I raise this as a question and offer some answers below. The idea is to supplement the present WEB sites on the lectionary because there are very few which look at the Old Testament readings in detail. Some sites I have visited give the sermon for the week rather than provide resources for a person to use in their own message. The latter is the way I want to work. I hope to provide enough material based on my reading and research for people to use without imposing a particular sermon.

In brief the purpose is:

* to offer resources for people planning worship

* for people who want to know the background to the Old Testament
Lectionary readings

* to deal with possible theological issues arising from the readings

* to give the wider contexts in which the readings are set

* to suggest some possible ways that the Old Testament reading may be
presented to the congregation

* to give a brief Bibliography and list of web sites

I would be very interested if you have any particular aspects of such a web site which are not mentioned above and which you would find helpful to be included. Could you please email me any suggestions on: anna.grant-henderson@flinders.edu.au

Structure of the Lectionary Readings

Each reading begins with some historical or literary background depending on its form and position in the Old Testament. This information may be very similiar for several of the lectionary readings if it comes from the same book of the Old Testament, eg. the readings from Samuel. It is not expected people would need or want to read this section each time. Maps are linked to this and the following section and may give some visual help to the written material.

I then give the picture of events which are happening around the lectionary reading given for that week. This enables people to get in concise form the events which may be an important part of a wider story. A great deal of the Old Testament is in narrative which can take a long time to read and may deter people from using the Old Testament reading at all.

The next section gives some insights from the text structure and literay forms, followed by the theology/ message. There is no sermon attached, although some comments from my own experience will be included on occasions.

The Letionary readings have in the penultimate section some some suggested ways of presenting the text, including on some occasions the Psalm set for that week.

The final section has a brief list of commentaries and other WEB sites which people may find helpful resources.

I use the relevant lectionary colours for each of the readings as an easy reminder for people.

I hope people will find it a useful resource for preaching and their own study.