Sacred Seasons: A Perpetual Liturgical Wall Calendar by A Sacred Journey - Review by Ali

Any visual learners out there?! 

I am one of those people who struggle with concepts that I can’t see. Diagrams, physical lists, and recipes with pictures have been a saving grace for me. As a youth minister, the reminder that some students are visual learners while others are not has led me to get a bit creative with some of my lessons and studies. I’m constantly on the lookout for visual aids that can provide a bit more clarity, but also that are pleasing to the eye and not overly child-like. What teenager do you know that wants to feel like the bible study they’re participating in was made for kids and just adapted for teens? You guessed it - none! 

You see, I’m an ordained minister in the Cooperative Baptist tradition. Most of our youth are familiar with the liturgical year, but they don’t really know what that rhythm looks like other than Advent, Lent, and Easter. 

This is where the Sacred Seasons, perpetual wall calendar, from A Sacred Journey comes in.

When teaching our youth about the liturgical year and the beautiful rhythm that it introduces into our faith, the Sacred Seasons calendar is my #1 teaching tool. Here are some of the specifics that make this an appealing companion to my weekly studies with youth: 

  • Durability: the paper quality on the calendar is thick and can withstand being carried around (as I do) when I’m using it during a specific series. Its spiral binding makes it incredibly flexible and you can flip from page to page without worrying about causing damage. 
  • Informative: There are so many layers of information! When you peel back the calendars first page, there’s a very brief overview of each liturgical season. Then, you move into the seasonal pages and each of these has its own page with detailed information and invitations that the season brings, in addition to a decorative page including illustrations and keywords.
  • Well Designed: The design of this calendar isn’t just practical, rather you’re being invited to enter into practices of the seasons with each turn of the page. The illustrations are simple and enticing while remaining meaningful, and I especially enjoy that each seasonal page has a colored background that corresponds to traditional colors used for that time. 

Now you know why I’m such a fan! If you’re looking for a resource that could help ease your children or students into understanding the rhythm of the liturgical year, this just might be for you. Do you have any visual aids or resources that you find have a perfect balance of information while still being beautiful and innovative? Let us know!


ABOUT ALI

Ali Chappell DeHay joined the Sacred Ordinary Days team as our Social Media Manager in October 2019. Ali responds to your comments and DMs on Facebook and Instagram and posts meaningful (and fun) content throughout the week. She’s creative, thoughtful, and seriously funny. Ali holds an MDiv, serves as a youth minister, and is on the Board of Texas Baptist Women in Ministry. She's also an excellent preacher, which Jenn attests to firsthand. Ali was raised in North Carolina and though she misses the East Coast, she and her husband have made a happy home together in Waco. She loves true crime podcasts, Italian food, sharing joy, and walks with her Australian Shepherd.