First Sunday after Christmas — Year B (2026)

Description

A complete, affirming worship-prep package for First Sunday after Christmas in the Revised Common Lectionary (Christmas, Year B, 2026). This downloadable set gives progressive and mainline congregations everything needed to prepare worship around this Sunday’s readings — liturgy, sermon-prep starting points, bulletin-ready text, and original worship visuals, all with inclusive, justice-centered, expansive language by default.

Lectionary Readings for First Sunday after Christmas (Year B)

• First Reading: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
• Psalm: Psalm 148
• Second Reading: Galatians 4:4-7
• Gospel: Luke 2:22-40

Themes: clothed in salvation, Simeon and Anna, adoption, presentation

What’s included

• Liturgy set (editable Word document): call to worship, prayer of confession, prayer of intercession, and sending/benediction
• Sermon-prep starter (editable Word document): distinct angles on the week’s texts — a starting point, never a finished sermon
• Bulletin-ready text (editable Word document): drop-in liturgy formatted for your worship bulletin
• Three original worship visuals: a 16:9 projection slide, a 1:1 square, and a 2:3 vertical/story image

Created by Progressive Church Media for progressive, affirming, and mainline Protestant congregations (UCC, UMC, Episcopal, ELCA, PCUSA, Disciples, and similar traditions).

Related Resources

More Christmas worship and ministry resources from Progressive Church Media:

• Christmas Flyer Templates for Churches — Editable & Print-Ready
• Creative Christmas Eve Service Ideas
• The Christmas Season
• Christmas Copyright Myths Your Church Needs To Know
• Worship Backgrounds for Christmas — Free & Premium