Learning about the Lectionary (Bible Readings)

• How the Bible reading selected for each Sunday worship?
  Our church, St. Stephen's follows a lectionary which is a list of assigned scripture readings for a particular day. Traditionally the lectionary has roots in Jewish worship.  The early Christians continued the practice of reading assigned texts.
  
  The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) uses the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL).  The RCL is used by Catholics, Presbyterians, Methodists and other Christian churches.  The readings include selected text from the Old Testament, a Psalm, a reading from the New Testament and a Gospel Reading.

• How often do you read through the Bible using the Lectionary for Sundays and Festivals?
  The Lectionary for Sundays and Festivals follows a three-year cycle.  The reading cycle is denoted by letter as A, B, or C.  Cycle A (2011-2012) includes readings from the Gospel of Matthew; Cycle B (2010-2011) includes the Gospel Mark; and Cycle C (2009-2010) includes the Gospel of Luke. The Gospel of John is interspersed throughout all three years.  
  
  Each year begins with the season of Advent (usually the last Sunday of November or first Sunday of December) and continues through Christ the King Sunday (the last Sunday after Pentecost).  Consequently, if a person worshipped every Sunday for three years, he or she would be able to hear the majority of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

• What are the reading for this year's Cycle?