
Exodus 25:1-40
| |
Exodus 28:(1-29) 30-43
| |
Exodus 34:29-34
|
Resurrection Evening
|
Leviticus 16:1-34
| |
Numbers 10:33-36
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Numbers 11:1-30
| |
Deuteronomy 4:9-24 (25-31) 32-40
| |
Deuteronomy 4:32-40
| |
Deuteronomy 5:1-15 (6-21) 22-33
| |
Deuteronomy 7:1-26
| |
Deuteronomy 9:8-21
|
Resurrection Evening
|
Deuteronomy 10:11-12:1
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Deuteronomy 10:12-22
| |
Deuteronomy 11:1-17
| |
Deuteronomy 15:1-18
| |
Deuteronomy 16:1-17
| |
Deuteronomy 19:15-21
| |
Deuteronomy 30:1-14
| |
Deuteronomy 31:23-29
| |
Deuteronomy 31:(1-22) 23-29
| |
Deuteronomy 31:30-32:27
| |
Deuteronomy 32:28-47
| |
Judges 5:1-31
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
1Samuel 21:1-15
| |
2Samuel 7:18-29
| |
2Samuel 15:30-37; 16:15-17:4
| |
1Kings 9:1-9; 11:1-13
| |
2Kings 4:38-44
| |
2Kings 6:8-23
| |
2Kings 20:1-21
| |
2Chronicles 7:1-22
| |
2Chronicles 7:1-22
| |
2Chronicles 19:4-20:30
| |
2Chronicles 30:1-27
| |
Ezra 9:5-15
| |
Nehemiah 9:1-38
| |
Job 32:1-22
| |
Job 33:1-33
| |
Job 34:1-20
| |
Job 34:21-37
| |
Job 35:1-16
| |
Job 36:1-23
| |
Job 36:24-37:24
| |
Psalm 3
| |
Psalm 3
| |
Psalm 6
| |
Psalm 7
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Psalm 7
| |
Psalm 10
| |
Psalm 11
| |
Psalm 12
| |
Psalm 17
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Psalm 17:8-14 (15)
| |
Psalm 25:11-22
| |
Psalm 28
| |
Psalm 31: (1-5) 6-14 (15-16) 17-24
| |
Psalm 33: (1-12) 13-22
| |
Psalm 34:11-18
| |
Psalm 35
|
Christmas Day
|
Psalm 35
| |
Psalm 35
| |
Psalm 37: (1-2) 12-38 (39-40)
| |
Psalm 38
| |
Psalm 39
| |
Psalm 40: (1-11) 12-17
| |
Psalm 44
| |
Psalm 44
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Psalm 49
| |
Psalm 50: (7-8) 9-21 (22-23)
| |
Psalm 54
| |
Psalm 55
| |
Psalm 55
| |
Psalm 56
| |
Psalm 57
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Psalm 57
| |
Psalm 58
| |
Psalm 59
| |
Psalm 60
| |
Psalm 61
| |
Psalm 64
| |
Psalm 68:11-31 (32-35)
| |
Psalm 69
| |
Psalm 71:15-24
| |
Psalm 73
| |
Psalm 74
| |
Psalm 75
| |
Psalm 75
| |
Psalm 75
|
Resurrection Evening
|
Psalm 76
| |
Psalm 76
| |
Psalm 76
|
Resurrection Evening
|
Psalm 77: (1-2) 3-10 (11-20)
| |
Psalm 82
| |
Psalm 87
| |
Psalm 88
| |
Psalm 89:5-18, 38-52
| |
Psalm 92:(1-4) 5-11 (12-15)
| |
Psalm 94
|
Christmas Day
|
Psalm 94
| |
(Psalm 95)
| |
(Psalm 95)
| |
Psalm 101
| |
Psalm 102
|
Ash Wednesday
|
Psalm 105:(1-6)2-15, 26-36 (37, 43-45)
| |
Psalm 107:(1-3)10-16, 23-32(33-37) 38-42(43)
| |
Psalm 108
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Psalm 108
| |
Psalm 109
| |
Psalm 113
| |
Psalm 115
| |
Psalm 117
| |
Psalm 119:(1-16) 17-32
| |
Psalm 119:73-96
| |
Psalm 119:113-136
| |
Psalm 119:145-176
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Psalm 119:145-176
|
Ascension (Thursday)
|
Psalm 129
| |
Psalm 134
| |
Psalm 136
| |
Psalm 140
| |
Psalm 141
| |
Psalm 142
| |
Psalm 143
| |
Psalm 149
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Proverbs 1:1-7
|
Ascension (Thursday)
|
Ecclesiastes 5:1-20
| |
Ecclesiastes 5:1-20
| |
Ecclesiastes 7:1-14
| |
Ecclesiastes 7:15-29
| |
