Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale now promoting its Christmas Day service online after initially announcing a Dec. 25 closure
Posted on 12/19/2005 6:23:54 AM PST by NYer
With many large churches across the U.S. announcing they won't be open on Christmas Day, some pastors are defending their decision to stay closed, even going so far as to blast those who question their motives.
Among them is Jon Weece, pastor of Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Ky., who received complaint e-mails from Christians in all 50 states.
"I was deeply saddened by the knee-jerk response of the Christian community as a whole to give the benefit of the doubt to the media and not a church or a brother in Christ," Weece said in his Dec. 10 sermon. "I'm still troubled that more Christians in this community specifically did not stand up for us knowing what this church represents."
(Audio of the entire sermon is available here.)
Weece blamed Satan the devil for using the Christmas issue as a distraction, prompting Christians to bicker among themselves.
"People are not the enemy," he said. "The devil is, and it is obvious that he has been at work in this situation."
Weece said the services being offered on Christmas Eve were still technically the "first day of the week" if one went by the custom of starting days at sunset, which some believe was the case in Jesus' day.
He went on to note: "Christmas began as a pagan holiday to the Roman gods, and if we were to really celebrate the historical birth of Jesus, it would either be in January or mid-April. I'm only pointing out the historical technicalities not out of intellectual arrogance, but again because of the illogical, ill-informed and even hypocritical arguments that were aimed at me personally this last week."
Weece also said Jesus himself walked all over opinion and tradition: "Do not lose sight of the controversy that Jesus incited by turning traditions on their head. And always remember in the economy of Jesus, the one whose birthday so many are claiming to be so passionate about, Jesus placed value and emphasis on people over policy and procedure and protocol every single time."
Meanwhile, the largest Christian church in South Florida has reversed itself on its closure Christmas Day, and now says it will be open for a single service next Sunday morning, Dec. 25.
Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale now promoting its Christmas Day service online after initially announcing a Dec. 25 closure |
Calvary Chapel of Fort Lauderdale originally decided to give its members and workforce a day off to spend with their families on Christmas, even though it falls on Sunday, its traditional day of worship. Instead, it had scheduled a slate of extra services for Saturday night, Christmas Eve.
 Pastor Bob Coy |
"I've been called a bad person and a shame to Christianity," pastor Bob Coy told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "It made me realize that many people misunderstood our motives."
But after an onslaught of negative public reaction from both inside and outside his congregation, Coy had a change of heart.
"Say it isn't so," read one e-mail, according to Coy. "You're shutting your doors on Jesus' birthday. I'm appalled at the message you're sending to the community."
Coy also was advised by some church members who said they wouldn't be able to attend services on Christmas Eve, and preferred to come on the actual holiday.
"Christmas is filled with unrealistic expectations," he said. "I don't want to fuel that. If people need Jesus on Christmas, I want to make Him available."
The entire issue has exacerbated the national Christmas controversy at a time which many believe is supposed to harken back to the Gospel of Luke's "peace on Earth."
"There is no biblical mandate that we meet on Sunday, only that we meet," writes Larry Baden in an online messageboard. "This is clearly a nonessential issue. Nobody's orthodoxy stands or falls on having a Sunday service. Nobody's salvation depends on having a Sunday service."
Minister Jeff Chitwood contends: "I think the issue centers on canceling worship on a day that is supposed to be centered on Christ. Too many times the church accuses the world of taking Christ out of Christmas but now the church is the one changing things because a day centered on Christ conflicts with schedules. What kind of message does it send to those who we have condemned in the past? At our church we are rescheduling service times but not eliminating the opportunity to worship on a day centered on Christ."
One poster said true worship is about much more than just singing or attending a church service.
"The way I greet my family when I go home from work is an act of worship. The way I talk to my co-workers. The dedication I give to my employer. The passion and inspiration I find in teaching or writing or editing or reading or mowing the lawn or ironing my shirts. ...
"Let's all just focus on God this Sunday. He's a big Guy. I'm sure those who look for him will find him – even if they don't set foot in a church building."
That is the whole problem with the catholic criticism. Attending church is not about "satisfying a requirement".
Do you really think that God is really honored by someone attending church just because they are "satisfying a requirement"?
>>People need to keept their own church and not dictate the business of another.<<
I'm sure the Corinthian church said the same thing before they got Paul's first letter, addressed solely to them and how they had gone astray.
Rebuking, exhortation, and encouraging sound teaching is part of a Christian's responsibility towards fellow professed believers. We are as accountable to each other as we are to ourselves - especially in the case where a church body chooses to satisfy man's "hectic holiday schedule" rather than glorifying God corporately on His day.
My comments stand. You have confirmed that the day prior "counts" for your members, so why should it not for those of other churches. I suspect that the truth is you do not think that their worships activities " count" at all, be it on Saturday, Sunday , Christmas Day or any other in between.In my opinion, the intention of the poster was to exacerbate criticism of "separated brethren", and nothing more.
Why not do it up in style this Christmas, by attending an Eastern Catholic Church. Although it is not widely known in our Western world, the Catholic Church is actually a communion of Churches. At present there are 22 Churches that comprise the Catholic Church. Each Church has its own hierarchy, spirituality, and theological perspective. Because of the particularities of history, there is only one Western Catholic Church, while there are 22 Eastern Catholic Churches. The Western Church, known officially as the Latin Church, is the largest of the Catholic Churches. It is immediately subject to the Roman Pontiff as Patriarch of the West. The Eastern Catholic Churches are each led by a Patriarch, Major Archbishop, or Metropolitan, who governs their Church together with a synod of bishops. Through the Congregation for Oriental Churches, the Roman Pontiff works to assure the health and well-being of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
While this diversity within the one Catholic Church can appear confusing at first, it in no way compromises the Church's unity. In a certain sense, it is a reflection of the mystery of the Trinity. Just as God is three Persons, yet one God, so the Church is 22 Churches, yet one Church.
