I am not sure the weather will be cooperative..,,l
"You should be in church on Christmas. This is non-negotiable. Christmas morning and Sunday morning are only in tension with one another because Christians have their priorities screwed up."
I’ll be at Church on Christmas Eve, but not Christmas day. This has mainly to do with I’ll be driving my Dad, and his fiance to my Sister’s house which is 2 hours away, and he wants to leave at 10am which is when my Church service starts. But I am normally in Church every Sunday.
Pretty sure those weren't the instructions Christ gave to the Apostles when he sent them out....
It is not actually more pleasant to stay home.
I like to be where God wants me to be. We are called to weekly assembly for worship unless providentially hindered.
It is midnight mass for me and mine.
Wife and I are planning on going. Temp here in NW GA should be about 14F at sunrise, with the high of 35F late afternoon. Maybe not truly cold for northern freepers, but darn cold here in GA.
I don’t go where pedos roam.
Using the Jewish say structure, Christmas would start at sundown on Dec. 24, so going to a Christmas Eve service in the evening would be going to church on be going to church on Christmas Day.
That said, we will be attending church at 4:00 Christmas Eve and again at 9:30 Christmas Day. Why would a Christian NOT be at church on these days if they possibly can?
I was thinking I had to get a substitute teacher for my Sunday School, but then I found out church was cancelled. Silly me, I thought Christmas on Sunday was a BOGO. I’m visiting my son this Christmas and I will join his family for Sunday/Christmas mass. When people say to me they can worship God anywhere, even on top of a mountain, I reply “when was the last time you went up the mountain?”
Why?
So I can be instructed by a Prog America Hating Doofus, sit next to pretentious climbers, or give money to a gang of Illegal Alien abettors?
Better to sip some single malt, and massage the feet of my Everyday Gift from Heaven.
She’s happy with that idea too.
No Latin Mass in the area or I would.
We’ll go to Communion on Saturday at 2:00, and regular service Sunday morning. Looking forward to it.
I’m churched out. Started going when I was 2 (Nursery), then every Sunday School, Sunday Morning Service, Sunday night service, Wed night service. Dad was the choir director so Sunday Night Practice Wed Night practice. To top it off I went to the church associated school through 12th grade. I have had enough church in my life. Never going back.
Great article! Thanks for posting.
Last time I went to a church on Christmas Eve, we got to “watch” Mass on a close-circuit TV in a crowded, hot, and stuffy overflow room.
Time after that I dropped off family and stayed in the car waiting in a nearby mall parking lot since the parking was full.
Modern churches are not really suited for bringing one closer to God.
I find myself going to church less and less these days.
I have sung in church choirs since I was 3. I was raised in a smaller church where I had a very hands on presence. I was on the board of trustees at 16. Christmas Eve services found me in the choir, the brass choir, the bell choir, an usher, and diener during the lovefeast (we were Moravians).
As an adult my wife and I joined a Methodist church. Choir again. Helped formed a mens chorus. Joined the Fort Lauderdale Christian Choral - which performed mostly at Christmas and Easter. Sang in the Chancel choir, performance choir and praise band. Christmas was busy.
We moved to New Mexico in 2006. After a bit of searching, we ended up in a non-denominational church through friends. They only had a praise band, but I was asked to be a member. The church merged with another congregation, moved, and the music program...changed. Being told that there is no room in praise music for a baritone is a subtle hint that you are not wanted/needed. I said I needed to take a brief leave of absence because of a temporary scheduling conflict. They never inquired as to when I might come back. No problem, I will volunteer for the AV crew since I have 35+ years of tech experience. Nope, not needed. Well, I have been in marketing since 1987, surely I can help with outreach. Nope. To make matters worse, nearly all of the friends that got us into the church have moved out of the state. Starting all over with a new church at our age is awkward. So my wife and I go to church on holidays (recognizing nearly no one) and do Bible studies together.
The worst thing about church? Christians.
Yep, we always cancel church on Easter Sunday because it conflicts with the Easter egg hunt.
Back in the early ‘60s we used to go to midnight mass at a Methodist Church on Christmas Eve, it was kind of exciting staying up late.
I agree w/ the author that Christianity-lite will dilute from the many into nothing, while orthodox Christianity will thrive among a few.
I’m pretty sure God already pointed this out.