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17
| |
Song 4:9-5:16
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Isaiah 1:1-20
| |
Isaiah 5:8-17
| |
Isaiah 5:18-24
| |
Isaiah 6:8-13
|
Christmas Day
|
Isaiah 6:8-13
| |
Isaiah 26:1-21
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Isaiah 26:7-27:1
| |
Isaiah 29:1-24
| |
Isaiah 37:14-38
| |
Isaiah 43:8-15
| |
Isaiah 45:20-25
| |
Isaiah 54:1-4 (5-14) 15-17
| |
Isaiah 57:14-21
|
Ash Wednesday
|
Isaiah 63:(7-9) 10-19
| |
Isaiah 65:10-65
| |
Jeremiah 4:19-31
| |
Jeremiah 7:1-15
| |
Jeremiah 8:4-13
| |
Jeremiah 9:23-24; 24:1-10
| |
Jeremiah 10:1-16 (17-25)
|
Christmas Day
|
Jeremiah 22:1-9
| |
Jeremiah 24:1-10
| |
Jeremiah 25:15-38
| |
Ezekiel 7:(1-9) 10-27
| |
Ezekiel 17:22-24
| |
Ezekiel 31:1-18
| |
Ezekiel 47:1-12
| |
Daniel 2:1-49
| |
Daniel 4:1-37
| |
Daniel (11:40-45) 12:1-13
| |
Daniel 12:1-13
| |
Hosea 14:1-9
| |
Amos 4:1-3
| |
Obadiah 1-21
| |
Micah 7:1-7
| |
Nahum 1:1-11
| |
Nahum 1:12-15
| |
Nahum 2:1-13
| |
Nahum 3:1-19
| |
Habakkuk 3:1-19
| |
Haggai 1:1-14 (15)
| |
Haggai 1:1-14 (15)
| |
(Haggai 1:15-2:9)
| |
Haggai 2:10-19
| |
Haggai 2:20-23
| |
Zechariah 7:1-14
| |
Zechariah 8:1-23
| |
Zechariah 9:1-8 (9-12) 13-17
| |
Zechariah 13:1-9
| |
Zechariah 14:(1-3) 4-9 (10-21)
| |
Malachi 3:6-18 (4:1-6)
| |
Matthew 6:7-15
| |
Matthew 7:1-23
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Matthew 7:1-12
| |
Matthew 7:13-20
| |
Matthew 8:1-4; 9:1-8
| |
Matthew 8:5-13
| |
Matthew 8:14-34
| |
Matthew 9:27-34
| |
Matthew 10:9-23
| |
Matthew 10:9-23
| |
Matthew 10:17-22a; 24:9-14
| |
Matthew 11: (1-11) 12-24 (25-30)
| |
Matthew 12:1-21
| |
Matthew 12:22-50
| |
Matthew 12:22-37
| |
Matthew 12:38-50
| |
Matthew 13:10-17 (18-33) 34-35
| |
Matthew 13:53-58
| |
Matthew 14:1-12
| |
Matthew 15:1-20
| |
Matthew 15:29-39; 16:1-12
| |
Matthew 17:9-20
| |
Matthew 18:1-14 (15-20)
| |
Matthew 21:12-22
| |
Matthew 22:23-33
| |
Matthew 23:13-39
| |
Matthew 24:1-8
| |
Matthew 24:15-22
| |
Matthew 24:23-35 (36-44)
| |
Matthew 24:(36-44) 45-51
| |
Matthew 26:1-19
| |
Matthew 26:20-35
| |
Matthew 26:36-56
| |
Matthew 26:57-27:1-2
| |
Matthew 27:3-31a
| |
Matthew 27:31b-56
| |
Matthew 27:(45-49) 50-56
| |
Matthew 27:57-66
| |
Matthew 27:62-66
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Mark 3:7-19
| |
Mark 4:1-25
| |
Mark 5:1-20
| |
Mark 7:1-20
| |
Mark 8:1-26
| |
Mark 9:9-29
| |
Mark 11:12-25 (26)
| |
Mark 11:27-33
| |
Mark 12:18-27
| |
Mark 12:35-37
|
Ascension (Thursday)
|
Mark 12:35-37
| |
Mark 13:1-8
| |
Mark 13:9-13
| |
Mark 13:14-23
| |
Mark 14:1-16
| |
Mark 14:17-31
| |
Mark 14:32-52
| |
Mark 14:53-15:1
| |
Mark 15:2-20a
| |
Mark 15:20b-41
| |
Mark 15:42-47
| |
Luke 1:1-25
| |
Luke 1:(57) 58-67 (68-79) 80
| |
Luke 5:12-26
| |
Luke 5:27-39
| |
Luke 6:1-16
| |
Luke 7:18-35
| |
Luke 7:36-8:3
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
Luke 8:4-25; 13:18-21
| |
Luke 9:18-27 (28-36) 37-45
| |
Luke 9:46-50; 17:1-4
| |
Luke 11:14-36 (37-54)
| |
Luke 11:14-23
| |
Luke 11:24-36
| |
Luke 11:37-54
| |
Luke 12:(35-40) 41-48
| |
Luke 12:1-12
| |
Luke 12:1-12
| |
Luke 17:20-37
| |
Luke 20:1-8
| |
(Luke 20:27-40)
| |
Luke 20:41-47
|
Ascension (Thursday)
