Year A Ordinary Time Submitted by Ian Pearson
Proper 4 (Sunday between 29 May and 4 June, if after Trinity Sunday) until Proper 25 (Sunday between 23 and 29 October). This latter may be displaced by Bible Sunday.
There are now about 26 weeks for us to consider our response to what we have heard in the first half of the year. I am well aware of the pressures on parish clergy, and the last thing they need is someone telling them how to do their job! These notes are therefore meant to be helpful and encouraging. In the ideal world of Christian ministry those who are responsible for preaching the Word would decide at this point how they are going to approach this second half of the year. One definite choice has to be made – that between Continuous Readings or Related Readings. Decide each year which track to follow, and do not jump from track to track as you go from Sunday to Sunday.
Continuous Readings present us with three unrelated readings each Sunday read semi-continuously.
Related Readings give us the Gospel read semi-continuously (as above); the second reading read semi-continuously (as above) BUT the OT Reading is chosen for its relationship in some way to the Gospel reading.
N.B. If you choose to have two readings only at a service, there is some logic in following Related Readings with the Gospel and its associated OT reading.
But there are other choices, too, which could be made, to your own advantage and that of the people to whom you preach. To give but one example : Continuous Readings offer us 12 weeks of Genesis – the lives of the Patriarchs. Think of this as an opportunity (yes) for many in the congregation who may not be aware of much outside Noah’s Ark and Joseph’s coat. The story of God’s dealings with this dysfunctional family may be centuries old, but in my experience it presents us with many opportunities to preach on current concerns, including Middle Eastern politics. However, I would not encourage you to spend the whole 26 weeks on the Old Testament readings!
Continuous readings
Old Testament Readings : overview
Genesis : 12 weeks
The Patriarchs : Noah, Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebecca, Jacob & Leah & Rachel, and Joseph.
Exodus : 9 weeks
most of the life of Moses – including the Ten Commandments (Proper 22).
Deuteronomy : 1 week
the death of Moses
New Testament Readings : overview
Romans (16 weeks )
Philippians (4 weeks)
1 Thessalonians (2 weeks)
Gospel Readings : overview
Matthew (22 weeks reading from chapter 7 to chapter 22).
Includes:
Proper 4 – the house on sand/rock
Proper 5 – Jairus’ daughter / the woman with haemorrhages
Proper 6 – the sending out of the 12
Proper 7 - the cost of discipleship
Proper 8 - the cost of discipleship (continued)
Proper 9 – God’s wisdom revealed in Jesus / “Come to me, all you that are weary…”
Proper 10 – the parable of the Sower
Proper 11 – the parable of the wheat and the weeds
Proper 12 – parables of the kingdom
Proper 13 – the feeding of the 5000
Proper 14 – Jesus walks on the water
Proper 15 - “it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs”
Proper 16 – the Confession of Peter at Caesarea Philippi
Proper 17 – First prediction of the Passion
Proper 18 - discipline and church life / “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them”.
Proper 19 – the parable of the unmerciful servant
Proper 20 – the parable of the labourers in the vineyard
Proper 21 – the question about authority; the parable of the two sons
Proper 22 – the parable of the wicked tenants
Proper 23 – the parable of the wedding banquet
Proper 24 – the question about tribute to Caesar
Proper 25 – the Great Commandment
Proper 4 (Sunday between 29 May and 4 June, if after Trinity Sunday) until Proper 25 (Sunday between 23 and 29 October). This latter may be displaced by Bible Sunday.
There are now about 26 weeks for us to consider our response to what we have heard in the first half of the year. I am well aware of the pressures on parish clergy, and the last thing they need is someone telling them how to do their job! These notes are therefore meant to be helpful and encouraging. In the ideal world of Christian ministry those who are responsible for preaching the Word would decide at this point how they are going to approach this second half of the year. One definite choice has to be made – that between Continuous Readings or Related Readings. Decide each year which track to follow, and do not jump from track to track as you go from Sunday to Sunday.
Continuous Readings present us with three unrelated readings each Sunday read semi-continuously.
Related Readings give us the Gospel read semi-continuously (as above); the second reading read semi-continuously (as above) BUT the OT Reading is chosen for its relationship in some way to the Gospel reading.
N.B. If you choose to have two readings only at a service, there is some logic in following Related Readings with the Gospel and its associated OT reading.
But there are other choices, too, which could be made, to your own advantage and that of the people to whom you preach. To give but one example : Continuous Readings offer us 12 weeks of Genesis – the lives of the Patriarchs. Think of this as an opportunity (yes) for many in the congregation who may not be aware of much outside Noah’s Ark and Joseph’s coat. The story of God’s dealings with this dysfunctional family may be centuries old, but in my experience it presents us with many opportunities to preach on current concerns, including Middle Eastern politics. However, I would not encourage you to spend the whole 26 weeks on the Old Testament readings!
Continuous readings
Old Testament Readings : overview
Genesis : 12 weeks
The Patriarchs : Noah, Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebecca, Jacob & Leah & Rachel, and Joseph.
Exodus : 9 weeks
most of the life of Moses – including the Ten Commandments (Proper 22).
Deuteronomy : 1 week
the death of Moses
New Testament Readings : overview
Romans (16 weeks )
Philippians (4 weeks)
1 Thessalonians (2 weeks)
Gospel Readings : overview
Matthew (22 weeks reading from chapter 7 to chapter 22).
Includes:
Proper 4 – the house on sand/rock
Proper 5 – Jairus’ daughter / the woman with haemorrhages
Proper 6 – the sending out of the 12
Proper 7 - the cost of discipleship
Proper 8 - the cost of discipleship (continued)
Proper 9 – God’s wisdom revealed in Jesus / “Come to me, all you that are weary…”
Proper 10 – the parable of the Sower
Proper 11 – the parable of the wheat and the weeds
Proper 12 – parables of the kingdom
Proper 13 – the feeding of the 5000
Proper 14 – Jesus walks on the water
Proper 15 - “it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs”
Proper 16 – the Confession of Peter at Caesarea Philippi
Proper 17 – First prediction of the Passion
Proper 18 - discipline and church life / “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them”.
Proper 19 – the parable of the unmerciful servant
Proper 20 – the parable of the labourers in the vineyard
Proper 21 – the question about authority; the parable of the two sons
Proper 22 – the parable of the wicked tenants
Proper 23 – the parable of the wedding banquet
Proper 24 – the question about tribute to Caesar
Proper 25 – the Great Commandment