No services on Christmas Day???

[keltic63]

have you seen this on the news? many mega-churches will be closed on Christmas day. I'm saddened by this. are we too busy to worship on the day we actually celebrate the savior's birth? In reading the news article I was struck by something a spokesperson said:

"Cally Parkinson, a spokeswoman for Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., said church leaders decided that organizing services on a Christmas Sunday would not be the most effective use of staff and volunteer resources. The last time Christmas fell on a Sunday was 1994, and only a small number of people showed up to pray, she said.
"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."

So I sent an email to Willow Creek's general email address in the hope that someone, in particular, Ms. Parkinson will read it.
I pointed out that the purpose of services is the worship of God, not evangelism. If their mission and target is reaching the "unchurched" then it makes no sense to even build a church for that purpose. I also said that, logically, the unchurched wouldn't be in church ever, that's why they are called the "unchurched." Essentially, the reason she gave for cancelling services makes no sense.
I also told her that while it is discouraging that attendance on Christmas Day Sunday is always lower, I am encouraged by what Jesus said in Matthew 18:20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.

"Hey Jesus, we love you, but we can't spare an hour on your birthday"

[quirkydyke]

I disagree with what she said about it not being likely that the "unchurched" would visit on Christmas - I think that is the day when they would be most likely to visit. One of my good friends is an atheist but she very much enjoys the holidays - she puts up a tree, everyone gets a homemade gift, and she attends a Christmas church service every year. Many "unchurched" feel inspired during the holiday season and that is the time of year when they are most likely to attend a service.

[keltic63]

Originally Posted by quirkydyke

I disagree with what she said about it not being likely that the "unchurched" would visit on Christmas - I think that is the day when they would be most likely to visit. One of my good friends is an atheist but she very much enjoys the holidays - she puts up a tree, everyone gets a homemade gift, and she attends a Christmas church service every year. Many "unchurched" feel inspired during the holiday season and that is the time of year when they are most likely to attend a service.

this is true. my point of contention with the spokesperson's statement is the implication that the primary purpose of a church service is evangelism. It's about worship. Evangelism is done outside of the church walls.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,
For many of us the issue is not that they have no service on Christmas Day, but that they have no service on a Sunday. My experience is that most Protestant churches do not have a Christmas Day service when it falls on an ordinary week day. It is just unheard of to have no Sunday service.

Steven Webster

[Jamie McDaniel]

I attended a mega-church today, one that patterns itself off of Willow Creek. It is the largest church in Lexington with 7,500 people attending each weekend. I wore my rainbow cross from a previous Soulforce national action around my neck.

Our Soulforce local group is holding a meeting tonight where we will watch and then discuss a previous sermon preached at this church titled "What Does God Think About Homosexuality." A gay man who goes to this church had contacted me a month or so ago. We're hoping to research the false anti-gay rhethoric and build our case (always a Soulforce first step) before requesting a meeting with the pastor.

Police were there to direct traffic. The church was big huge and I felt like I was at an airport (I actually walked into Concourse B to get to Building E where the main worship space was.)

As the young pastor walked on stage, he got a standing ovation. (Not from me, of course. I remained seated. I had no idea why everyone was applauding and I'm certainly not applauding someone who I only know as an anti-gay conservative.*) Come to find out, their church was on the front page of the paper today and he had been interviewed this past week by several national media outlets. The pastor had changed today's sermon to address all the negative attention the church was receiving after having announced they would be closing on Christmas day.

To me, it's a non-issue. I've always connected with God easier outside of a church building anyways. And the preacher was correct when he said that historically, Jesus of Nazareth was most likely not born anywhere near December 25th and that the holiday started out as non-Christian.

Here's my position. Fundamentalist and conservative churches have huge problems when it comes to understanding the inclusive Spirit of God. Often, it seems as though they're bent on keeping the exclusive spirit of the Pharisees alive. Their eyes are closed to many of the things that make for peace & justice.

So for progressive Christians working to apply Jesus's teachings to social issues, we sometimes (maybe often) find ourselves having to rebuke our evangelical and conservative Christian brothers and sisters over issues such as GLBT equality, their support for "just" war (show me a war started by their country that they don't label as just), etc. Those are the big issues we need to continue to address.

This Christmas Sunday thing isn't one of them.

Thoughts?

-------------------------------------------------

*Ok, funny story about my not applauding the pastor. Well, later in the sermon, the pastor went on about how their church should "hold church" outside in the community during this Christmas season. He suggested that Christians who are able should leave a larger than normal tip at restaurants. And then, unexpectedly, he added, "...and don't leave one of those soul-winning tracts behind when you do it." So I clapped at that, though I think I was the only one. The lady sitting beside me chuckled a bit.

[BillPLed]

My pastor told some of us in a meeting yesterday that this campaign to not have church this Christmas is somehow tied in to the whole controversy over saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" that these same mega-churches seem so concerned about. I am not sure what he meant by that though. I do not see the connection. Maybe someone else can shed some light on this for me.

He also informed us that there are several law-suits in effect now related to this "Happy Holidays" issue. I am not sure what that is all about either. Maybe I need to do some research and get back with you all on this.

By the way, we are having services on Christmas Day (but we are not a mega-church). He also said that he wanted to take out an ad in our local paper announcing that we will be having church because we do believe in keeping Christ in Christmas. He was being sarcastic. Our pastor and most of our church members are very progressive and believe firmly in the separation of church and state and in religious freedom. He was telling us all of this to imform us what the fundamentalist, mega-churches are up to.

[Jennifer5]

I guess the truth is some mega-churches won't be having service, but I'm sure all the small churches are. It makes you really think that when a church gets that big, maybe something gets lost along the way.

[Catt of the Garage]

??

I'm surprised. I've always gone to Church on Christmas day, whether it was a Sunday or not. Most of the churches round here have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.