This is a csv file which can be imported into Microsoft Outlook 2003, as well as into other applications such as a spreadsheet. Save the file to your disc and then import into Outlook using File -> Import and Export to start the Import and Export Wizard.

I do not have access to Outlook 2007, but it is reported that this file does import into this version of Outlook.

Although Outlook allows the import of .vcs files, do not load the vCal files from this site, as they are not configured for Outlook.

This is an iCalendar file which can be imported into version 2 or 3 of Apple’s iCal desktop calendar. There are two ways of using this option.

One way is to save the .ics file to your hard disc, then in iCal select the menu command File -> Import, select the default iCal option, and then choose the file that you saved. You will probably want to load the data into its own new calendar so that you can manage it separately. From here you can sync the calendar to a Palm or other PDA.

Alternatively you can subscribe to the calendar directly from within iCal. This can be done by choosing the menu option Calendar -> Subscribe... and then entering the URL http://almanac.oremus.org/lectionary/cw_lectionary_2009.ics in the Subscribe to: box. The advantage of this method is that you can refresh the subscribed calendar with iCal, should there be any corrections or updates. You do not have to remove the old entries and reload a new file. The disadvantage is that a subscribed calendar cannot be altered, so you will be unable to add notes or other information into the CW calendar in iCal.

This file does not import into older versions of iCal, including version 1.5.5 which is the version freely available on Apple’s website. Version 2 appears to be only available with Mac OS X 10.4. If you are using iCal v1.5 then you can import this vCal file.

This file is a Palm Datebook archive file for Palm Desktop for Windows. This Datebook Archive file has been created using Palm Desktop version 4.1.0, the latest version available at Palm. It is possible that this file may not load into earlier versions of Palm Desktop. If you have this problem, you can import the vCal version (see below).

The Datebook Archive file is tied to UK time, GMT in the winter and BST in the summer. If you (or your Datebook) are in a different timezone then the calendar entries may well not import to the correct dates. If you have this problem, you can import the vCal version (see below).

Agendus for Windows – Palm Desktop Edition shares the same files as Palm Desktop for Windows. The simplest way of importing into Agendus is to quit Agendus, start Palm Desktop for Windows, and import the dba file (above). Then quit Palm Desktop and restart Agendus.

This is a vCalendar file which can be imported into Palm Desktop for Windows. It may also be useful for importing into other calendar applications. If you have trouble with the dba file (above) then this file should import into earlier versions of Palm Desktop which support vCal import. Import in the same way (File -> Import, then select ‘vCal file’, and choose the .vcs file). You will need to slightly tidy up afterwards, as it gets the import wrong on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October -- you will have to turn the items on those dates into ‘all day’ events rather than timed events.

This file is not recommended for use with Outlook. Instead use the .csv version.

This is a vCalendar file which can be imported into Palm Desktop for Macintosh. Import using the menu command File -> Import, and choose the .vcs file.

Apple’s Safari web browser seems to refuse to save files with the suffix .vcs, and instead it appends an extra suffix .ics which prevents the file from being imported into Palm Desktop. The solution to this is to find the file in the Finder and to rename it to remove the .ics suffix. You might need to have the Finder preference ‘Show all file extensions’ ticked in order to see the .ics file extension.

I do not have extensive experience of MS Entourage, and have not found a way in which calendar data can be imported into it. However, the following workaround is offered. Please note that this workaround has only been tested with Entourage 2004, and not with Entourage 2008, to which I do not have access. (Please let me know of any success with Entourage 2008.)

This workaround imports the data into iCal and then syncs it across to Entourage. Start both Entourage and iCal. In Entourage open the Preferences panel (Entourage -> Preferences... menu). In the ‘General Preferences’ section select ‘Sync Services’, and then in the main Preferences panel tick the box marked ‘Synchronize events and tasks with iCal and .Mac’. After a short wait (perhaps several minutes), a new calendar will be inserted into iCal, labelled ‘Entourage’. You may need to agree to this in an alert dialogue box that appears. Now, in iCal, import the iCal version of the almanac download file. Make sure that you import into this new ‘Entourage’ calendar in iCal. The CW data will appear in iCal, and, after another lengthy pause (another few minutes) will also appear in Entourage.