Seasons and Festivals, Special Days and Other Celebrations
Wood carving by Lie Yee Wan, 1969
As the church keeps time with Christ through the year, we observe several different kinds of occasions.
- First, there are the seasons and festivals of the Christian year. These are organized around the life, death and resurrection of Christ (such as Easter), events in the story of salvation (such as Pentecost), or theological doctrines (such as Trinity Sunday) and tend to be recognized across denominations.
- Second, there are programmatic emphases of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). These are related to the mission and ministry of this denomination and are promoted and resourced by various offices at the national level of the church. Examples include Celebrate the Gifts of Women, Mr. Rogers Day, and Special Offerings.
- Third, there other events in public life that may be acknowledged in congregations. At the national level, examples include Labor Day, Mother’s Day, and Veterans Day. At the local level, churches might celebrate congregational anniversaries, community gatherings or homecoming events.
This page provides an index to such occasions, with links to resources on the website of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Questions or suggestions about particular resources should be directed to the office, ministry area or agency responsible for that observance.
Note: The Scriptures of the Revised Common Lectionary are related to the first category (Christian year). Those who develop resources for the second and third categories may or may not choose to coordinate with the ecumenical lectionary.
General Prayer and Worship Resources
Presbyterian Peacemaking Devotional
Alphabetical Listing
A
Advent & Christmas Devotional 2021, “Come to Bethlehem and Be Nourished”
Africa Day
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
B
C
Christian and Citizen; Election Day
College and Young Adult Sunday
D
Day of Prayer for the Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula
E
Educate a Child, Transform the World
F
First Sunday of Advent
G
Gifts of New Immigrants
Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence
H
Health Awareness and Prayer for Healing
Higher Education/Collegiate Ministries
Holocaust Remembrance Day
Holy Week
Honest Patriotism for Christian Citizens
Human Trafficking Awareness Day
I
Immigration Sunday
International Day of Farmers’ Struggles
International Women’s Day
J
Justice Advocacy Sunday
L
Labor Day
M
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
Matthew 25: Building Congregational Vitality Sunday
Matthew 25: Dismantle Structural Racism Sunday
Matthew 25: Eradicating Systemic Poverty Sunday
Memorial Day Observed
Multicultural Church; Immigration
N
Nativity Fast
National Gun Violence Awareness Day
National Suicide Prevention Month
New Year’s Day
O
Older Adult Week and Wills Emphasis Sunday
One Thousand and One (1001) New Worshiping Communities
P
Palestinian Nakba Remembrance Day
Peace & Global Witness Offering
Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies
Presbyterians Affirm Black Lives Matter
Presidents Day
R
Race Relations/Racial & Intercultural Justice
Rural Life
S
Self-Development of People Sunday
A Social Creed for the 21st Century
T
Thanksgiving Day
Theological Education/Seminary
Thursdays in Black
Transgender Day of Remembrance
U
V
Veterans Day
W
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
World AIDS Day; Presbyterian HIV/AIDS Awareness
World Community Day
World Day of Prayer
World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
Y
Young Adult Volunteer Commissioning Sunday
Chronological Listing
(Go to Alphabetical Listing)
January
New Year’s Day (Jan. 1. 2023)
Human Trafficking Awareness Day (Jan. 11, 2023)
Matthew 25: Dismantle Structural Racism Sunday (Jan. 15, 2023)
Racial & Intercultural Justice/Presbyterians Affirm Black Lives Matter (Jan. 15, 2023)
Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday (Jan. 16, 2023)
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins (Jan. 18, 2023)
Per Capita Sunday (Jan. 22, 2023)
February
Presbyterian Federal Chaplaincies (Feb. 5, 2023)
Souper Bowl of Caring (Feb. 5, 2023)
Thursdays in Black (Feb. 9, 2023)
Camp and Retreat Sunday (Feb. 12, 2023)
Presbyterian Media Sunday (Feb. 5, 2023)
Presidents’ Day (Feb. 20, 2023)
PDA Blue T-Shirt Sunday (Feb. 26, 2023)
Forgiveness Sunday (Feb. 26, 2023)
First Sunday in Lent (Feb. 26, 2023)
March
World Day of Prayer (March 3, 2023)
Celebrate the Gifts of Women (March 5, 2023)
International Women’s Day (March 8, 2023)
Self-Development of People (March 12, 2023)
Matthew 25: Building Vital Congregations Sunday (March 19, 2023)
Mr. Rogers Day (March 20, 2023)
Justice Advocacy Sunday (March 26, 2023)
April
Resurrection of the Lord/Easter; One Great Hour of Sharing (April 9, 2023)
International Day of Farmers’ Struggles (April 17, 2023)
Holocaust Remembrance Day (April 18, 2023)
Earth Day (April 22, 2023)
Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day (April 24, 2023)
Older Adult Week begins (April 30, 2023)
May
Mental Health Awareness Month begins (May 1, 2023)
Foster Care Month begins (May 1, 2023)
National Day of Prayer (May 4, 2023)
May Friendship Day (May 5, 2023)
National Day of Awareness and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (May 5, 2023)
Legacy Giving Sunday (May 7, 2023)
Fair Trade Day (May 13, 2023)
Mother’s Day (May 14, 2023)
Palestinian Nakba Remembrance Day (May 15, 2023)
Intercultural Church Sunday (May 21, 2023)
Presbyterian Heritage Sunday (May 21, 2023)
Africa Day (May 25, 2023)
1001 New Worshiping Communities (May 27, 2023)
Pentecost Offering (May 28, 2023)
June
National Gun Violence Awareness Day (June 2, 2023)
Father’s Day; Presbyterian Men (June 18, 2023)
Juneteenth (June 19, 2023)
World Refugee Day (June 20, 2023)
Season of Prayer and Reflection in the Korean Peninsula begins (June 25–Aug. 15, 2023)
July
Immigration Sunday (July 2, 2023)
Independence Day (July 4, 2023)
August
Hiroshima Day (Aug. 6, 2022)
College and Young Adult Sunday (Aug. 7, 2022)
Day of Prayer for the Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula (Aug. 14, 2022)
Youth in the Church and World (Aug. 14, 2022)
Public Education (Aug. 21, 2022)
Young Adult Volunteer Commissioning Sunday (Aug. 21, 2022)
September
World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (Sept. 1, 2023)
National Suicide Prevention Month begins (Sept. 1, 2023)
Season of Peace begins (Sept. 3, 2023)
Labor Day and A Social Creed for the 21st Century (Sept. 4, 2023)
Presbyterian Higher Education (Sept. 8, 2023)
Christian Formation Week begins; Christian Formation Celebration (Sept. 10, 2023)
September 11 Anniversary (Sept. 11, 2023)
Theological Education/Seminaries (Sept. 17, 2023)
Evangelism Sunday (Sept. 17, 2023)
Native American Day (Sept. 20, 2023)
International Day of Peace (Sept. 21, 2023)
Gifts of New Immigrants (Sept. 24, 2023)
October
Mental Illness Awareness Week begins (Oct. 2, 2023)
World Communion; Peace & Global Witness Offering (Oct. 3, 2023)
Indigenous Peoples Day (Oct. 10, 2023)
Children’s Sabbath; Educate a Child, Transform the World (Oct. 15, 2023)
World Food Day (Oct. 16, 2023)
Young Adult Volunteer Program (Oct. 23, 2023)
United Nations Day (Oct. 24, 2023)
Reformation Sunday (Oct. 29, 2023)
November
World Community Day (Nov. 3, 2023)
Election Day; Honest Patriotism for Christian Citizens (Nov. 7, 2023)
Veterans Day (Nov. 11, 2023)
Hunger and Homelessness (Nov. 12, 2023)
Transgender Day of Remembrance (Nov. 20, 2023)
Matthew 25: Eradicating Systemic Poverty Sunday (Nov. 26, 2023)
Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 23, 2023)
Nativity Fast; Giving Tuesday (Nov. 28, 2023)
Giving Tuesday (Nov. 29, 2022)
December
World AIDS Day; Presbyterian HIV/AIDS Awareness (Dec. 1, 2023)
Human Rights Day (Dec. 10, 2023)
Christmas Joy Offering (Dec. 24, 2023)