Thread: who is closing on Christmas?

Starting a new thread b/c old one devolved into discussion on whether Christmas is ok under RPW. Anyway, it is fascinating (and terribly sad) that many if not most megachurches are closing for Christmas and will not be having services on that Lord's Day. See Why Do Churches Close on Sunday.

The list of closed congregations on Christmas Sunday reads like a who's who of evangelical Protestantism: Willow Creek Community Church, the Chicago area's largest congregation; Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Mich.; North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Ga.; and Fellowship Church near Dallas. The churches, which rank among the largest congregations in America, will hold multiple Christmas Eve services instead. Megachurch officials around the country consulted with each other before deciding to take the day off.

[Edited on 12-5-2005 by Scott]

well maybe it's a good thing congragant's will get one less watered down sermon.:P

but they do set a bad example likewise.

Now everyone who goes to those churches can see that it is not necessary to keep the Sabbath.

It was announced that our congregation was going to have a "candlelight service" on the Friday before "Christmas". But something happened to the choir along the way and that service has been canceled. Now we are going to have "carols and lessons" on "Christmas day" with members of the congregation doing Bible readings.

At least Festivus doesn't interfere with the regular worship of God.

This past Lord's Day, my pastor made the statement that we will indeed have worship service as usual; normal format and time. He said the church is to meet every Sunday until the Lord's return, this Christmas will be no exception.

Originally posted by ChristopherPaul
This past Lord's Day, my pastor made the statement that we will indeed have worship service as usual; normal format and time. He said the church is to meet every Sunday until the Lord's return, this Christmas will be no exception.

Good for him! You're blessed and so is your congregation.

Much to the consternation of some, St. Andrew Lutheran will have service as scheduled. It may only be a small handfull, but worship *will* take place as usual.

Until the Lord returns!!!

The problem is with these "churches" and the whole emphasis in the "seeker sensitive" mind set. The article in today's USA Today shows that the reasons for closing for Christmas (and in one case New Years) it totally man centered. Their concern is that attendance will be small, like it was the last time Christmas was on Sunday. I guess all that does get communicated is their beat and flash is just entertainment and God's Glory fades into nothingness.

Also their poll, off the USA Today home page is running 80% against closing!

My church will be having a Christmas Day Service, I guess they expect fewer people to show up, as we are also having a Christmas Eve Service, we will be having one morning service instead of two.


Edit to add:

does your church have a New Years Eve Service/Celebration? One of the churches I went to years ago did that, everyone would bring in food and drinks, and we would sing and pray, and share things God had done in our lives that year. Those were some of the BEST New Years Eve Celebrations as everyone in the Congregation went.



[Edited on 12-7-2005 by BJClark]

An article on church closings, this one by USA Today.

I read this from the USA Today Article and was thinking, I know MANY people who ONLY go to Church on Christmas and Easter, and they don't go any other time of the year, so what are these pastors thinking??


""If our target and our mission is to reach the unchurched, basically the people who don't go to church, how likely is it that they'll be going to church on Christmas morning?" she said."

[Edited on 12-7-2005 by BJClark]

Most unbelievers I know go on Christmas Eve. The megachurches will be having those services.

We will be "worship as usual" - SS, am, and pm worship.

I wonder if one of the reasons some mega-churches will not hold services on the 25th is becasue it takes so many voluteers that they know they will not get enough to do what they would like to. Hence, it's not necessarily becasue the lost won't come but because the saved won't.

Our church put this notice in our bulletin last Sunday:

Worship Christ on Christmas?
While several of the largest protestant congregations in the nation will be worshiping Christ on Christmas Eve, astonishingly these same churches will be closed for worship on the Lord's Day; that is, on Christmas Day. A variety of reasons for these closings have been offered by church representatives, ranging from "Organizing services on a Christmas Sunday would not be the most effective use of staff and volunteer resources" to "The decision makes sense in today's hectic world. It's more than being family-friendly. It's being lifestyle-friendly for people who are just very, very busy."

How fascinating to note that the element consistently missing from these explanations is any reference to the revealed will of the King and Head of the Church who was born for the very purpose of dying for His people's salvation.

The question, then, is not one of importance vs. unimportance (God and family are both critically important!) but one of priority of allegiance. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. For the past 2,000 years His followers have always viewed that Day as unique among the days of the week and have rightly understood it as the one day God calls His people to assembled, corporate worship. This fact we cannot change.

The Session believes it is the responsibility of every Christian to engage in public worship on the Lord's Day unless providentially hindered.

Whether the church holds worship on the Lord's Day is a matter of Divine command. The church does not have the authority to cancel assembled worship on Christ's Day when the Lord of the Church has called for it.

