The Christian church, following earlier Jewish tradition, has long used the seasons of the year as an opportunity for festivals and holidays, sacred time set aside to worship God as the Lord of life. While Jewish celebration revolves around the Exodus from Egypt, the Christian Church year focuses on the life and ministry of Jesus.

The Christian calendar is organized around two major centers of sacred time: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany; and Lent, Holy Week, and Easter, concluding at Pentecost. The rest of the year following Pentecost is known as Ordinary Time, from the word "ordinal," which simply means counted time (1st Sunday after Pentecost, etc.). It provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of the coming of Jesus and his commission to his people to be a light to the world.

The seasons follow the life of Jesus Christ, beginning with the preparation for his birth in Advent, the birth of the Christ child at Christmas, the journey of discipleship in Epiphany as the Wise Men follow the star to Bethlehem, the preparation for Jesus' passion and death during Lent and Holy Week, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead at Easter, and his ascension into Heaven. After his ascension, we receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and build our relationship with the risen Christ during this season.

The church year begins with the Advent of Our Lord, the four weeks of getting ready for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem on Christmas Day. Advent is a time of joyful preparation for the wonderful time when the Son of God came to earth to live as a person among regular people.

Christmas is a short season, beginning with Christmas Day, December 25, and continuing through until Epiphany. Christmas is a season of thankfulness for the goodness of God.

Epiphany begins on January 1, the day the Wise Men came to Bethlehem to worship the Baby Jesus. Epiphany is a season of worship, as the whole world follows the Wise Men to find and honor Jesus.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and is a season of self-examination and quiet contemplation of the mysteries of God. Christians prepare for the death of their sins and worldly selves with the death of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday as they follow his footsteps through Holy Week.

The Season of Easter begins with Easter Sunday. It is a glorious celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. It is a season of praise, as Christians glorify the risen Christ.

The Season of Pentecost begins with the Feast of the Pentecost, fifty days after Easter. Because Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven to all Christians, Pentecost is a season of evangelism and outreach, as Christians look for the presence of the Holy Spirit in everyone on earth.