Churches cancelling church services on Sunday because it's Christmas Day

[bluebell]

I thought this article from the NY Post was interesting, about the pull between the importance of Sunday services and many Christians belief that there is no reason to go to church on Christmas Day, even if it's on a Sunday.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/18/us/christmas-church-service-protestants.html

It mentions that for practicing Catholics, church services on Sundays are non negotiable.  It of course doesn't mention us.

Quote

 

StoneBridge Christian Church in eastern Nebraska is known locally for hosting a big annual fireworks event, which this fall included 15 food trucks and portable firepits for making s’mores. But it’s the Christmas season that is “our Super Bowl,” said the church’s executive pastor, Mitch Chitwood. This year, the church’s four locations in the Omaha area will host four “Jingle Jam” family parties in December and nine services on Christmas Eve, complete with classic carols, Christmas-themed coffee drinks and a festive photo booth in the lobby.

What they will not have is church on Sunday, Dec. 25. On Christmas Day, StoneBridge will offer a simple community breakfast, but no religious services.

“We still believe in the Sunday morning experience, but we have to meet people where they are,” Mr. Chitwood said.

 

Quote

Christmas is considered by most Christians to be the second-most significant religious holiday of the year, behind Easter. But most Protestants do not attend church services on Christmas Day when it falls on a weekday. If everyone from the pews to the pulpit would rather stay home, what is a practical house of worship to do? This year, some Protestant churches are deciding to skip Sunday services completely.

Quote

 

Six years ago, the last time Christmas fell on a Sunday, practically no one showed up for services at StoneBridge, Mr. Chitwood said.

“Christmas morning and Sunday morning are sort of in tension with each other,” said Timothy Beal, a professor of religious studies at Case Western Reserve University. “Most people who are churchgoers think of Christmas morning not as a religious time but as a family time: stockings and brunches and staying in your pajamas until midday or later.”

 

Quote

 

The pandemic radically scrambled churchgoers’ habits, driving many people to digital sources of spirituality — perhaps permanently — and others away from church altogether. That raises the stakes of a high-profile holiday like Christmas, but it also means that staff, budgets and nerves are frayed.

This year, more Protestant churches seem to be making the decision to simply opt out. Though a clear majority will meet in some form on Christmas Day, fewer will do so than in 2016, when 89 percent of Protestant pastors said they were holding services, according to a survey by Lifeway Research, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. This year, that number dropped to 84 percent.

“It’s a little bit like a birthday,” the executive director of Lifeway Research, Scott McConnell, said. “It would be awkward or offensive to not recognize a family member’s birthday, but we’re flexible on when we get together.” Mr. McConnell attends a Baptist church in the Nashville area, but he and his wife are still discussing whether they will attend services on Christmas morning, he said.

 

Quote

Among nondenominational evangelical pastors, who tend to be informal and pragmatic in their approach to church matters, the numbers hosting Christmas Day services are significantly lower: Only 61 percent say they will do so, according to Lifeway’s survey.

The end of the article quotes a pastor that disagrees with this trend--

Quote

 

For some critics of this flexible spirit, having Christmas fall on a Sunday presents a stark example of something many Christians have heard about countless times over the years: the choice between the spiritually thin cultural Christianity of stockings and eggnog and the “true meaning of Christmas” — a day to celebrate Jesus’ birth 2,000 years ago in a stable in Bethlehem.

“We’ve all heard sermons on ‘Jesus is the reason for the season,’” said Kevin DeYoung, the pastor of Christ Covenant Church in Matthews, N.C., which belongs to the Presbyterian Church in America. When churches cancel their services, he hears that message as something more like: “Hey, it’s Christmas, and Jesus may not be the reason for the season.”

 

That is an interesting point.  If you really do believe that Jesus is the reason for the season, and you believe that normally Jesus wants you to worship at church on the Sabbath day, then is it hypocritical to decide not to attend church on Sunday because it's Christmas?

Though I don't necessarily enjoy having to get up and get dressed on Christmas morning, I'm glad that we still hold a service (though I'd love a good Christmas Eve service like some other religions do--a religious worship service).

What are your thoughts?

[CV75]

I think as long as Santa Claus is in the Bible (Zechariah 2:6), they can do it: "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, ...for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven..."

Edited December 18, 2022 by CV75

[blackstrap]

In the past, we just had a Sacrament meeting on Christmas day. 

[3DOP]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

I thought this article from the NY Post was interesting, about the pull between the importance of Sunday services and many Christians belief that there is no reason to go to church on Christmas Day, even if it's on a Sunday.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/18/us/christmas-church-service-protestants.html

It mentions that for practicing Catholics, church services on Sundays are non negotiable.  It of course doesn't mention us.

The end of the article quotes a pastor that disagrees with this trend--

That is an interesting point.  If you really do believe that Jesus is the reason for the season, and you believe that normally Jesus wants you to worship at church on the Sabbath day, then is it hypocritical to decide not to attend church on Sunday because it's Christmas?

Though I don't necessarily enjoy having to get up and get dressed on Christmas morning, I'm glad that we still hold a service (though I'd love a good Christmas Eve service like some other religions do--a religious worship service).

