I thought I would bring this up to let the whole lot of us discuss what your church’s specific plans are and why.
This year, Christmas falls on the 25th.
The 25th also falls on a Sunday.
So, who is changing their church schedule because a normal Sunday schedule and Christmas Day do not seem to mix?
For us in Duckland:
Christmas Eve Service the night before at 630 PM.
Christmas Day: Sunday Morning at 10 AM instead of 11, no Sunday School, and no evening service.
We did this because:
1. I like Christmas Eve services. I like them any year Christmas Eve is on a day that ends in “y.” We go very simple, the only necessary person for the service is me: I have a CD ready for piano accompaniment for hymns, I wait until I know who all plans to be there to ask anyone to take part so that those whose families need them elsewhere can do so.
2. Christmas Eve is a time that people in the community, at least here in the South, think about Jesus. So, providing that opportunity just seems like a good plan. I know we cannot have a service running 24/7 but there are natural points that the culture can help us out. It seems wasteful to miss that opportunity.
3. Christmas Eve is a time that many of our scattered families are back together. There’s lots of folks that come back to Grandma’s house. They don’t go to church away, but they’ll go with Grandma. So there’s the hope that one more hearing of the Gospel will take root and change a life.
4. Christmas Day change: Sunday School is important, but it’s not the be-all and end-all and it’s not Biblically commanded, so it can be skipped once a year.
5. Sunday School: in the ideal world, teachers are preparing to teach throughout the week before Sunday. The week of Christmas is pretty busy. Why not acknowledge that most folks won’t have time to prepare to teach and not have bad Sunday School?
6. Move the time of Sunday Morning: to provide the opportunity for family dinner gatherings or travel.
7. Move the time: because if you have a group of Baptists willing to change from 11 AM, even once, you take it. Just to prove the roof won’t collapse for it.
8. Cancel Sunday Night: to provide folks the opportunity to travel or to extend their family visits. It’s one of those questions: where is the line between showing commitment and being legalistic? Will leaving the family gathering to go to church Sunday night be a witness or a stumbling block? Of course, for many folks, Sunday Night isn’t a church time anyway, but we’re pretty old school.
So, what are your plans and why?
