Pentecost commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles in Jerusalem fifty days after Easter. The Spirit descended as tongues of fire, empowering the apostles to proclaim the gospel in every tongue. The result was the conversion of people from many nations and the baptism of thousands of families. Pentecost thereby fulfilled the…
Ascension Day: A Rookie Anglican Guide
Ascension Day commemorates Jesus’ Ascension from earth to heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection.
Today in the Spirit: Easter 7A (Sunday After Ascension)
The Sunday after Ascension Day is the seventh Sunday of the Easter season (just as Pentecost Sunday is the eighth Sunday of Easter). Titling the Sunday as such in the BCP 2019 is a return to the tradition of earlier Anglican Prayer Books, which distinguished Ascensiontide (the ten-day period from Ascension Day to Pentecost) from…
Today in the Spirit: Easter 6A
Easter 6 Sunday is the last before Ascensiontide, the ten-day period between the remembrance of Jesus’ ascension on the Thursday following this Sunday and Pentecost Sunday. From earlier prayer books, the BCP 2019 has restored the title “Rogation Sunday” to this day. Rogation comes from the Latin rogatio which means “asking.” This Sunday precedes the…
Daily Office Booklet 2026: May–August
Good news! We’ve completed the latest edition of the Daily Office Booklet. Beginning to pray the Daily Office is a great way to start the New Year. This edition will guide you through Morning and Evening Prayer, using the lectionary readings from May through August 2026. As always, we’ve rendered PDFs for you to print in both booklet and…
Today in the Spirit: Easter 5A
By Easter 5A, we have noticed in our Sunday worship that this year the church is leading us through a series of the “I am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John. In fact, five of the seven “I am” statements in John are contained in the assigned Gospel readings over nine weeks from…
Today in the Spirit: Easter 4A (Good Shepherd)
Easter 4 is Good Shepherd Sunday every year. The collect and most of the readings through the three-year cycle on this day make explicit reference to God as the shepherd of his people. The assigned Gospel readings for Easter 4 over the three years take us sequentially through most of John 10. Ironically, while we…
Today in the Spirit: Easter 3A
On Sunday, Easter 3, the church moves forward with its messaging on Christian living, grounded in the truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection and appearance. In Year A, the assigned Gospel reading out of Luke 24:13-35 recounts Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Luke’s skillful narration in this passage demonstrates…
Today in the Spirit: Easter 2A
The church reserves the six Sundays after Easter Day and before Pentecost Sunday for worshipers to contemplate the New Testament resurrection appearances of Jesus and his most significant teachings on life in the power of his resurrection. Our attention in this period is directed mainly to the Gospel of John, and especially our Lord’s last…
Hymn Guide: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
This hymn is nearly synonymous with Easter. It is sung in every church (worth its salt) on the morning of Easter Sunday. The title of its tune, so rousing with its many Alleluias, is simply EASTER HYMN. If you haven’t sung it, have you really celebrated Easter?
Spy Wednesday: A Choice Between Greed and Giving
Holy Wednesday is often called “Spy Wednesday” because it is the day in Holy Week that Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus and became a spy for the high priests. It is also the day that Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with costly ointment.
Holy Week at Anglican Cathedrals (2026)
ACNA cathedrals are an ideal destination for anyone wanting to experience Holy Week at its Anglican fullest! Whether it’s carrying Palms in procession to mark the triumphant entrance of Jesus, or special services of prayer and reflection marking the days leading up to Spy Wednesday and the traditional Triduum, the ACNA’s cathedrals provide some wonderful opportunities to observe Holy Week among the body of faithful believers.
