HOW THE LECTIONARY WORKS

Multidimensional in its approach and design, this online Lectionary offers a cycle of biblical readings for 60-plus liturgical moments (annual days) in each of three years. The Lectionary employs the extensive technological capacities of the Internet to enliven the multi-sensory imagination of those using this resource (e.g., provides artwork, musical, or poetic renderings related to the scriptural readings). The Lectionary now contains more than 2,500 pages of material!

The Lectionary serves as a guide that can be accessed whenever you need it. With some imagination, each user can make the lectionary commentaries, worship resources, and cultural resources useful for their worship or teaching experience. As the Holy Spirit leads you, make the Lectionary your own and enable it to bless the congregation you serve. 

The site offers search features that help you to find the materials you are looking for by subject matter. Simply go to one of three search boxes on the site (these are labeled Lectionary Commentaries, Worship Resources, or Cultural Resources), type in the words for the particular moment that you are looking for (such as “Women’s Day,” “Easter,” “Pastoral Installation Sunday,” or “Christmas”), and the material will appear. Be sure you know which year you want to search (Year One, Year Two, or Year Three). Years one and two are archived.

In some instances it may be quicker to select the year you wish to view, click it (or its corresponding archive), and scroll down the page and click the moment/annual day you want to use. If you choose this method, you will have to do the same for each area (Lectionary Commentaries, Worship Resources, and Cultural Resources).

Since the Lectionary is archived, materials that a preacher, worship leader, or lay leader did not get to use in previous years is available. This allows persons to visit the site throughout any year and access material as they need it. All materials have been prepared in a manner that will make them beneficial for years to come. Each year’s lectionary commentaries with accompanying worship resources, cultural resources, and illustrations can be used whenever a congregation wishes.

The calendars list the liturgical moments (annual days) for 2008, 2009, and 2010. Click the calendar buttons below to view and print the entire calendars for years one, two, or three. Or you can click on “Calendar” on the Home Page to be given an option to choose one of three subject areas—Lectionary Commentaries, Worship Resources, Cultural Resources—and to see all archived material.

Lectionary Commentaries will provide you with numerous ideas around which to build a sermon. If you need an illustration to accompany your sermon, click Sermon Illustrations, review the subject areas, decide which illustration is most likely to be appropriate, and click on that illustration to access the text.

If you need to design a worship service, Worship Resources will provide an entire worship service for the moment you are researching, and you can alter it to fit your congregation.

If you want cultural information for a particular day, Cultural Resources will offer history, poetry, songs, images, videos, and more related to that day on the calendar.

If your church has 750 members or less, visit the BIG IDEA page for information on how to launch ministries that will aid your congregation and your community. This section also features local and national funding resources and names and phone numbers of sister churches that you can contact. Just click the BIG IDEA box on the home page or the Issues & The BIG IDEA button on the home page to view this material. Archived material can be found on the right-hand side of this page.

You will also enjoy the Multimedia section of the lectionary. It features videos and audio used throughout the lectionary. All of this material is downloadable.

Be sure to also visit the following new sections beginning December 2009: The Sermon Development Corner (featuring important articles and essays on preaching), the Liturgical Colors Corner (featuring suggested colors for the African American Church Year), and a section that list the titles and publishing information for the more than four hundred Books Listed on the Lectionary website.

Thank you for visiting our website. Please send us e-mail at  info@theafricanamericanlectionary.org and give us your comments or questions.