WHY DO WE DO THAT? At the top of each Sunday’s bulletin you may have noticed
that it announces what “color” we are in. But what does that mean? The Church
has it’s own seasons which influence the theme of the worship services during
each season. The first season is Advent, and you will notice that the bulletin
will say that the color of the season is either blue or purple. Advent is that
season of the Church’s year that prepares us for celebrating Christmas. So,
just by looking at the altar or the pulpit or even the top of the bulletin, you
will see blue or purple; and you will know that we are in that season of the
Church’s year that emphasizes the coming of Jesus. Then comes Christmas-tide
which goes from Christmas to Epiphany (January 6). It’s color is white, and
tells you that we are celebrating the birth of Jesus. Epiphany comes next.
“Epiphay” is a Greek word meaning “revealing”. The theme of this season is how
Jesus was revealed to the whole world, not just the Jewish part of the world.
The color here is green; green for growth. Purple is the next color and is
symbolic of the season named Lent. This season stresses the sacrifice of Jesus,
and our part in making that sacrifice necessary. But then the story of Jesus
continues with Easter, and again, as with Christmas, the color is white. White
is often the color of celebration and purity (wedding gowns for example). So
whenever you see the color white in a church, you know that they are celebrating
either Christmas or Easter. Finally comes the color red; red like a flame; red
like the flames that came down on the disciples at Pentecost. We will often
change to green in Pentecost season, because this season not only remembers the
giving of the Holy Spirit through the flames of Pentecost but also the growth of
the Church by the gift of the Holy Spirit. So, just by knowing the color that
you see in church, you are being told a part of the Church’s story about Jesus
and the gift of God to us.