Katie Luther Posts

Celebrating the Church Year In May

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By Marie McNary

Are you ready to start May celebrating our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? I sure am!

This month as we study and learn more about the Church Year, I want to take us to the Treasury of Daily Prayer. This book is a daily devotional resource written around the Christian Church Year. (In case you missed it, this site just had a post walking you through the book. Dust off your copy (or head over to CPH and buy one or borrow a copy from your Church library) and get a great overview of each day we celebrate this month.

May 1: St. Philip and St. James, Apostles

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Page 1292
What we plan to do: Philip posed the question to Jesus about where to buy the bread and feed the five thousand. We are reading the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and having a special dinner of grilled fish & homemade bread.

May 2: Athanasius of Alexandria, Pastor and Confessor

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Page 1292-93 The Athanasian Creed was not composed by Athanasius, but is named in his honor because it confesses the doctrinal orthodoxy he championed throughout his life.
What we plan to do: Read the Athanasian Creed together from the Hymnal.

May 3: Fifth Sunday of Easter

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Pages 265-268 Want to read how a fellow LCMS family celebrated Easter? 

May 4: Friedrich Wyneken, Pastor and Missionary

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Pages 1293-1294 Learn more about Friedrich Wyneken.

May 5: Frederick the Wise, Christian Ruler

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Pages 1294-1295 Check out the new book about Frederick the Wise and why he risked his realm to protect Martin Luther.

May 7: C. F. W. Walther

Theologian Treasury of Daily Prayer, Pages 1295-1296 Read a little more about C.F.W. Walther. Issues, Etc. has many great podcasts where Walther is addressed.

May 9: Job

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Page 1296 Read the book of Job in the Bible. (Or at least skim through the 42 chapters. Remind yourself about Job’s faith, how he was tested, what he endured, and how he responded. Use this as a chance to reflect on how we handle trials and temptations in our life. Do we try to fix the problem ourselves, or do we put it in the hands of the one true God?)

May 10: Sixth Sunday of Easter Treasury of Daily Prayer, Pages 286-289 This family celebrated the season of Easter with cakes – Yum!  Read the book of Esther in the Bible.

May 11: Cyril and Methodius, Missionaries to the Slavs

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Pages 1296-1297 Read about Cyril and Methodius here.

May 14: Ascension of our Lord

Read Acts 1:1-11 from the Bible. Ways to celebrate Ascension Day (Jesus’s Coronation Day) with your family.

May 17: Seventh Sunday of Easter

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Pages 307-310 Because you can never have too many books

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May 21: Emperor Constantine, Christian Ruler, and Helena, Mother of Constantine

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Pages 364-365 & 1297-1298 Read more about Constantine here.

May 24: Esther Treasury of Daily Prayer, Page 373 & 1289
Ideas for commemorating Esther in your home.

May 24: Day of Pentecost

Read more about Pentecost here and ways to celebrate with your family.

May 25: Bede the Venerable, Theologian

Treasury of Daily Prayer, Page 376 & 1299 Read more about Bede the Venerable here.

May 31: The Visitation Treasury of Daily Prayer, Page 393, 1299-1300

The Holy Trinity

Please share with us in the comments how you and your family are celebrating the church year. Have a wonderful May celebrating our Lord and Savior in all that we say and do.

Photo credit to Chrissy Farnan. Creative Commons license.

3 Comments

  • Mrs. Hume

    Hey, thanks so much for this. This is great for our family.

    What do you suggest for a hymn to learn for the month of May?

    I am not super musical, but my kids love music.

  • KatyH

    Mrs. Hume, does your church use the Growing in Christ Sunday School curriculum? If so, you should get a CD each quarter with hymns, memory verses and catechism, set to music. Pick one of the hymns in the Spring CD! Also ask your Sunday School teachers if the children are learning anything, so you can practice at home (no need to reinvent the wheel) We are learning “I am Jesus Little Lamb” for Easter. I haven’t picked a Pentecost hymn, yet.

  • Marie

    @Mrs. Hume #1

    Hi Mrs. Hume. Glad you enjoyed the post and will find it helpful! I’m a fan of keeping the Easter Hymns going through May. Our family enjoys LSB 422 “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” because it is one our kiddos sang with Sunday School so it is fun to reintroduce at home.

    If you have a favorite hymn, or hear one on Sunday that you enjoy, I’d start there. I’m not musical either, so I always tend to start with the hymns I can carry a tune for and are somewhat familiar to the children.

    Blessings as you celebrate the church year in May!

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