Will S. made a commend about how to source the lectionary and if we could avoid the PCUSA. A fair question, but part of it was if the more reformed churches use the lectionary. In general, they do not. I have linked to this comment before, but it is the best explanation as to why this does not happen.

So, in answer to the question “Why is the OPC not bound to the RCL?” — I would turn it back and ask, “Why would anyone think that they are bound to the RCL?” Orthodox Presbyterian churches, generally, would want the freedom to select texts with a view to what the Session thinks is most edifying and to addressing needs in the congregation. Our Scottish forbears, especially, resisting the imposition of forms for worship, insisted on simplicity and the freedom of the local session to follow the DPW and not to have human authority unduly imposed on the people to the detriment of Christian liberty (the liberty to be free from the commandments of men in worship, particularly).

I was raised in this system, and for years I used a low tech version of Bible reading, one that I recommend. You need

• A bible
• Three bookmarks
• A notebook.

Place one bookmark at Genesis one, one at Psalm one, and one at Matthew one. Read one chapter of the New Testament, one chapter of Psalms and proverbs (or two sections of Psalm 119 unless you like an extended time that day in the word) and five chapters of the Old Testament. Note applications and prayers in a journal.

It works.

Now, the more liberal and ecumenical churches resolved to use a common set of readings either based on the two year cycle of the Book of Common Prayer or the three year cycle of the RCL, that should cover every verse in the Bible. I changed to this system because the congregation I worship with does use the church calendar, and it was easier to find this online. Which eventually took over the blog.

I found the PCUSA lectionary site (which is back up) and used that for years. But there are others. Firstly the Catholics have this resource, and the United Church of Christ have an NRSV version. In addition the English Standard Version (ESV) people have their own version.  Looking at the passages for today (June 25) across all of the above you get the following:

Before I go on, there are also some apps (for ipod and android)  and email tools available. All of the above are now linked.

So what to use?

Firstly, the US Catholic Bishops do not understand the need to share: their site is copyright, so I will link to them but not use it. I hope that the link may help some people for preparation for worship within the Roman rite, but I am reformed.

The NRSV allows for sharing, and that is used by the PCUSA and Forward ministries. However, the PCUSA tends to modify things, which is not good: the idea of a plan is you read the bits of the Bible you do not particularly want to. I like the ESV as a translation more than the NRSV (with its inclusive language) and the readings are close to identical.

At present, I think going a little anglican (and using an older cycle) is wiser, as the ESV is the better translation. The alternative would be the Forward ministries site, which is very good: in fact almost as good.  I find it difficult to think on a phone beyond composing a tweet, so I won’t be installing an app or the email tools.  But I need a reading plan, and this works.