Alternative Practice Of The Christian Year In The Free-church Tradition

The Christian year has been instrumental in shaping congregational identity as the people of God in contrast with the surrounding culture. The church has placed emphasis on the symbol of light. Ceremonies throughout the extraordinary time of the Christian year point to God's light shining in a dark world and his people as bearers of that light. From the beginning of our time together, our congregation had a deep conviction that we were a part of what God has already been doing for centuries in and through his people. As a newly formed community, we were also trying to discover what God intended the role of this particular congregation to be in today's culture in the city of San Francisco. We sought to discover what it would mean for us to be a people who reflect God's heart and character in our life together, a people whose values and attitudes are shaped by God, and not by the political and cultural climate of San Francisco. Shortly after our congregation was formed, we spent thre…