Begin now to plan the new season with your team.
Michelle Hartman, Communications Director
Steele Creek, North Carolina, US
Dear Pastors, Hope Avenue Champions, and Worship Leaders,
The new worship year begins with Advent on November 29, 2026. As you prepare for the 2026–2027 liturgical year, we invite you to use the Revised Common Lectionary and the GCI resources below to help your teams plan Christ-centered worship gatherings throughout Year B.
You can find the new Year B 2026–2027 Pericope Summary here.
The pericope summary provides the selected passage for each week and identifies the dates when sermon bumper videos will be available. We encourage pastors and Hope Avenue teams to review the calendar together and plan beyond one week at a time whenever possible.
Sermon Preparation Resources
Each month, Equipper provides sermon outlines, commentary, and questions for the upcoming RCL passages. These resources are intended to support your preparation rather than serve as finished manuscripts. As you prepare, consider how the passage speaks into the life of your congregation and neighborhood. Your local stories, voice, and context help the message connect meaningfully with those gathered.
You can find the current RCL resources here or through the “RCL Resources” section of each monthly Equipper issue.
The RCL Sermon Archive also allows you to explore GCI sermon resources from previous lectionary cycles. Because the RCL repeats every three years, the archive can offer additional perspectives on the same passages.
The Gospel Reverb podcast features conversations with pastors, theologians, and ministry practitioners about the upcoming RCL passages. Each episode explores the biblical text and offers insights that can enrich sermon preparation. Excerpts from the corresponding episode are also included in the weekly sermon posts on Equipper.
Sermon Bumpers
Sermon bumpers will be provided for the dates marked in the Year B pericope summary. These short videos help introduce the theme of the passage and connect it with the worship season.
When a bumper is available, it will appear near the top of the corresponding sermon resource page. The video can be downloaded for use in your worship gathering.
Offering and Communion Starters
Each month, Equipper provides offering and Communion themes with sample scripts connected to the worship season and selected passages. These starters can be adapted to reflect the voice and context of your congregation.
Whenever possible, invite local leaders and members to share these messages. Hearing from different voices helps build congregational participation and reminds us that worship belongs to the whole body.
Worship Calendar Planning Resource
The worship calendar helps our congregations rehearse the story of Jesus throughout the year. It also gives pastors and ministry teams a shared rhythm for planning worship, discipleship, and neighborhood engagement.
The GCI Worship Calendar Church Hack offers practical guidance for planning seasonally, collaborating as a team, and connecting the worship calendar across the Avenues.
Prepare Together for Advent
Before Advent begins, gather your pastor and Hope Avenue team to review the Year B pericope summary and begin planning the season together. Consider the message of the season, the needs of your congregation, and how local voices can help your worship gathering point people to Jesus.
We hope these resources help your team plan worship gatherings that are rooted in Scripture, shaped by the story of Jesus, and responsive to the Spirit’s work in your congregation and neighborhood.
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