KINGDOMTIDE OR ORDINARY TIME (green) AUGUST 30, 2010 TO NOVEMBER 27, 2010 The rest of the year following Pentecost is known as Kingdomtide or Ordinary Time. Rather than meaning "common" or "mundane," the term Ordinary comes from the word "ordinal," which simply means counted time (First Sunday after Pentecost, etc.), which is probably a better way to think of this time of the year. Counted time begins with the first Sunday after Pentecost) and ends with Christ the King Sunday which is the last Sunday before the beginning of Advent. The sanctuary color for Ordinary Time is dark green, although other shades of green are commonly used. Green has traditionally been associated with new life and growth. Even in Hebrew in the Old Testament, the same word for the color “green” also means “young.” In Christian tradition, green came to symbolize the life of the new young church following Pentecost, as well as symbolizing the hope of new life in the resurrection. The term Early Christian Church refers to Christianity of the period after the Death of Jesus in the early 30s and before the First Council of Nicaea in 325. The term is sometimes used in a more narrow sense of just the very first followers (disciples) of Jesus of Nazareth and the faith as preached and practiced by the Twelve Apostles, their contemporaries, and their immediate successors, also called the Apostolic Age. Apostolic Age is, to some church historians, the period in early church history during which some of Jesus' original apostles were still alive and helping to influence church doctrine, polity, and the like. This period ended at about the close of the first century A.D., perhaps with the death of John the Apostle.

Under the Romans, Christianity had been declared illegal, and Christians had to meet in secret places to escape death. A small fish painted outside a house meant that worship was going to be held inside in secret. The reason for the fish to have been chosen as the symbol of Jesus is that the word fish in Greek is IXTHUS, which for the Christians was an acronym for "Jesus (I) Christ (X) of God (TH) the Son (U), the Savior (S)," based on the meaning of those letters in Greek at the time: (Iota: Iesus; Chi: Christ; Theta: Theou ("of God"); Upsilon: Uios (son); Sigma: Soter (savior). Throughout the Middle Ages and beyond, the Ixthus (fish) was used to represent Christ by compagnons and masters of every trade. Even today for French Christians, the fish remains the symbol of Jesus. During the first and second centuries, another way to claim allegiance to Christianity was to draw fish bones and eventually this symbol became even more common than the fish to represent Jesus. The fish bone can be found on many compagnon tools including the woodcutters' iron wedges and a French carpenters' plane dated 1844.

Seven Churches in Revelation – Literal Locations in Asia Minor
The seven churches in Revelation refer to seven literal churches described in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3. These early Christian churches were located in Asia Minor during the era of the Roman Empire. Although the actual churches ceased to thrive in the centuries of Muslim control after the Romans, the archaeological remains of all seven locations currently exist in present-day Turkey.

Seven Churches in Revelation – Then and Now
The seven churches in Revelation are located in western Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), accessible by way of the Aegean Sea and the ancient trade routes between the West and East. For various reasons, whether trade, military, or pure hedonism, these cities were major cultural hubs throughout history. During the first few centuries after Jesus Christ, these Roman-controlled cities were also important in early Christianity. Here are the seven churches of Revelation as described by the writer John in the late first century AD (click on the name to dig deeper into the archaeology):

http://www.allaboutarchaeology.org/seven-churches-in-revelation.htm

1. Ephesus – The desirable church that left its first love (Revelation 2:1-7). Ephesus was the influential capital city of Asia Minor on the Aegean Sea. Ephesus is now known for its huge metropolis of ancient streets, arches and ruins.
2. Smyrna – The persecuted church that suffered poverty and martyrdom (Revelation 2:8-11). Smyrna was located north of Ephesus in a powerful trading position on the Aegean Sea known for its harbors, commerce, and marketplaces. The primary ruins of Smyrna are located in the modern Turkish city of Izmir.
3. Pergamum – The worldly church that mixed doctrines and needed to repent (Rev. 2:12-17). Pergamum is located on the plains and foothills along the Caicus River in Western Turkey. It was considered a major city in Asia Minor since the 3rd century BC, and became a Greek and Roman hub for temple worship.
4. Thyatira – The false church that followed a seductive prophetess (Rev. 2:18-29). Thyatira is located in western Asia Minor about 42 miles inland from the Aegean Sea. The ancient city was known for its textiles and dyeing trade, and is now known as the Turkish city of Akhisar.
5. Sardis – The "dead" church that fell asleep (Revelation 3:1-6). Sardis is located on the banks of the Pactolus River in western Asia Minor, 60 miles inland from Ephesus and Smyrna. Popular ruins include the decadent temples and bath house complexes.
6. Philadelphia – The church of brotherly love that endures patiently (Revelation 3:7-13). Philadelphia is located on the Cogamis River in western Asia Minor, about 80 miles east of Smyrna. Philadelphia was known for its variety of temples and worship centers.
7. Laodicea – The "lukewarm" church with a faith that’s neither hot nor cold (Rev. 3:14-22). Laodicea is located in the Lycus River Valley of western Asia Minor, a primary trade route between the cultures of the West and East. Laodicea was known as a primary hub for the Roman aqueduct system.