For those Christian denominations
that follow the liturgical calendar, the church year begins with the first
Sunday in Advent, four Sundays before Christmas, and is divided into
seasons. During the first half of the
year, from Advent through Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter, and concluding
with the festival of Pentecost, scripture readings focus on the life of
Jesus. The second half, between
Pentecost and the beginning of Advent, emphasizes the ministry and teachings of
Jesus. Trinity Sunday, which the Western
Christian world just celebrated on May 22, and Christ the King Sunday, which
will fall this year on November 20, are the pivot points between these two
major divisions in the calendar.
