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12-23-2011, 01:42 PM
Because Christmas falls on Sunday this year, some churches are opting to close that day so that families can spend the morning together at home.
Among the nation's top 20 largest Protestant churches â as ranked by Outreach Magazine â three will be closed on Christmas, and 10 will be having only one service, The Tennessean reports.
LifeChurch.tv, an Oklahoma-based megachurch with 14 locations in five states, says it will be closed on Christmas, but it plans to hold Christmas Eve services.
In Atlanta, First Baptist Church will hold morning services on Christmas Eve but close on Sunday.
Life Research, based in Nashville, says its national survey of Protestant churches found that 91% would hold at least one service Christmas morning, while about 9% will not worship on Sunday at all. Some plan Christmas Eve services instead.
"Having church on Christmas Day when it falls on a Sunday seems as if it would be as much of a given as having Thanksgiving on a Thursday, but this has been an issue of discussion and contention in recent years," says Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research. "Also, just because an overwhelming majority of pastors think that way doesn't mean those in their congregations necessarily share their perspective."
The survey found that Protestant pastors in the South are the least likely (62%) to host a Christmas Eve service compared to other regions. Pastors identifying themselves as Mainline (87%) are more likely to have a service on Christmas Eve compared to those identifying themselves as Evangelical (70%), Life Research found.
The Houston Chronicle reports that many pastors in that Texas city are consolidating services or even canceling them for Sunday.
St. Martin's Episcopal Church, the largest Episcopal congregation in the country, anticipates just 500 to 600 people at its one service Sunday but expects 6,000 at its five Christmas Eve services.
In Colorado, The Longmont Times Call reports that Vinelife Church is offering families devotion packets to have a "church experience" in their homes on Christmas, according to executive pastor Bob Young. Each packet includes a written message from the senior pastor, a CD of Christmas hymns and a suggestion for how to weave the spiritual side of Christmas throughout the day, Young tells the newspaper.
White Fields Community Church is holding a Christmas Eve service at 4 p.m., which senior pastor the Rev. Pete Nelson says appeals to the large number of young families with children in the 200-member congregation.
"We feel very comfortable with giving the mantle of discipleship and ministry to the parents of the family," Nelson says. "It's not about a service. It's about being a family that serves Christ."
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/...hristmas/1
Among the nation's top 20 largest Protestant churches â as ranked by Outreach Magazine â three will be closed on Christmas, and 10 will be having only one service, The Tennessean reports.
LifeChurch.tv, an Oklahoma-based megachurch with 14 locations in five states, says it will be closed on Christmas, but it plans to hold Christmas Eve services.
In Atlanta, First Baptist Church will hold morning services on Christmas Eve but close on Sunday.
Life Research, based in Nashville, says its national survey of Protestant churches found that 91% would hold at least one service Christmas morning, while about 9% will not worship on Sunday at all. Some plan Christmas Eve services instead.
"Having church on Christmas Day when it falls on a Sunday seems as if it would be as much of a given as having Thanksgiving on a Thursday, but this has been an issue of discussion and contention in recent years," says Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research. "Also, just because an overwhelming majority of pastors think that way doesn't mean those in their congregations necessarily share their perspective."
The survey found that Protestant pastors in the South are the least likely (62%) to host a Christmas Eve service compared to other regions. Pastors identifying themselves as Mainline (87%) are more likely to have a service on Christmas Eve compared to those identifying themselves as Evangelical (70%), Life Research found.
The Houston Chronicle reports that many pastors in that Texas city are consolidating services or even canceling them for Sunday.
St. Martin's Episcopal Church, the largest Episcopal congregation in the country, anticipates just 500 to 600 people at its one service Sunday but expects 6,000 at its five Christmas Eve services.
In Colorado, The Longmont Times Call reports that Vinelife Church is offering families devotion packets to have a "church experience" in their homes on Christmas, according to executive pastor Bob Young. Each packet includes a written message from the senior pastor, a CD of Christmas hymns and a suggestion for how to weave the spiritual side of Christmas throughout the day, Young tells the newspaper.
White Fields Community Church is holding a Christmas Eve service at 4 p.m., which senior pastor the Rev. Pete Nelson says appeals to the large number of young families with children in the 200-member congregation.
"We feel very comfortable with giving the mantle of discipleship and ministry to the parents of the family," Nelson says. "It's not about a service. It's about being a family that serves Christ."
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/...hristmas/1
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12-23-2011, 03:17 PM
nky Wrote:I really don't understand this. I mean really what is the reason for the season anyway?But, another thought is: Is the church the "brick and mortar" building and services, or is it the people within? If it is the people within, couldn't they be giving thanks at home with their families? I'm not arguing or debating what's right and wrong, just giving another option.
12-23-2011, 03:40 PM
I think its ridiculous for a church to be closed on Christmas. We have all these people in the world trying get Merry Christmas replaced with Happy Holidays on things, and the first people to come out against it are people who are religious. Then the holiday so many people fight for falls on Sunday, and they are ready to shut their churches down. I just think it sends mixed signals as to what some people are fighting for in the first place. Some people don't have families to spend Christmas with, I think Church should be the first place they should be able to turn for at least a small portion of the day to have something to happy and thankful for.
12-23-2011, 03:46 PM
I don't know of any local churches in Johnson County that are not having worship service. All of the chuches that I know of are having services on Christmas day after all it is the reason for the season.
12-23-2011, 04:01 PM
nky Wrote:Christmas is a religious holiday. These churches should be open for worship.If I were a church leader, I would have the service. It's only about 1 1/2/hr . Might have to schedule Christmas dinner a little bit later, to give family time to prepare the dinner after church.
12-23-2011, 04:39 PM
Old School Wrote:I don't know of any local churches in Johnson County that are not having worship service. All of the chuches that I know of are having services on Christmas day after all it is the reason for the season.I don't know about this year, but it seems like several years ago, Staffordsville FWB was closed on Christmas Sunday. I had friends going there, and I'm almost 100% sure they told me they weren't having Sunday service that year.
12-23-2011, 06:27 PM
TheRealVille Wrote:I don't know about this year, but it seems like several years ago, Staffordsville FWB was closed on Christmas Sunday. I had friends going there, and I'm almost 100% sure they told me they weren't having Sunday service that year.
There could very well be some chuches that I'm not aware of that are closed this Sunday.
12-23-2011, 07:58 PM
^ Up here, I have yet to hear of a church closed for Sunday. Our church is only having one service and no Sunday School, but they are having a Saturday evening service to make up for those.
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