Church on Christmas Day?
Y’all, I have been struggling with the question of having a Christmas Day service this year since this summer. Yes, I started planning for Advent and Christmas in May with my preaching team. Christmas falls on a Sunday on average every 7 years, but there are times when it’s only 5 or 6 years apart and other times when it’s 11 years apart. The last time Christmas was on Sunday happened in 2016, and the next time it will happen is 2033. I am sure preachers and church leaders will be struggling with this question again. But I won’t struggle with it. I won’t struggle with it because Sunday is our day to worship God and why wouldn’t we worship God on the day that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday. On Christmas Eve, we celebrate Jesus’ birth, God coming to be with us, which is a great! But on Christmas Day, like every Sunday, we gather to worship God for the fact God sent Jesus, his son, to walk among us. We gather to worship God, because Jesus lived, died and is resurrected. We gather to praise God for all the blessings God has given us. We gather to praise God for the forgiveness that we receive as we confess our sins. We gather to glorify our risen savor as we raise our voices in song. We gather together to learn and grow as we hear God’s word read and proclaimed. This is why we worship. We worship God. It’s not about the preacher, or about what songs we sing, or even the place we are in, it’s about God.
We will Worship God Together on Christmas Day!
Friends I encourage you to find a way to spend some time in worship with God on Christmas Day.
If you are out of town or find family obligations overwhelming, take some time and get away. You could read scripture together with your family. I would suggest reading Isaiah 52:7-10 and John 1:1-14. Reflect on what it means that the Light of God has come into the world for you.
If you are in Beaverdam, we will gather together on Christmas Day at BUMC to worship God, the creator of all that is good. The service will be simple. Nothing fancy. Show up in your causal Christmas clothes. We will pray together, sing together, read scripture, and share a meal. Please come to God’s house to worship on Christmas Day, it’s the greatest gift we can give to God.
The important thing is to find a way to worship the God who created us and saves us.
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Owen