Dates:

The Season After Pentecost lasts from the day after Pentecost to the day before Advent.

Colors:

In most churches, the decorations are green to symbolize the growth and life of the Church. You can read more about color in worship.

The East:

In Orthodox churches, this season lasts from the day after Pentecost through 14 November.

Special Days:

See below.

Pentecost

Pentecost is a Jewish festival that falls on the fiftieth day of Passover. In biblical times, Jews from all over the Roman Empire gathered in Jerusalem for the festivities of Pentecost. On the Pentecost after Jesus’ resurrection—ten days after Jesus had ascended into heaven—the eleven apostles and other believers were gathered together in one place, when they were suddenly empowered by the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel. They went out into the crowds and attracted attention by preaching in the native languages of all the people present. This created quite a stir. Peter seized the opportunity to address the crowd, preached Jesus’ death and resurrection, and won several thousand converts.

These events are recorded in Acts 2:1-41.

Accordingly, Pentecost is celebrated by Christians as the birthday of the Church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Since the Jewish Pentecost is the fiftieth day of Passover, the Christian Pentecost is the fiftieth day of Easter.

Pentecost is not the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit made His first appearance in Genesis 1:2! Rather, Pentecost is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on human flesh to give birth to the Church.

The Season After Pentecost

Essentially the part of the year that is left over after everything has been accounted for. The name of this season varies widely from church to church—it can be called Kingdomtide, Dominiontide, or Ordinary Time. In most churches, the general theme of the Bible readings and sermons concerns the church’s mission in the world.

The Season After Pentecost begins on the day after Pentecost. In the western Church, it ends on the Saturday before the First Sunday of Advent. In the eastern Church, it ends on 14 November.

The main holy days during this season are as follows:

The Lutheran Church

• Trinity Sunday, the Sunday after Pentecost, the celebration of the Holy Trinity.

• The Transfiguration. In many churches, 6 August is the commemoration of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor. In the Revised Common Lectionary, it has been moved to the Last Sunday After the Epiphany.

• Holy Cross Day, 14 September, originally commemorates the alleged discovery of the true cross in Palestine in the fourth century. In Lutheran churches, it is the occasion for preaching on the theology of the cross.

• All Saints’ Day, 1 November, the Christian Memorial Day on which all who died for their testimony of Jesus are remembered. Many American churches use All Saints’ Day as an educational, Christian alternative to the secular Halloween, by having a party and a special service for children, who dress in costumes to represent heroes of the Christian faith. The practice of having a harvest festival to avoid the secular Halloween is ironic, since that puts us right back into the pagan things we were trying to avoid. The word Halloween itself is a contraction of All hallows’ evening, which is the original English-language Christian term for All Saints’ Eve. (‘Hallow’ is an old word for ‘saint.’)
  
  Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day on 31 October. Martin Luther posted his debate topics on the day before All Saints’ Day to take advantage of the crowds who would pass by on their way to services.

The Eastern Church

• All Saints’ Day, The Sunday after Pentecost, the Christian Memorial Day on which all who died for their testimony of Jesus are remembered. Eastern Christians celebrate Trinity Sunday on Pentecost.

• Holy Cross Day, 14 September, originally commemorates the alleged discovery of the true cross in Palestine in the fourth century.

• The Transfiguration, 6 August, the commemoration of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ on Mount Tabor.

A great thank you for Ken Collin's work on these subjects. 
We credit all of this work to him

The Rev. Kenneth W. Collins
13704 Helmsly Court
Centreville, VA 20120-2091

ken@kencollins.com
http://www.kencollins.com
703-802-1697

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