Resources for a Rich Ordinary Time
I was an adult with a baby before I ever heard about Ordinary Time. The tradition I grew up in didn't celebrate the liturgical year but I had found great depth and delight in learning to celebrate Lent then Advent.
One year, my husband found the beautiful book that will be the first of my favorite resources for summer Ordinary Time, one of two seasons of the church without special holidays or glitter or pomp.
This stretch of Ordinary Time lasts from Pentecost Sunday to Advent, in the Northern Hemisphere, corresponding with summer heat and sometimes sporadic church attendance because of travel and different family rhythms.
The following are some resources I've loved using to anchor the long weeks with wonder, ritual, and meaning:
At The Still Point by Sarah Arthur is my favorite go-to devotion/quiet time companion since it’s the one that introduced me to the concept of Ordinary Time and is a literature-lover’s delight. Each week has a prayer, a scripture reading, a poem or passage from a book that highlights the theme of the week, an invitation for reflection and a closing prayer. I find the selections from literature to be stirring and fresh.
I may have missed the boat on Pentecost, but this is still such a beautiful addition to any home or church library. Josey Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit by Esau McCaulley was written to his daughter as an affirmation of her being made in the image of God and also a celebration of how the Holy Spirit was a gift for ALL people.
Most Days by Michael Leannah isn’t explicitly about the church’s Ordinary Time, but it is a mindful invitation to savor ordinary moments, ordinary days. Featuring diverse illustrations including people of many colors and also assistive devices like wheelchairs and hearing aids, this dreamy book reminds me of God’s kingdom breaking into our every day world with beauty and weight.
I’ve enjoyed this little book throughout the year and it would be another good daily meditation resource for Ordinary Time. It includes prayers, short readings from Christian writers and thinkers, a chance for reflection and prayer, a hymn and benediction.
I’ve read Laura Alary’s book Look! with my children for Advent but Breathe: A Child’s Guide to Ascension, Pentecost and Growing Time is the first book I’ve ever seen for kids describing Ordinary Time in the church as a season to savor. With stirring illustrations and a focus on the ongoing work of the Spirit through God’s people in the world, this is a treasure that’s really unique.
And last but not least, The Soil and the Seed Project has put together a fantastic resource for Ordinary Time that includes liturgies, music, and art. You can read about it on my post here.
Has your family or faith community celebrated Ordinary Time? What are your favorite resources or practices for deepening faith between the high times in the church calendar?
