Time That Moves Differently

Working in a church means living by a different kind of calendar. While the rest of the world counts time by quarters or holidays, we walk through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time. This rhythm is older than our to-do lists and more intentional than the rush of modern life.

When I first started working at St. John’s Church, I saw the church calendar as more of a planning tool than anything else. It helped us schedule events, prepare worship bulletins, and keep our programs in order. But over the years, I’ve come to see it differently. The seasons of the church are not just organizational tools. They are spiritual teachers.

They offer a pattern for reflection, renewal, and growth. And they remind us that faith, like life, moves in seasons.

Advent: The Power of Waiting

The church year begins with Advent, a season of waiting. It is not a rush toward Christmas. It is a slow, intentional time of hope and preparation.

In my personal life and in leadership, I have often struggled with waiting. I want answers now. I want progress today. But Advent reminds me that waiting can be holy. It teaches me to pay attention. To prepare quietly. To trust that something meaningful is coming, even if I cannot see it yet.

There are seasons when growth looks like stillness. When the best thing we can do is light a candle, take a breath, and believe that God is at work beneath the surface.

Christmas and Epiphany: Light in the Ordinary

When Christmas finally comes, it reminds us that God shows up in small, ordinary places. In a manger. In a newborn child. In the quiet joy of community and tradition.

Then Epiphany extends that light outward. It is the season of revelation and clarity. The moment when something hidden becomes known.

For me, these seasons speak to the times when something finally clicks. When a new idea or a clear direction arrives after a long season of waiting. They remind me to be grateful for those flashes of clarity. They do not always last long, but they light the path ahead.

Lent: Honesty and Reflection

Lent is a season that invites us to slow down again, but in a different way. It is not just about giving something up. It is about looking inward. It is about naming what is broken and asking what needs to be healed.

In leadership, I have found Lent to be a helpful mirror. It asks hard but necessary questions. Am I leading with integrity? Am I caring for myself and others well? What do I need to release in order to make space for something better?

Lent reminds us that transformation often begins with honesty. And that we do not have to be afraid of what we find when we look inward.

Easter: Renewal and New Life

After the weight of Lent comes the joy of Easter. It is a season of celebration and resurrection. A season where we remember that hope is stronger than despair and life is stronger than death.

Easter is not just one Sunday. It lasts fifty days. And that tells me something important. Joy deserves space too. We are not meant to move quickly past the good news. We are meant to live in it. To soak in it. To let it fill us.

In the fast pace of life and work, I sometimes forget to celebrate. But Easter reminds me that part of spiritual growth is allowing ourselves to feel joy and gratitude fully.

Pentecost and Ordinary Time: The Work of Everyday Faith

Pentecost often feels like a burst of energy. The Spirit moves. The church is born. There is wind and fire and a sense of movement.

And then comes Ordinary Time, the longest stretch in the church year. No dramatic stories. No big feasts. Just steady, faithful living.

At first, I didn’t think much of Ordinary Time. It felt, well, ordinary. But over time, I’ve come to love it. This is where most of life happens. In the routines. In the day-to-day acts of care and service. In the consistency of showing up.

This season teaches me that growth often comes through consistency, not drama. That the Spirit works in meetings and meals just as much as in mountaintop moments.

Living the Rhythm

The church calendar is not something we just observe. It is something we live. And I believe it reflects the deeper patterns of our spiritual and emotional lives.

There are times for waiting.
Times for celebrating.
Times for looking inward.
Times for starting again.
And long stretches of faithful, steady presence.

When I align myself with these rhythms, I find that I live with more grace and less pressure. I stop expecting constant productivity and start honoring the season I am in.

Not every month will be Easter. Some will feel like Lent. Others will be quiet and steady like Ordinary Time. That is okay. All seasons have value.

What the Calendar Reminds Me

As I lead in our church and care for the details that make ministry possible, I often find comfort in the church calendar. It reminds me that I do not have to do it all at once. That growth takes time. That grace is real.

It helps me be patient with myself and others. It gives structure without pressure. And it invites me to see every part of the journey as holy.

So whether I am preparing for a big event or simply replying to emails, I try to remember the rhythm. I try to let the seasons of the church shape the seasons of my soul.

Because in the end, that rhythm is not just tradition. It is a gift that helps us grow—one season at a time.