We were supposed to have been praying and reflecting on the same texts. But this last week, anyone who was using the CHP almanac, the SPCK almanac, or the NZ lectionary, would have been following Hosea and 1 Corinthians in the morning, and Genesis and Matthew in the evening. Those using the online chapel here, or the Common Worship Almanac, or other online forms of Common Worship (CofE) would have been using Joel, John, Leviticus, and 1 Timothy. I have been informed that the confusion arises about when the Church of England begins “Ordinary Time” (please note – this is different to Roman Catholic usage which starts the Sunday after Epiphany). The Common Worship calendar states Ordinary Time “begins on the day following the Presentation”. And I am assured that the online chapel followed that principle, and CHP, SPCK, and NZ have opted to begin “Ordinary Time” (CofE version for the offices) on the Sunday following the Presentation. Don’t worry: we are all back in step again this weekend.
More interestingly was when NZ Anglicans began using the Roman Catholic daily eucharistic lectionary (for Romaphobes in our church it was called the “Australian Anglican series”). Now Roman Catholics use a two year daily eucharistic lectionary with cycle 1 starting in even numbered years (so most of the year is in an odd numbered year – we are currently, 2009, in year 1). Our provincial liturgical leadership insisted that the rules had Year 1 starting in an odd numbered year. So Australian Anglicans and Roman Catholics were out of step with us, when, for example, 1997 we were in year 2. Ultimately they agreed with my letters that this was silly. 1998 we had a second year of year 2 and from then we have been in step with the rest of the eucharistic planet 🙂
