Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Celebrating Christmas


This past week, I became very disappointed in some things that I read. Southland Christian Church, the largest church in Kentucky, will not be holding worship services on Sunday, Dec. 25th. Neither will Willow Creek Church outside of Chicago, another “megachurch.” If canceling Sunday worship services on Christmas Day is going to become a trend, will Easter be next? Asbury professor Ben Witherington, a United Methodist, said this (and this) on his blog page:

Our culture does not need any encouragement to be more self-centered and narcissistic or to stay at home on Sunday. It is already that way. Christmas above all else should be a day when we come together as the body of Christ to worship and adore the Lord Jesus. Christmas should be the day above all days where we don't stay home and open all those things we bought for ourselves INSTEAD of going to church. Christmas should be the day when we forget about ourselves for a few hours and go and honor the birthday of the great King, our Savior.

I am pleased that we are a traditional church. But I don’t want us to just stop there – I think we can be both a traditional church AND offer something to those who are unchurched. But I never want to compromise the faith in the process. To me, not worshiping on Sunday just because it is Christmas Day is an unacceptable compromise.

We have some wonderful opportunities for celebrating Christmas worship. Our Christmas Eve service will be held at 11 PM on the 24th, and we will have one worship service on the 25th at 10:45 AM. If you would like transportation to the Christmas Eve service, please call the church office so we can make those arrangements for you. Communion will be served at the Christmas Eve service, and if you have guests or family visiting, please let them know that all Christians are welcome at the Table.

Pax,
Sky+

No comments: