I've never completely understood why there hasn't been a fixed Sunday for Easter? Since we've arbitrarily decided on one for Christmas, why not for Easter? If it were up to me, I would pick the first or second Sunday in April for Easter.

We Baptists don't use the liturgical calendar.

It is the liturgical calendar which sets the date for Easter- the first Sunday after the first full moon which happens after the spring equinox. It is a co-opting of the spring fertility festival of Eostre, the germanic goddess of fertility. Thats where we get the bunny rabbit. The other option is to hold it on its historic date, which is tied to Passover. Good Friday is on Passover, which is the 15th day of the month of Nisan. The Hebrew calendar is a lunar one, so the date would change every year. This year it is Monday, April 18th. The 15th of Nisan is not always a Friday, so we'd have to all agree to hold Easter on the first Sunday of the 8 day Passover festival. 

A few years ago I heard a suggestion that the season of Pentecost be shortened. A new season, "Thanksgiving" would start on the first Sunday of October and run till the start of advent. It would be a season to focus on gratitude and stewardship. It would start on the date we used to call "World Wide Communion Sunday", a sign of our unity in God's self-giving. It would incorporate both the Canadian and American Thanksgiving celebrations.

In my last parish I was there for 9 years- three times through the 3 year lectionary cycle. So for Advent, I created a new cycle of readings just so it wouldn't get repetitive. And for the days like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, which have the same readings each year,  I found other readings in order to explore the fuller meaning of the day.

I do recall in the US the Methodists used to have a season called Kingdomtide, starting the last Sunday in August, running through to the first of Advent.  A few years back, there was a motion at Toronto Conference to designate a similar period (Sept-Oct-Nov) as the Season of Creation, or some such name, which didn't get very far. 

I sort of liked the Season of Creation idea, encompassing harvest and Thanksgiving and all that... maybe it's an idea worth re-consideration.

 At a meeting I was at the other night with members of our congregation we took note of the very late date of Easter this year and had a sort of tongue in cheek agreement that whatever anyone else does, Central United Church in Port Colborne should simply declare the first Sunday in April as Easter - for us at least!

Isn't there a 'Mardi Gras season' in the southern states.  Rather than just a day it runs for several weeks and ends on the Tuesday before lent.  I guess the season of Epiphany is cut short to make room for it.  

I do like the idea of a season of thanksgiving in the fall.  Pentecost is a long season - even in the years Easter is late and things get pushed back, Pentecost is still long.  

I would also like to see a new lectionary developed for scripture readings.  Pick up some of the stories we ignor or gloss over, and don't repeat the same stories quite so often. 

The Green Service Book (c.1968?) actually has a full "United Church Lectionary" (as opposed to the RCL) included in it and it has a "Season of Creation" in September/October/ November I believe. I've done a cycle through that UCC lectionary. It puts a different spin on things by putting everything in a different order.

I like the day the church has set aside for children. Is it in November - International day of the Child, I think.

Speaking of Easter.... why don't you folks actually time it to conform to Passover? That would make more sense, considering the Biblical events it's meant to commemorate.

Was thinking we could pick one particular Sunday in a year and use it to honor all the founders-- Luther, Wesley, Otterbein, Calvin et al. 

Already there. Last Sunday of October - Reformation Sunday.

When I attended church on a regular basis I found myself waiting to hear about the things the 'outside world' talked about.  I didn't hear about mental illness, mental or physical abuse, energy conservation, interfaith dialogue, supporting the bereaved (terminally ill etc) at church.  These things were talked about over coffee with non-church people - and then we went forth and did our limited best to do that caring.  Church people only seemed to talk about fundraising.

So how about having a -

Pastoral Care Sunday - bringing out the idea that it isn't just for the ordained.

A Bible sunday when everyone is reminded that reading there Bible is a productive thing to do.

Gratitude Sunday (not Thanksgiving that stresses how fortunate we are to have the health to grow produce or the cash to buy groceries).  Just Gratitude for breth, adequate food, ability to get around etc

Creation Care sunday (do we really need to take trips to Mexico etc)

Graceful receiving sunday when we practise recognising the opportunities for  graceful receiving instead of waiting for thanks after giving.

Holy Equality sunday - when we remind each other of the intrinsic holiness of the local 'untouchables'.  (Around here it is the GLBT population, First Nations people, those using the Food Bank, and others)

Imagination sunday - everyone imagines themselves as a member of the 'untouchables' and gets themselves to church wearing inadequate clothing, without using there car, and has no cash for the plate or the lunch to follow the service.

kay - great ideas for emphasis, either on designated Sundays or periodically throughout the year. 

While there is always room for improvement, my church is pretty good at pastoral care.  People reached out to me and Seelergirl when we needed it.  I've seen the same care and compassion, and practical help given to other in crisis time.  Today's bulletin ask for a volunteer to provide transportation for a young blind man from university residence to church during the cold weather (he was walking but it is too cold and dangerous with high snow banks and extremely limited vision).  Also we are now working on a team of three or four lay leaders (including me) to lead worship services at the special care and nursing homes, to assist the retired minister who has been doing it.    But there are probably a lot of people who slip through the cracks.