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    2023 Liturgical Year A Planners are only available in PDF.    

Our 2023  Liturgical Year A  Daily and Weekly Planners come in an easy-to-use PDF format. Print at home, print professionally, or use with your favorite device. You'll find information on recommended print settings inside the PDF. 

The Sacred Ordinary Days Planner is designed to help you cultivate a whole life of prayer, work, rest, joy, and connection. You'll begin with naming and noticing what is and then identifying small tweaks to make things more effective, sustainable, or joyful. This life-giving rhythm of reflecting and resetting has been practiced for centuries and is not just for scholars, clergy, or the super-spiritual—it's for all of us. We hope our planner serves as your entry point and anchor to approaching this new-old way of being with humility, curiosity, and creativity.

A PLANNER TO HELP YOU CULTIVATE A WHOLE LIFE

• Spacious, gracious one page per day format 
  
• Weekly, seasonal, and yearly prompts to reflect & reset with the prayer of examen 
• Weekly scripture readings from the Revised Common Lectionary
• A weekly invitation into sabbath rest and joy
• The rhythm of seasons, holidays, and holy days that make up the Christian year (also called the liturgical calendar or church calendar) 
• Daily scripture texts from the Daily Office in the Book of Common Prayer  (daily format only)
• Short, daily breath prayers from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals
• The practice of creating—and living into—a “rule of life” 
• “How To” pages, resources, and reflections for the beginner and the master alike

The Sacred Ordinary Days Planner is the culmination of years of learning, listening, teaching, and walking alongside people—just like you—who were hungry for peace, presence, and purpose. Drawing from Jenn’s experience as a Minister and Spiritual Director, our planner is designed to help you prayerfully discern and faithfully do the work you are uniquely called to and created for. Anchor yourself as you offer your work as your prayer and your prayer as your work, while also making time and space for connection, rest, and play. Our hope is that our planner will help you do your work effectively, joyfully, and sustainably—no matter what your work is. 

Digital Download:

• Daily format: 480-page PDF
• Weekly format: 272-page PDF

Page Size:

• Daily format: 6.5" x 8"
• Weekly format:  6.5" x 8"

Sacred Ordinary Days retains the rights to all files on this site. Your purchase simply conveys the license agreement that grants permission to use the files. Attribution is preferred and always appreciated, but not required. For example, you might include "Sacred Ordinary Days Planner PDF by Sacred Ordinary Days. For more resources on Christian spiritual formation, prayer practices, and the liturgical year visit www.sacredordinarydays.com,” on any relevant materials.

The practice of pausing to remember the saints in your life (and in the church's life) on All Saints' Day, has been a gift for many. While All Saints' Day falls on November 1st each year, we've chosen Friday, November 3 to offer our retreat this year.

All Saints' Day is a time of remembering the saints whose lives have touched ours, directly and indirectly. Some of them are canonized or widely-regarded as saints, others have pointed us personally toward Jesus. I've also found All Saints' Day to be a helpful marker to begin turning out of Ordinary Time and toward Advent. This guided retreat will include times of remembering and turning which may include gratitude, grief, hope, longing, reflecting, and preparing.

Each half-day retreat includes an introduction and teaching on All Saints' Day for any who may be new to the holy day (or are longing for a more meaningful observance of it). The center portion of the retreat will be spent alone in prayer, reflection, and preparation. The last part of our time together will be to re-gather for noticing, questions, workshopping, and further connection. Each retreat date is a stand-alone invitation to join a group other retreat makers, though if you'd like more time and space for your remembering and turning, you might consider joining us for both days.

No familiarity with the All Saints' Day, the liturgical year, or holy days is needed to join a guided retreat! Beginners and long-time observers alike will benefit from the intentional time spent in retreat. 

All Saints' Day guided retreat dates:

• Friday, Nov 3  | 11 am–3 pm central
  
  Time Zone Translator here
  

Art: The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs by Fra Angelico

Retreat Length: 4 hours

Half-day Online Retreat: each guided retreat will gather via Zoom for one hour, send retreat-makers off for two hours, and gather again for one hour with info and meeting links delivered ahead of time via email. We will also provide some recommendations for how to choose where you will make retreat, whether at home, at your church, at a retreat center, or anywhere that you can connect to the internet.

The practice of pausing to remember the first coming of Jesus and readying for the second coming of Jesus, which Advent prompts us to do, has been a gift for many. We've chosen Friday, December 1 and Friday, December 8, the Fridays on either side of the first Sunday of Advent, to offer retreats this year.

