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Methodist Church of South Africa

Annual Lectionary Calendar
# Date Occasion Liturgical Colour Scripture Readings
1 JAN 05 Epiphany Sunday White or Gold Isa 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-7, 10-14 (UMH 795); Eph 3:1-12; Mt 2:1-12
2 JAN 12 Baptism of the Lord White or Gold Isa 43:1-7; Ps 29 (UMH 761); Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
3 JAN 19 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany; Human Relations Day Green Isa 62:1-5; Ps 36:5-10 (UMH 771); 1 Cor 12:1-11; John 2:1-11
4 JAN 26 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany; Ecumenical Sunday Green Neh. 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Ps 19 (UMH 750); 1 Cor 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21
5 FEB 02 4th Sunday after the Epiphany Green Jer 1:4-10; Ps 71:1-6 (UMH 794); 1 Cor 13:1-13; Luke 4:21-30
6 FEB 09 5th Sunday after the Epiphany; Scouting Sunday Green Isa 6:1-8, 9-13; Ps 138 (UMH 853); 1 Cor 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11
7 FEB 16 6th Sunday after the Epiphany Green Jer 17:5-10; Ps 1 (UMH 738); 1 Cor 15:12-20; Luke 6:17-26
8 FEB 23 7th Sunday after the Epiphany Green Gen 45:3-11, 15; Ps 37:1-11, 39-40 (UMH 772); 1 Cor 15:35-38, 42-50; Luke 6:27-38
9 MAR 02 Transfiguration Sunday White Ex 34:29-35; Ps 99 (UMH 819); 2 Cor 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36 (37-43)
10 MAR 05 Ash Wednesday Purple or Grey Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Ps 51:1-17 (UMH 785); 2 Cor 5:20b-6:10; Matt 6:1-6, 16-21
11 MAR 09 1st Sunday in Lent; Scouting Sunday Purple Deut 26:1-11; Ps 92:1-2.9-16 (810); Romans 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13
12 MAR 16 2nd Sunday in Lent Purple Gen 15: 1-12, 17-18; Ps 27 (UMH 758): Phil 3:17-4:1; Luke 13:31-35
13 MAR 23 3rd Sunday in Lent Purple Isa 55:1-9; Ps 63:1-8 (UMH 788); 1 Cor 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9
14 MAR 30 4th Sunday in Lent; UMCOR Sunday Purple Josh 5.9-12; Ps 32 (UMH 766); 2 Cor 5:16-21; Luke 15:1-3,11b-32
15 APR 06 5th Sunday in Lent Purple Isa 43:16-21; Ps 126 (UMH 847); Phil 3.4b-14; John 12:1-8
16 APR 13 Passion/Palm Sunday Purple or Red Palms Lit: Luke 19:28-40; Ps 118:1-2, 19-29 (UMH 839) Passion Lit: Isa 50:4-9; Ps 31:9-16 (UMH 764); Phil 2:5-11; Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49
17 APR 14 Monday of Holy Week Purple or Red Isa 42:1-9; Ps 36:5-11 (UMH 743); Heb 9:11-15; John 12:1-11
18 APR 15 Tuesday of Holy Week Purple or Red Ise 49;1-7; Ps 71:1-14 (UMH 794); 1 Cor 1:18-31; John 12:20-36
19 APR 16 Wednesday of Holy Week Purple or Red Isa 50:4-9; Ps 70 (UMH 793); Heb 12:1-3; John 13:21-32
20 APR 17 Maundy Thursday Purple or Red Exod 12:1-4, 5-10, 11-14; Ps 116:1-4, 12-19 (UMH 837); 1 Cor 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35
21 APR 18 Good Friday No Color Isa 52:13-53:12; Ps 22 (UMH 752); Heb 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42
22 APR 19 Easter Eve / Easter Vigil White or Gold Job 14:1-14; Ps 31:1-4, 15-16; 1 Peter 4:1-8; Matt 27:57-66
23 APR 20 Easter; Festival of God’s Creation Sunday White or Gold Acts 10:34-43; Ps 118:1-2, 14-24 (UMH 839); 1 Cor 15:19-26; John 20:1-18 or Luke 24:1-12
24 APR 27 2nd Sunday of Easter White or Gold Acts 5:27-35; Ps 150 (UMH 862); Rev 1:4-8; John 20:19-31
25 MAY 04 3rd Sunday of Easter; Native American Ministries Sunday White or Gold Acts 9:1-6 (7-20); Ps 30 (UMH 762); Rev 5:11-14; John 21:1-9
26 MAY 11 4th Sunday of Easter; Mother’s Day; Festival of the Christian Home White or Gold Acts 9:36-43; Ps 23 (UMH 754); Rev 7:9-17; John 10:22-30
27 MAY 18 5th Sunday of Easter; Heritage Sunday White or Gold Acts 11:1-18; Ps 148 (UMH 861); Rev 21:1-16; John 13:31-35
28 MAY 25 6th Sunday of Easter White or Gold Acts 16:9-15; Ps 67 (UMH 791); Rev 21:10,22-22:5; John 14:23-29
29 MAY 29 Ascension Day White or Gold Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47 (UMH 781); Eph 1:15-23; Luke 24:44-53
30 JUN 01 7th Sunday of Easter; Ascension Sunday White or Gold Acts 16:16-34; Ps 97 (UMH 816); Rev 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21; John 17:20-26
31 JUN 08 Pentecost Red Acts 2:1-21; Ps 104:24-34, 35b (UMH 826); Rom 8:14-17; John 14:8-17 (25-27)
32 JUN 15 Trinity Sunday; Peace with Justice Sunday; Father’s Day White or Gold Prov 8:1-4, 22-31; Ps 8 (UMH 743); Rom 5:1-5; John 14:8-17, 25-27
33 JUN 22 2nd Sunday after Pentecost Green 1 Kings 19:1-15a; Ps 42 (UMH 777); Gal 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39
34 JUN 29 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Green 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Ps 77:1-2, 11-20 (UMH 798); Gal 5:1. 13-25; Luke 9:51-62
35 JUL 06 4th Sunday after Pentecost Green 2 Kings 5:1-14; Ps 30 (UMH 762); Gal 6:(1-6), 7-16; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
36 JUL 13 5th Sunday after Pentecost Green Amos 7:7-17; Ps 82 (UMH 804); Col 1:1-14; Luke 10:25-37
37 JUL 20 6th Sunday after Pentecost Green Amos 8:1-12; Ps 52 or 82 (UMH 804); Col 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42
38 JUL 27 7th Sunday after Pentecost Green Has 1:2-10; Ps 85 (UMH 806); Col 2:6-15 (16-19); Luke 11:1-13
39 AUG 03 8th Sunday after Pentecost Green Hos 11:1-11; Ps 107:1-9, 43 (UMH 830); Cal 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21
40 AUG 10 9th Sunday after Pentecost Green Isa 1:1, 10-20; Ps 50:1-8, 22-23 (UMH 783); Heb 11:1-3, 8-16; Luke 12:32-40
41 AUG 17 10th Sunday after Pentecost Green Isa 5:1-7; Ps 80:1-2, 8-19 (UMH 801); Heb 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49-56
42 AUG 24 11th Sunday after Pentecost Green Jer 1:4-10; Ps 71:1-6 (UMH 794); Heb 12;18-29; Luke 13:10-17
43 AUG 31 12th Sunday after Pentecost Green Jer 2:4-13; Ps 81:1, 10-16 (UMH 803); Heb 13:1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14
44 SEP 07 13th Sunday after Pentecost Green Jer 18:1-11; Ps 139:1-6, 13-18 (UMH 854); Philem 1:17-27; Luke 14:25-33
45 SEP 14 14th Sunday after Pentecost; Grandparent’s Day Green Jer 4:11-12, 22-28; Ps 14 (UMH 746); 1 Tim 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10
46 SEP 21 15th Sunday after Pentecost Green Jer 8:8-9:1; Ps 79:1-9 or Ps 4 (UMH 741); 1 Tim 2:1-7; Luke 16:1-13
47 SEP 28 16th Sunday after Pentecost Green Jer 32:1-3a, 6-15; Ps 91:1-6, 14-16 (UMH 810); 1 Tim 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31
48 OCT 05 17th Sunday after Pentecost; World Communion Sunday Green Lam 1:1-6; Ps 137 (UMH 852); 2 Tim 1:1-14; Luke 17:5-10
