From Word to Worship: How the Lectionary Welcomes You into Sacred Time Through Story, Symbol, and Sacrament

Drawing out major themes and symbols of the Lectionary for the entire Church year, this book shows how all four daily readings relate to one another, magnify Christ, and bring to vivid life the story of God creating, pursuing, and redeeming His people. Perfect for preachers and any believer interested in holistic and ancient interpretation of Scripture. "Taking his readers from Advent through Ordinary Time, Michael Niebauer combines the melody of the church calendar with the harmony that the combined lectionary readings produce each week. From Word to Worship rightly argues that it is sacred time that weaves together Scripture's stories, symbols, and people. This book enables preachers and hearers alike to recognize the presence of Christ in all of Scripture. A great new textbook for my sacramental preaching course!" --Hans Boersma, Saint Benedict Servants of Christ Chair in Ascetical Theology, Nashotah House Theological Seminary, WI Experience How the Lectionary Unites Scripture, Seasons, and Liturgy in WorshipEvery week, millions of Christians across the world hear Scripture read from the Revised Common Lectionary: assigned weekly readings from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the Epistles, and the Gospels that have shaped Christian worship for centuries. These readings affirm that Christ is the center, the one who holds all things together. But it's not always obvious how these texts relate to one another--or to the church year, the liturgy, or the seasons of Advent, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost that surround them. In From Word to Worship, Anglican pastor and theologian Michael Niebauer unlocks the lectionary's full potential as a vehicle for Christian formation. He traces the church year and its major themes--from Advent to Ordinary Time--showing how the assigned readings are not randomly selected but carefully harmonized to magnify Christ, and how the church enacts these readings through its worship, liturgy, and sacramental life. From Word to Worship serves two audiences: ● For preachers--an indispensable aid for capturing the theological riches of the lectionary and preaching its texts in their full liturgical and canonical context ● For laypeople--a companion for navigating the seasons of the church year through a holistic, historically grounded reading of Scripture that connects Sunday worship to the larger story of salvation This is not a preaching manual or a liturgical calendar reference; it is a theological guide to understanding why the lectionary works and how to inhabit it more richly. For anyone who has ever sat in a pew--or stood in a pulpit--and wondered how the lectionary readings fit together, From Word to Worship is the guide you've been looking for.