Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?

[Tim Bonney]

I'm curious what churches in your area are doing with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services as Christmas is a Sunday?

We have two Christmas Eve services at 5p and 7p. We will have one service on Sunday morning at our usual 10a but will not have Sunday school that morning. We are doing the same thing on January 1st. Our Sunday evening contemporary service is taking a two week hiatus.

[Dave Roberts]

We are doing Christmas Eve at 7 p.m. and a casual worship on Christmas Day at 11.

[William Thornton]

I did a piece on this a few days ago. LifeWay did a survey that showed 92% or so will have Christmas Day services.

Some churches have moved their Christmas Eve service to the 23rd so as to avoid a church event on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, as if is just too much interference with family time. I always did both. The church I attend is cancelling Christmas Day services.

[Sandy]

The Alliance church where I am currently a member has an informal worship service on Saturday evening, and a regular service on Sunday morning, but since Christmas is Sunday, it will have a candlelight Christmas Eve service Saturday evening, and regular service Sunday morning. The Society of Friends, where we've been attending recently will serve Christmas eve dinner at a community ministry center, so the staff can go worship, and will have its regular services at 9 and 10:30 on Sunday.

[KeithE]

Christmas Eve Vespers at 4:00 pm. No SS but a normal service on Christmas Day. Also no SS on New Year’s Day.

[Haruo]

[Tim Bonney]

[William Thornton]

I agree with Timothy. Worship on the Lord's Day even if it's Christmas. I bet there are many for whom worship on Christmas Day is the highlight.

[Tim Bonney]

[Sandy]

Christmas Eve services around here always seem to draw big crowds, if the weather is good. It was nice last year, so we had a full house, which is about 120. To put that in perspective, normal weekend attendance is 80. We're going to serve a meal at a community center on Christmas Eve with the Society of Friends where we've been attending the past few weeks. They have 9 and 10:30 services on Sunday, which is the normal schedule, so we're planning to go there at 9, and make our Alliance church service at 10:45.

[Chris]

Our church had its quarterly business meeting tonight (Wednesday). Someone made a motion that we cancel worship this Sunday morning because it is Christmas Day. Nine people voted in favor of the motion to cancel. Ten people voted against. {And some people still think it isnt important to go to business meetings!]. I found it interesting that the people voting for, were mostly choir members and their spouses. Also, the church organist voted for cancellation...hoping to get a free day off with pay.

[Rvaughn]

Sunday services and service time as usual for us, except that we are substituting singing Christmas hymns when we normally have our Bible study time (aka Sunday School). Since our congregation is a mostly older body we will probably have a larger crowd than usual. That is, instead of folks leaving, we will have children and grandchildren coming in for the holidays. Christmas Eve service is not something we do, unless, of course, our scheduled service happens to fall on Christmas Eve.

Not sure what most churches in our area are doing, but I haven't heard of too many cancellations. I think the tendency among those I've talked to or heard from is to move the service to an earlier time -- for example, start at 8 am instead of 10 am.

[Haruo]

[Jon Estes]

No Christmas Day services at all for us.

We will have Christmas Eve services tonight at 8 PM.

We do church on Friday and the first day of the work week is on Sunday and Christmas is not a holiday here, so we are theologicall / geographially / culturally safe.

Merry Christmas all.

[Haruo]

Merry Christmas, Jon. Good to hear from you, however briefly.

[KeithE]

[Jon Estes]

[KeithE]

[Tim Bonney]

[Chris]

[David Flick]

[Jon Estes]

[Jim]

I've just finished reading (re-reading?) Ben Hur, an exquisite experience on a most appropriate occasion. Hallelujah!