49 OCT 12 18th Sunday after Pentecost Green Jer 29:1, 4-7; Ps 66:1-12 (UMH 790); 2 Tim 2:8-15; Luke 17:11-19
50 OCT 19 19th Sunday after Pentecost; Laity Sunday; Children’s Sabbath Green Jer 31:27-34; Ps 119:97-104 (UMH 750); 2 Tim 3:14-4:5; Luke 18:1-8
51 OCT 26 20th Sunday after Pentecost; Reformation Sunday Green Joel 2:23-32; Ps 65 (UMH 789); 2 Tim 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14
52 NOV 02 21st Sunday after Pentecost; All Saints Sunday Green or White Hab 1:1-4, 2:1-4; Ps 119:137-144 (UMH 840); 2 Thes 1:1-4, 11-12; Luke 19:1-10 All Saints Lections: Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18; Ps 149 (UMH 862); Eph 1:11-23i, Luke 6:20-31
53 NOV 09 22nd Sunday after Pentecost; Organ & Tissue Donor Sunday Green Hab 1.15b-2:9; Ps 145:1-5, 17-21 (UMH 857); 2 Thes 2:1-5, 13-17; Luke 20:27-38
54 NOV 16 23rd Sunday after Pentecost Green Isa 65:17-25; Ise 12 (UMH 839); 2 Thes 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19
55 NOV 23 Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday; Thanksgiving Sunday White Jer 23:1-6; Luke 1:68-79 (UMH 208); Col 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43 Thanksgiving Day Lections (White or Red) Deut 26:1-11- Ps 100 (UMH 824) Phil 4:4-9; John 6:25-35
56 NOV 30 1st Sunday of Advent; UM Student Day; Beginning Lectionary Year A Purple or Blue Isa 2:1-5; Ps 122 (UMH 845): Rom 13:11-14; Matt 24:36-44
57 DEC 07 2nd Sunday of Advent Purple or Blue Isa 11:1-10; Ps 72:1-7, 18-19 (UMH 795); Rom 15:4-13: Matt 3:1-12
58 DEC 14 3rd Sunday of Advent Purple or Blue Isa 35:1-10; Luke 1:46b-55 (UMH 199); James 5:7-10; Matt 11:2-11
59 DEC 21 4th Sunday of Advent Purple or Blue Isa 7;10-16; Ps 80:1-7, 17-19 (UMH 801); Rom 1:1-7; Matt 1:18-25
60 DEC 24 Christmas Eve White or Gold Isa 9:2-7; Ps 96 (UMH 815); Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
61 DEC 25 Christmas Day White or Gold Isa 52:7-10; Ps 98 (UMH 818); Heb 1:1-4 (5-12); John 1:1-14
62 DEC 28 1st Sunday after Christmas Day White or Gold Isa 63:7-9; Ps 148 (UMH 861); Heb 2:10-18; Matt 2:13-23

Liturgical Color Guide

White/Gold: Purity, Joy, Glory
Green: Growth, Hope
Purple: Preparation, Penitence
Red: Fire, Holy Spirit
Blue: Hope, Anticipation

Methodist Church of South Africa Lectionary | Scripture readings follow the Revised Common Lectionary

UMH references indicate hymn numbers in the United Methodist Hymnal

©2025 Methodist Church of South Africa

Easter Vigil Notes

Section Readings
Liturgical Color White or Gold
Old Testament Readings & Psalms
  • Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 136:1-9, 23-25 or Psalm 33 (UMH 767)
  • Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 and Psalm 46 (UMH 780)
  • Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16 (UMH 748)
  • Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18
  • Isaiah 55:1-11 and Isaiah 12:2-6
  • Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalm 42 (UMH 777)
  • Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143 (UMH 856)
New Testament Reading & Psalm Romans 3:6-11 and Psalm 114 (UMH 835)
Gospel Luke 24:1-12
Note: The Easter Vigil traditionally includes multiple readings that tell the story of salvation history. Churches may select some or all of these readings for their service.