A participant of our newcomer class, First Baptist 101, asked an excellent question: what do the colorful banners draped on the pulpit, communion table and around our ministers’ necks represent? Why do we redecorate the sanctuary every few months? FBG follows the liturgical calendar, meaning we keep track of “church time” and the “church calendar.” “Liturgical” comes from “liturgy,” a Greek word meaning the “work of the people,” describing public worship. The liturgical calendar keeps time by telling the story of Jesus’ birth, life, and death, and the story of the church. Each season has a color. The pulpit and communion table are draped with paraments—colorful cloths—and ministers wear vestments called stoles, which change with the season.
The year begins with Advent, a time of expectant hope and preparation for the birth of Jesus. Advent colors are blue and purple. Blue is associated with Mary, who bears the Christ child and the hope of the world. Purple represents royalty (a new King is born!) and repentance. Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve and continues through Epiphany in early January. Epiphany marks the presentation of Jesus by Mary and Joseph in the Temple and the end of his birthday season. The colors for Christmas and Epiphany are white and gold, representing light, joy, and life. Between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday, we observe Epiphany season, focusing on the good news of Jesus’ birth spreading into the world. The color is green, representing growth.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and continues through Holy Week. The color is purple, symbolizing repentance and Christ’s sovereignty. Historically, Lent was a season of reflection, penitence, and preparation for baptismal candidates. In the Medieval era, everyday Christians typically took communion and practiced baptism once a year, on Easter. The confession and repentance of Lent prepared them to receive communion or baptism with a restored spirit. Maundy Thursday, marking the Last Supper and Jesus’ arrest, is red, reminding us of Christ’s sacrificial blood. Paraments are removed on Good Friday to represent the grief of the crucifixion.
White and gold return on Easter morning and remain through the fifty days of Easter as Christians celebrate the resurrection. Other special feast days calling for white and gold include the Baptism of Christ (January), Transfiguration Sunday (February), Trinity Sunday (May or June), All Saints Day (November), and Reign of Christ Sunday (November). White is also used for weddings and funerals in remembrance of new life and resurrection hope.After Easter comes Pentecost, marking the arrival of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). Pentecost colors are red and orange, representing “tongues of fire.” Finally, we enter Ordinary Time, when we tell the story of the early church and commit to growth in faith. “Ordinary” comes from the Latin for “numbered” or “in order”—these are numbered weeks bridging Pentecost to Reign of Christ Sunday in November. Then we begin again with purple Advent paraments and a new liturgical year.
—Camille Loomis Rehnborg, Minister of Spiritual Formation and Outreach