The African American Lectionary
The African American Lectionary is a resource tool that highlights the African American ecclesial traditions and recognizes days on the liturgical calendar that are celebrated across a variety of ecclesial traditions.
Desiring to create new national conversations concerning the use of Scripture in worship and preaching, the Reverend Martha Simmons, President and Publisher of The African American Pulpit journal, commissioned world-renowned scholars to assist in the creation of The African American Lectionary. A collaborative project of Hope for Life Intl. and the Kelly Miller Smith Institute of the Divinity School, Vanderbilt University, The Lectionary was launched in December of 2007.
The African American Lectionary is a resource tool that not only highlights the African American ecclesial traditions and moments that creatively express the joy, freedom, and the challenges of being both African American and Christian (e.g., Watch Night, African Heritage Sunday, Usher's Day, and Women's Day), but also recognizes days on the liturgical calendar that are celebrated across a variety of ecclesial traditions (e.g., Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost). By incorporating both the moments of significance across many African American ecclesial traditions, and some of the traditional moments of any lectionary cycle, The African American Online Lectionary allows users to select from a vast array of material that will exactly fit their congregation's needs and expectations.