Advent is a time of remembering and readying for the coming of Christ, but it can often feel like a time of both too-muchness and not-enough-ness. Especially if you are walking alongside others in this season (children, congregants, parishioners, patients, and beyond), it may well be that your own hunger for a meaningful observation of the season is pushed to the margins as you create a path for others. 

This guided retreat will include time for your own remembering and readying. We'll give space to allow things to arise and to tend to them, and that may include longing, hope, celebration, penitence, exhaustion,  grief, recalling, reflecting, and preparing.

Each half-day retreat includes an introduction and teaching on Advent for any who may be new to the holy season or the Christian year (or longing for a more meaningful observance of it). The center portion of the retreat will be spent alone in prayer, reflection, and preparation. The last part of our time together will be to re-gather for noticing, questions, workshopping, and further connection. Each retreat date is a stand-alone invitation to join other retreat makers, though if you'd like more time and space for your remembering and readying, you might consider joining us for both days.

No familiarity with Advent or the liturgical year is needed to join a guided retreat! Beginners and long-time observers alike will benefit from the intentional time spent in retreat. 

All Saints' Day guided retreat dates:

• Friday, Dec 1  | 11 am–3 pm central
• Friday, Dec 8  | 11 am–3 pm central
  
  Time Zone Translator here
  

Retreat Length: 4 hours

Half-day Online Retreat: each guided retreat will gather via Zoom for one hour, send retreat-makers off for two hours, and gather again for one hour with info and meeting links delivered ahead of time via email. We will also provide some recommendations for how to choose where you will make retreat, whether at home, at your church, at a retreat center, or anywhere that you can connect to the internet.

The practice of doing a yearly examen on an anniversary or birthday, on some meaningful (or challenging) occasion, or at the beginning of each new year, has been a gift for many. The prayer of examen is a centuries-old practice that invites us to reflect on our days prayerfully in the presence of God. Rather than a formula to memorize, it is a form of prayer based on a series of five movements drawing you through presence, reflection, awareness, faithfulness, and ultimately, hopeful action. This retreat will help you cultivate an awareness of God's work in your daily life over the past year and move forward toward the coming year in a spirit of hope. Our approach to this practice is creative and playful to encourage curiosity and experimentation, helping you cultivate and deepen your prayerful reflections.

Each half-day retreat includes an introduction and teaching on the Prayer of Examen for any who may be new to the practice (or who would appreciate a refresher or a new perspective). The center portion of the retreat will be spent in prayer, reflection, and practice alone. The last part of our time together will be to re-gather for noticing, questions, workshopping, and further connection. Each retreat date is a stand-alone invitation to join a group of up to 20.

No experience with the Prayer of Examen is needed to join a guided retreat! Beginners and long-time practitioners alike will benefit from the intentional time spent in retreat. 

Yearly Examen guided retreat dates:

• Friday, September 22 | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm central
• Friday, October 27 | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm central
• Friday, November 17 | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm central
• Friday, December 15 | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm central
  
  Time Zone Translator here

Retreat Length: 4 hours

Half-day Online Retreat: each guided retreat will gather via Zoom for one hour at 11 am central, sending retreat-makers off for two hours, and gathering again for one hour at 2 pm central with info and meeting links delivered ahead of time via email. We will also provide some recommendations for how to choose where you will make retreat, whether at home, at your church, at a retreat center, or anywhere that you can connect to the internet.

Worship can be a powerful way to encounter the living God. Our stories intersect with God's story as the gifts of God are celebrated and shared by the people of God. In Gifts of God for the People of God, Episcopal priest Furman L. Buchanan explores and reflects on each element of Holy Eucharist, the service most often held on Sunday mornings. Moving from the first spoken word of the service—"Blessed"—to the last phrase—"Thanks be to God"—Buchanan explains the theological and scriptural elements of the service, helping newcomers and longtime members alike gain a deeper understanding of this gift of God. 

Buchanan also shares his own stories, connecting pivotal life experiences with the words and actions of Holy Eucharist. Thoughtful questions at the end of each chapter invite readers to reflect on their own stories and how they connect with God's story of love and life. 

Click here for Clergy Aids. A small group study guide for Gifts of God for the People of God is available here.

Gifts of God for the People of God has received a silver medal in the Theology category of The Illumination Awards.

Paperback: 208 pages

Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches

Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces

QUANTITY DISCOUNTS 
Order 5 or more and the discount below will automatically be applied in your cart!

• 5 or more = 20% off
• 10 or more = 25% off

Furman L. Buchanan is the rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, a growing congregation focused on celebrating, discovering, and sharing the gifts of God through worship, learning, and compassionate service and care.  He and his wife, Kim, live in Greenville, South Carolina and are the proud parents of three beautiful daughters and a sweet dog. Visit his website to learn more at http://www.furmanbuchanan.com.

