Advent
From the Latin for “coming”, the for weeks before Christmas

Epiphany
Festival celebrated on January 6, marking the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus. The season of Epiphany lifts up the revelation of Christ to the whole world.

Transfiguration
The last Sunday in Epiphany recalling Christ’s transfiguration on the mountain.

Lent
From the Anglo-Saxon for “Spring”; the penitential forty day season (excluding Sundays) before Easter.  Symbolic of Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness.

Ash Wednesday
First day of Lent. Name derives from the ancient practice of placing ashes on worshipers’ foreheads.  Ashes symbolize repentance and mortality.

Holy Week
Recalls the events of the final week of Jesus’ life on earth.  It falls between Palm Sunday and Easter.

Palm Sunday
First day of Holy Week.  Commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem which would lead to his death.

Sunday of the Passion
First day of Holy Week, also known as Palm Sunday. (Depending on the focus of the worship that day) Commemorates both Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem and his crucifixion.

Maundy Thursday
From the Latin for “commandment”; the Thursday in Holy Weeks which commemorates the institution of Holy Communion and lifts up Jesus’ new commandment given to the disciples that they “love one another.” 

Good Friday
The Friday in Holy Week which observes Christ’s crucifixion and death.

Easter Vigil
Worship on Easter Eve which includes the lighting of the new fire and procession of the paschal candle, readings from Scripture that trace the salvation narrative beginning with Creation and continuing with God’s acts of deliverance up until the time of Christ, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil comprise what is known as the “Tridium” or from the Latin “three days”

Ascension
Festival occurring forty days after Easter which celebrates Jesus’ ascension to heaven.

Pentecost
From the Greek for “fifty”.  Festival occurring fifty days after Easter which celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the crowd gathered at Jerusalem.

Holy Trinity
First Sunday after Pentecost.  Celebrates the doctrine of the Trinity  - God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Reformation
The last Sunday in October.  This celebrates the birth of the reformation in history when Martin Luther broke with the Roman Catholic Church and Lutheranism was born.

All Saints
First Sunday in November when we lift up the saints - past, present and future.           

Christ the King
The last Sunday of the church year which celebrates the kingship of Christ.

Confirmation
The Affirmation of Baptism, marking the completion of a period of instruction in faith and theology.  Confirmands claim their faith beliefs that day as their own beliefs and not the borrowed beliefs of their parents which were given at the time of the confirmands’ baptism.

Sacrament
A rite commanded by Jesus which uses a common, earthly element along with words as a sign of God’s grace.  In the sacrament we receive the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life.  Lutherans have two sacraments:  Baptism and Holy Communion.

NIKA
A word that means “victory” or “conqueror” which refers to Jesus’ victory over the forces of evil and over death.