good information in a less-than-stellar book
All of the information was accurate and well-researched, but it was presented in a style that was dry and sometimes confusing. As a catalogue of the elements of liturgical time, it functions nicely; as a book, it leaves something to be desired.

Excellent text on how using the Christian Year strengthening Christian formation
This is one of many books that explain about the "proper" use and historic development of the tradition of the liturgical or Christian year. What sets this book apart from the masses of prose on this topic is that it draws the reader into the spiritual appology for why the use of the Christian year in worship is so important. Christmas is not just about the baby Jesus lying in the manger and the cattle lowing. It is about God's humiliation to take on human form (the Incarnation) for the purpose of the redemption of all creation. When we remember the saving works of God through Christ as the centerpiece of our faith from which everything else stems, then we celebrate Christmas in a way that strengthens our individual and corporate faith. Each of the seasons of the Christian year can equip us to spiritual growth if we look to the purpose for God's acts rather than simply the history of the events that we commemorate. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is responsible for planning corporate worship experiences.

Calendar: Get it, Read it, Nourish Your Worship!
This has guided my understanding of the liturgical Christian year. Stookey's scholarship is greatly evident, as well as his deep love for the Church and for Christ. This enchanting blend brings an edification of widest breadth in this field of understanding. Because of this, the readily apparent readability of his work proves helpful and allows the reader to feel no shame for being ignorant of the practices the Church has performed for centuries. He takes the reader on a journey of understanding the theory of why the Christian calendar is so, and then walks us through the rationale for why the Church has sought to worship God the way it has for centuries. What is also very helpful is the pragmatic index, for example, where one will find a useful Advent-Christmas and Lent-Easter calendars from 1997 - 2020 CE.

The thesis of the book is that Christian people living in the present ought to be mindful (ie connected and engaged) of the Church's past and seek to remain connected to it through the understanding and practice of the liturgical calendar.

The chapter I was most interested in was chapter 2, titled, "The Year of Our Risen Lord." It begins with familiarizing the reader with why Sunday (the first and the eighth day) was the chosen day to worship God. It then moves to helping the reader understand the significance of the Week and how to reorder our lives (and schedules) to make Sundays a day of refreshment for ministry during the rest of the week. Then the author moves to the broader category of what the Year of the Lord means and explains the Christian calendar. This chapter helped give me the framework and understanding of what is important in the Christian year and lectionary, so we may appropriately worship God in a way that is consistent historically.

Essential understanding of Christ-time
Calendar is, perhaps, one of the most important books to enter the read-field in the area of liturgical studies, and I would postulate, pastoral theology. In Stookey's classic logical fashion, and his easy readability, he demonstrates the essential nature of understanding the events of the Christian year; in typical Jesus fashion, "You have heard it said, but I tell you...", Stookey helps us to see that our fulcrum for time has been placed in the wrong balance. Indeed, preparation for and the experience of Resurrection are the pivotal events for a Christian life, and it is from these events that all time is derived. His style is inviting and his content is convincing. This book will become a mandate for a new generation of ministerial leaders, both clergy and lay.

Great Book
Stookey's work is a must read. He effectively communicates the gospel message of Jesus as he writes in an accessible style. The author's stated intent was to write so that anyone could read it and he accomplished his goal. This book would be a great book for any worship leader, pastor, or seminary student. Others who are interested in the liturgical year will find some of the terms foreign to them but Stookey quickly defines theological terms. Stookey's point of view is very helpful especially to those who come from a tradition where liturgy seems foreign. I found as I read that my eyes were opened to an entirely new world where marking time through the Church calendar is something to be desired and not something to react against. It is a shame that more churches are not intentionally marking time through observances Stookey describes. This book challenged me to teach a Sunday School class through the four Sundays of Advent. The response to the material was great and warmly received an environment where liturgy is foreign.