I just came across this article after hearing about it on CNN (yeah, I have basic cable, and have begun to watch CNN…”Somebody SAVE ME” (Cinderella)).
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/06/churches.closed.christmas.ap/index.html
Christmas services seem to have become a cultural icon. I was thinking about canceling our Christmas services at PRBC. My wife was like, “NO!” “Why?” “You have to have service on Christmas!” “Why?” “Well, you’re supposed to…it’s Christmas, Toby! People will be upset, and it just wouldn’t be a good thing to do.”
“So when are you and I going to have a Christmas off?”
“…”
A lot of those “mega-churches” have tons of paid staff that need vacations and time with family. Some of them volunteer their time for upwards of six services a week! Everyone knows Jesus wasn’t born on Dec. 25th.
So why all the hub-bub about not having a service?
We’re gathering that morning.
We’re gonna try to skip ( I have the day off).
Apparently, many people are saying that Christmas is oversecularized. I guess the problem is that people assumed that it was a Christian holiday. I looked in my Bible and I never found one mention of December, Santa Clause or a midnight clear.
Stay home. Hug your kids. Watch football. It’s christmas, for Pete’s sake!
If I see one more letter to the editor saying that “we are not going to shop this store because they have signs that say Merry X-mas or Happy Holidays” They took the Christ out of Christmas…Nnnnnooooooo!!! I will puke…
The problem is that Christians have taken Christ out of the church/their lives and replaced it with trite and mechanical Christmas programs. Huh? That’s what good churches do for Christmas? Right? How else will we reach our communities other than trick them into seeing their kids and grandkids recite a verse and sing a vaguely mumbled song. Don’t forget the bribe of popcorn balls and candy canes.
Lives will be transformed; expect it!
Pingback: There and back again…1.5 | SOJOURNER