Will Your Church hold services on Christmas?

[Aimeedyan]

Yes, our church is having 2 Christmas Eve services the night before and then Sunday school and Worship on Sunday morning.

Baptist church.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada pastor here -- two worship services on Christmas Eve: 7pm is a service of Lessons & Carols and 11:30pm is Holy Communion; Christmas Day will be one service of Holy Communion at 10am, however we usually have Sunday worship at 9am and 10:30am.

In a way, I can understand Pastor Hybel's reasoning. So often we forget the many volunteers working behind the scenes and "in the scenes" too without whom the worship service simply could not happen. It sounds like the Willow Creek staff and volunteers will deserve a "long winter's nap" after hosting over 50,000 worshippers for the Christmas Eve worship.

We are a congregation of just over 400 baptized members. This is my first Christmas as the pastor of this congregation, having accepted the call to be their pastor as of Sept. 1st. I have been warned that the 7pm Christmas Eve service is filled to overflowing every year -- that means about 150 people for us.

 

[sjh801]

A United Methodist resounding yes here! This is a no brainer! Of course we will be having church on Christmas Day. It is Sunday! We also have our three Christmas Eve services.

 

[tiberius]

You bet! Christmas Eve, Midnight, and CHristmas Day services.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Our church is having both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. The one on Christmas Day will just be more low-key than usual, no Sunday School so the kids can stay through the whole service. Congregational, by the way.

DH's grandfather is a 98 year old retired Methodist minister (who still preaches once a week at the assisted living home he lives at) was shocked that people don't have church on Christmas, but did say he did a service on Christmas morning many years ago where he and his wife were the only people there.

Jen

 

[gr8ful4Him]

DH's grandfather is a 98 year old retired Methodist minister (who still preaches once a week at the assisted living home he lives at) was shocked that people don't have church on Christmas, but did say he did a service on Christmas morning many years ago where he and his wife were the only people there.
Jen

Gosh I hope that doesn't happen to us this year!
I have to add that going to church Christmas morning was something that we did the entire time I was growing up no matter what day it fell on. I used to hate opening our presents and then before really getting a chance to play with them, we were off to church, which always seemed to be the LONGEST service of the year! lol

 

[tkd lisa]

I'm at what some consider a mega church (2000 members, over 2 services on a normal Sunday). We are not having Sunday services on Christmas Day.

We had our Christmas production (It was choir music and a Christmas themed play, given in the form of a dessert theater) this weekend, and that was over 3 full days (Fri-Sunday). On Christmas Eve, we have two family services (5 and 7) and a candlelight service at 11:00.

Generally speaking, my church is very flexible. For example, we don't have a set communion. We end up averaging about 10-11 communion services a year, but they are done when the elders and ministers feel led to hold them. We do have small groups who meet weekly, and many of them hold communion as part of that group. Which means that we believe that any Christian can lead communion, since we teach it as a rememberance, not as the actual blood/body of Christ.

Anyway, guess that was way off topic, but with that style of church, I haven't heard anyone upset that we aren't meeting on Christmas Day.

 

[beattyfamily]

We most definitely will be having Mass Christmas Eve and Christmas day no matter what day Christmas falls on. I've never heard of such a thing.

One nice thing with Christmas falling on Sunday is that you go for the Christmas service and that covers you for the Sunday service as well!

Some years, if Christmas falls on a Saturday, you could be going to Mass two days in a row; once for Christmas and once for Sunday service.

 

[Meezers]

Hope noone minds...but what exactly is a "mega" church? Is it aligned with any specific denomination or a general "Christian" church?

I also read that article and while I agree about the amount of manpower it takes to run a service on any Sunday...I disagree that part of the reason to cut service on Christmas Day was because only members would attend...thereby lowering the chances to "save souls" which this particular church considers it's major goal. (personal thoughts on that that will remain personal)

I am glad the Catholic church is still doing it's thing. It would break my Aunties heart not to be able to attend Christmas mass after 60 years.

 

[roseprincess]

Hope noone minds...but what exactly is a "mega" church? Is it aligned with any specific denomination or a general "Christian" church?


Good question! I'm not exactly sure the specific definition of a "mega church", but it is usually a community church with about 5000 or more attendees in a weekend. Willow Creek Community Church has always been labeled as a "mega church" since the 1980's. It is considered a non-denominational community church,that's how it was founded. We have a lot of members and attendees from different denominations ie. Baptist, Catholic, Assembly of God, etc.Some people that came from these type of denominations and are now going to Willow. I guess you can call Willow inter-denominational in a way. I guess if "mega church" is googled, probably some definition will come up.

Willow also has association churches all over the country and world. Most of these association churches in the U.S. are Baptist, Methodist denominational churches that have adapted some of the policies, way of thinking as Willow.

Rosemarie

 

[TLHB70]

Our church has close to 3,000 members. We will be having services on Christmas morning. Normally we have three different services on Sunday mornings (8, 9:30 and 11). However, on Christmas morning we will only have one service (10).
We will also have a candlelight service on Christmas Eve.

 

[Nancy]

Being Catholic they will definately be having services on Sunday and also on Christmas Eve. My personal ticked off moment is the fact that last year my church discontinued Midnight Mass for Christmas. I love going to Midnight Mass. They are having an earlier service, I won't be able to attend that one, Christmas Eve is spent with DH's family, it is dinner time for us.

 

[Galahad]

our Methodist church is having Christmas Eve service and another on Christmas at 10 am.

Our Methodist church is kind of large (not really a "mega church" though - we have over 5000 members but only about 1500 at most at any one service). We normally have 12 services a week. On Christmas day 4 of those services will not be held and Sunday School will not be held. Everything else is on.

 

[luvmy2sams]

Our church (Baptist) normally has two worship services on Sunday, but we're just having one on Christmas Day. It will be full of Christmas carols and will have a special part just for the kiddos. Sunday School has been cancelled for this day, too. Our church usually does this every year for the Sunday that's between Christmas and New Year's.

 

[palmtreegirl]

Thanks for the explanation Roseprincess & tkd lisa, that's nice that they think of giving people time with their families.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

My church is very big, but I don't know if we qualify as a mega-church, though. Anyway, we are having two services Christmas Eve and one service Christmas Day. Usually there are two services on Sunday.

 

[cats7494]

Yes, we are having a church service. We normally have 4 services on Sundays but on Christmas it will only be one at 10:00am. We will have 4 services on Christmas Eve.

 

[SeeDisney]

No......

 

[mallcat]

Our church is having service Christmas Day from 10:30 - 11:30. No classes, just a small one hour service. I do know of several local mega churches that are not having service though. I think it's kind of sad, really.

 

[Keli]

Well I have a question for everyone whose church will be having services on Christmas day, Will you be attending? From what I am reading, a lot of people go to christmas eve services instead. How many will actually be going on Christmas day? Maybe a lot more people go on Christmas day than I realized.