PRAISE

"In The Gifts of God for the People of God, Furman Buchanan has given the Church a practical, theological, and devotional roadmap to the Eucharist. This book is accessible enough for people who are exploring their faith, and offers deep insight as we grow in our understanding of our worship. I am grateful for this work as a tool for evangelism, formation, and worship in the Episcopal Church."
— The Rev. Canon Alan D. Bentrup, Canon for Evangelism and Mission, Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

"The Eucharist has captured minds of the religious and secular alike for two millennia. Whether one encounters its rhythm weekly, every Christmas and Easter, or just in the occasional movie plot, its place in Western Civilization cannot be overstated. And yet, for most, it remains a mystery to be observed and not unpacked for application to daily life. In this book, Furman Buchanan not only reveals the mechanics of the sacred meal, he narratively invites the reader into exploration, taking us off the normal map of churchy-overstatement and into the gifts of God for the people of God in everyday life. He mixes the knowledge of a seasoned Episcopal priest with the vulnerable journey of human life. It’s a grand read for those who believe or try to believe."
— The Rev. Michael Sullivan, President & CEO of Kanuga

"From a deeply grounded engagement with the Eucharist, Furman Buchanan weaves his own experiences of his life in faith. These experiences help highlight the ways in which the Eucharist is made relevant in our daily life with Christ."
— The Rev. Canon James Hartley, Canon for Christian Formation, Congregational Vitality, and Missional Communities, Diocese of Upper South Carolina

"In Gifts of God for the People of God, Furman Buchanan weaves together teaching and storytelling to create a wonderful introduction or refresher to Episcopal liturgy. He breaks down each of the elements of our worship in accessible language. The reflection questions at the end of each section welcome individuals or groups to dive deeper into their own place in the service. I look forward to sharing this with congregations."
— Andrea McKellar, Episcopal Church in South Carolina

"Remarkably accessible for anyone. Joyfully challenging for everyone."
— The Rev. Deacon Ann Pilat, Deacon for Hispanic Ministries, Episcopal Diocese of Upper S.C.

Faith with a Twist: A 30-Day Journey into Christian Yoga blends the ancient church’s wisdom and the spiritual practice of yoga. This book has a different meditation, prayer, or practice to go along with readers’ yoga practice for each day of a month-long journey, inviting participants to grow in their love of God. In addition to the core material, there will be a series of postures (with helpful modifications that could be done while seated) as well as suggestions on how this series could be used to complement different seasons in the church year.

All too often attempts to blend yoga and Christianity have failed to do justice to both traditions—often sacrificing the wisdom of one tradition for the other. Faith with a Twist connects the traditional eight limbs of yoga with the church’s understanding and emphasis on living a holy life. This approach creates a unique blend of spiritual practices and religious wisdom that are perfect for the yoga novice and the experienced practitioner alike. 

Additional resources and videos:

• FREE yoga video: This 20-minute practice is excellent both for the beginner or for an experienced yogi on a busy day
• 1+ hour yoga class, taught by Amy ($5)
• Becoming You: A Guided Study of Self Through Yoga’s Wisdom
• Free Lenten resource: Faith with a Twist: The Season of Lent

Paperback: 127 pages

Dimensions: 8.0 x 10.0 x 0.5 inches

Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces

Amy Nobles Dolan is founder of Yoga With Spirit and leads classes and retreats on the power of yoga to reconnect and deepen faith. She lives with her husband and three children in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and is an author and editor of books and essays about yoga.

Hillary D. Raining is the rector of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania. She holds a bachelor's degree with honors in religion and psychology from Moravian College, a master of divinity from Yale University and the Institute of Sacred Music, an Anglican certificate from Berkeley Seminary, and a doctorate in ministry from Drew University. In addition to her parish ministry, she has served on several diocesan and church-wide ministries as well as in ecumenical and interfaith efforts. She is a yoga instructor and musician and has many varied hobbies, including skiing, hiking, gardening, and beekeeping. She is married to Ken Raining, a librarian, and they have a daughter, Delia. 

Have you ever:

• found yourself stretched too thin?
• simultaneously felt overworked and underutilized?
• felt busy but not productive?
• felt like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people’s agendas?

If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is the Way of the Essentialist. 

Essentialism is more than a time-management strategy or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution toward the things that really matter.

By forcing us to apply more selective criteria for what is Essential, the disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy—instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us.

Essentialism is not one more thing—it’s a whole new way of doing everything. It’s about doing less, but better, in every area of our lives. Essentialism is a movement whose time has come.