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Cancel service on Christmas Day, 2011?


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#1 Denes House

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Posted 21 December 2010 - 01:40 PM

So, in 2011, Christmas Day will be on a Sunday. This will present a lot of churches with a dilemma. Most folks in the US like to celebrate Christmas Day at home, with their families, around the Christmas tree, opening gifts. They probably wake up late, and gather around the tree in their pajamas. It's their family tradition, that they do every year.

What will your church do?

  • Hold service, as usual, and minister to the people who come, even though the crowd may be vastly reduced
  • Cancel service, figuring most folks won't come, and not wanting to make people feel guilty about having to make the choice
  • Alter your Sunday morning service plans - holding the service later than normal
  • Some other idea that I haven't mentioned
It seems like a small question, but it gets at a lot of issues facing churches in today's society. How much is church an accommodation to peoples' lives, versus how much do they accommodate their lives to church? Does the day matter, whether it's Sunday or a holiday? Can't you have a Christmas-themed service some other day, and isn't it just as good?
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#2 Julie Daube

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Posted 21 December 2010 - 03:01 PM

So, in 2011, Christmas Day will be on a Sunday. This will present a lot of churches with a dilemma. Most folks in the US like to celebrate Christmas Day at home, with their families, around the Christmas tree, opening gifts. They probably wake up late, and gather around the tree in their pajamas. It's their family tradition, that they do every year.

What will your church do?

  • Hold service, as usual, and minister to the people who come, even though the crowd may be vastly reduced
  • Cancel service, figuring most folks won't come, and not wanting to make people feel guilty about having to make the choice
  • Alter your Sunday morning service plans - holding the service later than normal
  • Some other idea that I haven't mentioned
It seems like a small question, but it gets at a lot of issues facing churches in today's society. How much is church an accommodation to peoples' lives, versus how much do they accommodate their lives to church? Does the day matter, whether it's Sunday or a holiday? Can't you have a Christmas-themed service some other day, and isn't it just as good?

Since we don't have a Christmas Day Service but have a candlelight Christmas Eve service, I imagine we will not hold a service on Christmas Day next year.

In the past, I went to a church that never had any kind of service for Christmas (no Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service), because the pastoral staff wanted a break from work on Christmas. While I can definitely understand that, I thought it was a terrible mistake, as Christmas is such a wonderful outreach opportunity. People who would never enter a church on any other day are more likely to respond to an invitation to come to church on Christmas. I think that when Christmas falls on a Sunday, it would be fine to have a Christmas Eve service in lieu of a Sunday morning service.

#3 RuthAnn Nicholls

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Posted 21 December 2010 - 03:10 PM

Since we don't have a Christmas Day Service but have a candlelight Christmas Eve service, I imagine we will not hold a service on Christmas Day next year.

In the past, I went to a church that never had any kind of service for Christmas (no Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service), because the pastoral staff wanted a break from work on Christmas. While I can definitely understand that, I thought it was a terrible mistake, as Christmas is such a wonderful outreach opportunity. People who would never enter a church on any other day are more likely to respond to an invitation to come to church on Christmas. I think that when Christmas falls on a Sunday, it would be fine to have a Christmas Eve service in lieu of a Sunday morning service.


I've never heard of canceling church because it's Christmas! All through my growing up years, we attended church when Christmas occurred on Sunday. In the church I attend now, we have church on Sunday when it's Christmas. (at least I can't remember any cancellation due to the holiday). We also have a Christmas eve service.

During the years I was raising my daughter, I frequently worked on Sunday. We would all get up at 5 AM and open our gifts. :lol:
Families can still have their time together. Church is only an hour or 2! But what a wonderful day to gather with God's people and praise God!!!!

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when I wake up Satan says, "Oh, no! She's awake!


#4 Julie Daube

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Posted 22 December 2010 - 02:09 PM

I think it's fine to have either a Christmas Eve or a Christmas Day service, as long as there is some kind of observance of Christmas. I've gone to several churches that only had a Christmas Eve service, and I actually found those services more meaningful than a Christmas Day service. But to not celebrate Christmas at all is a bummer! (The words "Bah, humbug!" come to mind.)

#5 Travis G.

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Posted 27 November 2011 - 06:19 AM

I know my C&MA Church will be canceling their Sunday morning service this year because of Christmas and it really disappoints me. For me I think Christmas will be so much more meaningful this year because it falls on a Sunday and the chance to worship, fellowship, and hear the word would greatly enhance my holiday. So my family will be finding another church in our community that we can attend.
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#6 Joan Phillips

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Posted 29 November 2011 - 10:34 AM

Wow, Travis, how sad is that?

#7 Joan Phillips

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Posted 29 November 2011 - 10:41 AM

I better check and see if my Alliance church is having a Sunday service. We always have a Christmas Eve service.

#8 Gordy

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Posted 22 December 2011 - 09:44 AM

Our church starts at 11. no Sunday school.