Although there are 22 Churches, there are only eight "Rites" that are used among them. A Rite is a "liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony," (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canon 28). "Rite" best refers to the liturgical and disciplinary traditions used in celebrating the sacraments. Many Eastern Catholic Churches use the same Rite, although they are distinct autonomous Churches. For example, the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Melkite Catholic Church are distinct Churches with their own hierarchies. Yet they both use the Byzantine Rite.
To learn more about the "two lungs" of the Catholic Church, visit this link:
To locate an Eastern Catholic Church in your community, follow the following link:
Eastern Catholic Churches in the U.S.
A Roman rite Catholic may attend any Eastern Catholic Liturgy and fulfill his of her obligations at any Eastern Catholic Parish. A Roman rite Catholic may join any Eastern Catholic Parish and receive any sacrament from an Eastern Catholic priest, since all belong to the Catholic Church as a whole. I am a Roman Catholic practicing my faith at a Maronite Catholic Church. Like the Chaleans, the Maronites retain Aramaic for the Consecration. It is as close as one comes to being at the Last Supper.
If you watched the funeral for JPII, you may recall that towards the end of the funeral, a group of Eastern prelates gathered around his coffin to incense it and chant prayers for the dead. The Patriarchs and Bishops seen in this picture come from some of the 22 different Catholic Traditions, including Byzantine, Armenian, Coptic, Chaldean, Melkite, Maronite, Ukrainian, and Ruthenian.
Please freepmail me if you would like more information on the Eastern Catholic Churches.
True, but this is a pretty petty issue. Remember, live by the sword, die by the sword. Don't be upset when your flavor of Christianity comes under fire.
Being that the churches referred to in New Testament were families meeting in homes, people who don’t go to a "cathedral" are really closer to having “church” in the biblical sense of the word.
Our LMBC is open too Bro. Have a Merry Christmas.
Hi Sport...,
You wrote:
"My family goes to church every Sunday. At Christmas and Easter, our church is mobbed by "Holiday Christians", and someone is always in 'our' seat..."
I agree about the "ChEasters"...they only go a couple times a year. However, I think you should look at this from a positive viewpoint. There are many more people that you can talk to, share your faith with, welcome, shake hands with etc. It's a good opportunity. Live out your faith and people will take notice.
Merry Christmas,
Brian
As opposed to totally ignoring God, yes. Attending Church as an "obligation" is the lowest form of devotion one can show toward the Creator. But it is a form of devotion.
SD
Who said otherwise? Of course it "counts." What is troubling is that the megachurches seem to view holding services as some type of burden they must endure, and it is simply not worth their effort to try to organize the affair when few people are expected to attend.
Contrast that with the Catholic experience wherein God is worshipped at Mass 364 days of the year, regardless if there are 5,000 or 5 present to participate.
I suspect that the truth is you do not think that their worships activities " count" at all, be it on Saturday, Sunday , Christmas Day or any other in between.
Stick to your day job, your mind reading ain't so hot.
SD
I attend a church of ~2600 in St. Louis. We have a pastor that walks the talk, etc.
The church is having a Christmas Eve service, but not having a service on the 25th.
My relationship is with the Lord, and as such is not (in and of itself) diminished by the lack of a Christmas Day service.
Having said that, I wish that the decision to cancel services had not been made. Aside from the principle of the thing, I view the coincidence of the 25th being on a Sunday as a wonderful opportunity to celebrate His birth in His house on His day.
An opportunity missed.
A Catholic priest, a rabbi, and a Protestant minister were sitting around drinking coffee and complaining. The minister said, "I have got an infestation of bats in my steeple. We've tried everything, we can't get them out of there. They're a nuisance."
"Oy! You're telling me!" replied the rabbi. "They're under the eaves of the synagogue, and we can't get rid of them. We've tried inflatable owls, the exterminator, traps, the works."
"Oh, we have no problem," said the priest. "I just baptized and confirmed them, and now they only show up at Christmas and Easter!"
That is not showing devotion toward God, it's bowing to social and cultural pressures.
A person that is truly a Christian (a very tiny percentage of those who say they are really are) will feel excitement when going to church. A person who dreads it, isn't really a Christian - he is just a person that has been indoctrinated.
In the Episcopal Church, and I imagine in the Catholic Church as well, the mass is performed whether there are parishioners there or not. I know an Episcopal priest who often sleeps at the Church when threatening weather is called for, in case he's not able to get there on Sunday morning. And if no one shows up, mass goes on as scheduled anyway.
I remember The Church 'Lady' also pointing that Santa is an anagram for: SATAN!
Ah yes, Christ loved rituals and legalism.
If you love the Catholic Church and the Pope, there's no reason to stay Protestant. I recently converted and I thank the Lord every day that He brought me finally to the Church He founded on St. Peter. Christmas Eve Mass will be an extra special present to **me** because God will show me once again how much He loves me, by coming to earth for my salvation, and being present in the Eucharist. His love is so awesome! Christmas may be Jesus' birthday, but we are the ones who will be receiving His spiritual gifts, if we will but accept them. And in return, we will give Jesus our loving and grateful hearts, so that He can spread His love through us.
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