[Edited on 12-14-2005 by Scott]

Originally posted by Scott
Our church put this notice in our bulletin last Sunday:

Worship Christ on Christmas?
While several of the largest protestant congregations in the nation will be worshiping Christ on Christmas Eve, astonishingly these same churches will be closed for worship on the Lord's Day; that is, on Christmas Day. A variety of reasons for these closings have been offered by church representatives, ranging from "Organizing services on a Christmas Sunday would not be the most effective use of staff and volunteer resources" to "The decision makes sense in today's hectic world. It's more than being family-friendly. It's being lifestyle-friendly for people who are just very, very busy."

How fascinating to note that the element consistently missing from these explanations is any reference to the revealed will of the King and Head of the Church who was born for the very purpose of dying for His people's salvation.

The question, then, is not one of importance vs. unimportance (God and family are both critically important!) but one of priority of allegiance. Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. For the past 2,000 years His followers have always viewed that Day as unique among the days of the week and have rightly understood it as the one day God calls His people to assembled, corporate worship. This fact we cannot change.

The Session believes it is the responsibility of every Christian to engage in public worship on the Lord's Day unless providentially hindered.

Whether the church holds worship on the Lord's Day is a matter of Divine command. The church does not have the authority to cancel assembled worship on Christ's Day when the Lord of the Church has called for it.

[Edited on 12-14-2005 by Scott]

Very well done. Was this just an excerpt from the notice, or is this it in its entirety? If there's more, I'd love to have it!

I haven't researched this fully, but I read that this year marks the first time since 1959 that Christmas and Hannakuh (1st day) are on the same day. And since they converge on the Lord's Day this year, the three major religions of Romanism, Judaism and Protestantism will be marking their holy or civil days of celebration on the same day. I'm not sure when that last happened. Of course, the Eastern Orthodox celebration of Christmas will be on January 7 as usual.

[Edited on 12-14-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]

Ben: That is the whole note. We put it in our newsletter.

This ran in our bulletin Sunday and will be in the local paper this week:

"Fox News reported last week that eight "œmega-churches"� across the nation are NOT having worship services on Christmas Day. This is so staff members and congregants can "œspend time with family."� I couldn´t believe my ears!

For a moment, let´s leave aside the fact that these mega-churches almost without exception preach a very watered down, feel-good gospel that lays no demands on its adherents. Let´s leave aside the Fourth Commandment to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. (Exo. 20:8) Let´s leave aside the Bible´s command to not forsake the assembling of the Church. (Heb. 10:25) What is really troubling about this report is that we see the secularization of Christmas creeping into the Church itself.
We have all grown accustomed (if saddened) to see Christ pushed out of the public Christmas observance. (It´s no longer Christmas, anyway, it´s "œthe holidays."�) Christ is only an element of Christmas now, and not its point. We expect such an attitude from non-believers, but does it have any place in the Church? God forbid!

If the Church has become so secular that sleeping in on Christmas morning is more important than worshipping the Christ of Christmas, then we might as well get rid of Christmas altogether and just have a Happy Non-specific Holiday Observance. Be in church on Christmas morning. Do it to support your pastor. But above all do it because you love and want to worship the Lord who redeemed you."

Besides...I've been preaching Advent related messages and skipping Christmas would leave the story incomplete. (Caveat: This was not intended to derail the thread into an RPW debate. )

Awwww, come on, folks! With all the clowns, mascots, dancers, bands, and other doofuses that we hire to bring in the goats, it adds up and we can't have a minimal attendance!

*sarcasm off*

Susie-Q,

Welcome. I live just over the mountains from you in Palmdale. Next time I go through Bakersfield (next Friday) I'll wave. :-)

Originally posted by Rich Barcellos
Susie-Q,

Welcome. I live just over the mountains from you in Palmdale. Next time I go through Bakersfield (next Friday) I'll wave. :-)

Groovy! Stop by our church some Sunday or Thursday evening if you are able, we would love to have you and it would be nice to meet you face-to-face, as I'll probably be interacting with you more often in the future on this board!

I see you went to Masters. My pastor, Ray Hammond, is a graduate of their Seminary with an MDiv and ThM

Do you know when your pastor attended TMS?

Originally posted by Rich Barcellos
Do you know when your pastor attended TMS?

He got his M. Div. in 1996 and his Th. M. in 2001

I just read this in Gospel Worship by Jeremiah Burroughs (1599-1646)

"Further, it is a special sign of our adoption to love to be near God. What, should a child love most but to be in the presence of his father? Would you know whether you have received the Sprit of adoption or not? I can hardly give you any one sign so clear as to love to go into God's presence. As David said, "I was glad when they said, 'Come let us go up unto the house of the Lord.' " You shall have many who love to be in God's presence so that they think on it overnight and long for the time when it comes, I am never better than when I am with God. I think when I get into God's presence, either in prayer or any duty of God's worship, I find my heart warmed and quickened. They are ready to say with Peter, "Master, it is good being here.:"

WOW!

[Edited on 1-11-2006 by jfschultz]

That is really good. I expect those who cancelled Christmas services would just say that we can be present with God any time or place, including with our families opening presents. In other words, the sunday morning stuff tbhey normally do is equal to other activities.