|
Luke 20:41-47
| |
Luke 21:20-24
| |
Luke 22:1-38 (39-46)
| |
Luke 22:1-13
| |
Luke 22:14-38
| |
Luke 22:39-53
| |
Luke 22:54-23:1
| |
Luke 23:(1-12) 13-49
| |
Luke 23:2-25
| |
Luke 23:26-32
| |
Luke 23:33-49
| |
Luke 23:50-56
| |
John 3:22-38
| |
John 4:43-54
| |
John 5:1-18
|
Ash Wednesday
|
John 5:19-30
| |
John 5:31-47
| |
John 5:31-47
| |
John 7:1-13
| |
John 7:14-39
| |
John 7:40-52
| |
John 7:53-8:11
| |
John 8:12-30
| |
John 8:31-47
| |
John 8:48-59
| |
John 10:19-21 (22-31) 32-42
| |
John 11:45-57
| |
John 12:17-19, 37-50
|
Christmas Day
|
John 12:17-19, 37-50
| |
John 13:1-20
| |
John 13:21-38
| |
John 15:18-25 (26-27); 16:1-4a
| |
John 16:16-24
| |
John 16:25-33
| |
John 18:1-12
| |
John 18:13-28
| |
John 18:29-19:16
| |
John 19:17-30
| |
John 19:31-42
| |
John 20:19-29
|
Resurrection Evening
|
John 21:20-25
| |
Romans 1:8-15 (16-17) 18-32; 2:1-11
| |
Romans 2:12-29
| |
Romans 3:1-22a
| |
Romans 7:1-12
| |
Romans 9:6-33
| |
Romans 11:2-28 (29-32) 33-36
|
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time / Christmas Day
|
Romans 14:13-23
| |
Romans 15:1-3, 14-33
| |
Romans 16:1-25 (26-27)
| |
1Corinthians 3:12-15 (3:16-4:5) 4:6-21
| |
1Corinthians 5:1-5 (6-8) 9-13; 6:1-11
| |
1Corinthians 7:1-40
| |
1Corinthians 9:1-15 (16-18, 23)
| |
1Corinthians 10:(14-17) 18-11:1
| |
1Corinthians 11:2-22 (23-32) 33-34
| |
1Corinthians 14:1-40
| |
1Corinthians 15:(20-26) 27-50 (51-58)
|
Holy Saturday - The Great Vigil
|
1Corinthians 15:27-50 (51-57)
| |
1Corinthians 16:1-24
| |
2Corinthians 1:1-17 (18-22)
| |
2Corinthians 1:23-2:17
| |
2Corinthians 3:7-11(4:16-5:1) 5:2-5(6-10)
|
Resurrection Evening
|
2Corinthians 6:11-7:1
| |
2Corinthians 7:2-16
| |
2Corinthians 8:1-6 (7-15) 16-24
| |
2Corinthians 9
| |
2Corinthians 10
| |
2Corinthians 11:1-12:1
| |
2Corinthians 12:11-21; 13:1-10 (11-13)
| |
Galatians 1:1-24
|
Ash Wednesday
|
Galatians 1:1-24
| |
Galatians 2:1-14 (15-21)
| |
Galatians 2:1-14 (15-21)
| |
Galatians 3:1-22
| |
Galatians 4:1-5:1
| |
Galatians 5:(1) 2-12 (13-25) 26
| |
Galatians 6:1-18
| |
Ephesians 2:11-22
|
Ash Wednesday
|
Ephesians 4:17-25 (4:26-5:1-2) 5:3-7
| |
Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-9 (10-20) 21-24
| |
Philippians 2:14-30
| |
Colossians 1:29-2:5 (16-19) 20-23
| |
Colossians 3:18-4:18
| |
1Timothy 3
| |
1Timothy 4
| |
1Timothy 5
| |
Titus 1
| |
Hebrews 4:1-11 (12-16)
| |
Hebrews 7:1-28
| |
Hebrews 8:1-13
| |
Hebrews 9:1-28
| |
Hebrews 10:1-4 (10-14) 26-39
| |
Hebrews 11:(1-3) 4-7, 17-28 (39-40)
| |
Hebrews 12:(1-3) 4-17
| |
Hebrews 13:9-14 (15-16) 17-25
| |
Hebrews 13:9-14, 17-25
| |
James 1:1-27
| |
James 1:1-16
|
Ash Wednesday
|
James 1:17-27
| |
James 1:17-2:13
| |
James 2:1-26
| |
James 2:(14-17) 18-26
| |
James 3:1-18
| |
James 4:4-17
| |
James 5:1-20
| |
1Peter 2:1, 11-18 (19-25); 3:1-11
| |
1Peter 4:1-19
| |
2Peter 1:1-15
| |
2Peter 2:1-22
| |
2Peter 2:1-22
| |
2Peter 2:1-22
| |
2Peter 3:1-7, 15-18
| |
1John 2:3-29
| |
1John 2:3-29
|
Ascension (Thursday)
|
1John 2:3-29
| |
1John (3:8-15) 4:1-6
| |
2John
| |
2John
| |
3John
| |
Jude
| |
Revelation 1:8-20
|
Resurrection Evening
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)