What are your thoughts?

Shoot. My wife made a joke about Christmas on Sunday this year saying, "What a ripoff". Some people like their faith as she does. She is disappointed when we have to combine Sunday with Christmas and the Sunday is suppressed. Not to mention the next Sunday is January 1, which suppresses another Sunday because it is the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord. Ordinarily this is a season with two weeks of double feasts and one comes to look forward to them all. Neither she nor I are truly upset about it. But it makes the usual merry-making of the Christmas season seem a little less rich than usual.

It is kind of sad, or perhaps even unbelievable that "Christians" call off Sunday church because it is the day to celebrate the birth of Christ instead...by calling off worship services!    

[Hamba Tuhan]

As I’ve posted before, my ward holds a Christmas Day service every year. This year it will be special with the addition of the sacrament!

There is nowhere I'd rather be on Christmas Day than in church adoring the One Who came. 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Hamba Tuhan

[JustAnAustralian]

9 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

In the past, we just had a Sacrament meeting on Christmas day. 

And is meant to be again this year too based on a letter sent to leaders on 10th Nov. The same letter said that leaders could also change fast Sunday away from New Years Day

 

[MiserereNobis]

I go to midnight mass (in traditional Catholicism, it is literally at midnight. Most non-traditional Catholic parishes will have midnight mass at 9:00 or 10:00 instead). I like the symbolism -- in the middle of the dark night, light enters the world, and the season changes from anticipatory advent to celebratory Christmas.

(and then Christmas morning can still be PJs until noon, because midnight mass fulfills the holy day of obligation requirement for Christmas)

[Durangout]

In God’s plan of happiness, the foundational unit is the family—not a ward.  Members  should be instructed to stay home and hold their own family sacrament service on Christmas Day.

[Buckeye]

1 hour ago, MiserereNobis said:

I go to midnight mass (in traditional Catholicism, it is literally at midnight. Most non-traditional Catholic parishes will have midnight mass at 9:00 or 10:00 instead). I like the symbolism -- in the middle of the dark night, light enters the world, and the season changes from anticipatory advent to celebratory Christmas.

(and then Christmas morning can still be PJs until noon, because midnight mass fulfills the holy day of obligation requirement for Christmas)

My wife and I attend midnight mass too. Her mother was raised catholic and was the only one in her family to convert to LDS.  We invite our kids to join us but don’t require it. They normally join us. 

Where we have lived most midnight mass is actually 10pm. I’d prefer actual midnight but you take what you can get. We attend with friends if possible. 
 

We love this tradition. The mass is beautiful. The traditions powerful. No one pressures or questions when we don’t take communion. And I love seeing the clergy greet partitioners as they leave mass. Wish we did that too. 
 

My son is serving a mission in a heavily Catholic country. Having attended mass has been a blessing to understand the practices and culture of those he teaches. 
 

I recommend the practice to anyone. There is literally nothing more “Christmas” you can do than attend a mass dedicated to Christ. 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Buckeye

[Calm]

23 minutes ago, Durangout said:

In God’s plan of happiness, the foundational unit is the family—not a ward.  Members  should be instructed to stay home and hold their own family sacrament service on Christmas Day.

It is only relatively recently in our culture that family has narrowed to mom, dad, minor kids as opposed to what we call now the “extended family”.  And there can be lots of versions of that style of family, which is also very important in our faith (which is why we do genealogy).   Why isn’t it therefore important to also commune together with one’s brothers and sisters of the ward family?  Our wards should also be homes for us (doesn’t always work that way, but we can help it be better by making that connection for ourselves if we can; just like nuclear families, some ward families can be dysfunctional and some members may need more space than togetherness to be healthy).

[3DOP]

18 minutes ago, Buckeye said:

My wife and I attend midnight mass too. Her mother was raised catholic and was the only one in her family to convert to LDS.  We invite our kids to join us but don’t require it. They normally join us. 

Where we have lived most midnight mass is actually 10pm. I’d prefer actual midnight but you take what you can get. We attend with friends if possible. 
 

We love this tradition. The mass is beautiful. The traditions powerful. No one pressures or questions when we don’t take communion. And I love seeing the clergy greet partitioners as they leave mass. Wish we did that too. 
 

My son is serving a mission in a heavily Catholic country. Having attended mass has been a blessing to understand the practices and culture of those he teaches. 
 

I recommend the practice to anyone. There is literally nothing more “Christmas” you can do than attend a mass dedicated to Christ. 

Upvote especially for "PJ's until noon". But also I am of course glad for your experience of ChristMass! Merry Christmas Buckeye.

Rory

PS Edit: I now see Miserere is the one who lounges around in pajamas until noon. Of course a brother loves his brother in his post-celebration relaxation. Still not taking down the upvote Buckeye, the one day a year Catholic. I'll give you another one if you agree to wear your pj's until noon.

Edited December 19, 2022 by 3DOP

[pogi]

2 hours ago, blackstrap said:

In the past, we just had a Sacrament meeting on Christmas day. 

That's what our ward is doing this year. 

[Peacefully]

We are having sacrament meeting only for both Christmas Day and New Year’s day. 

[InCognitus]

28 minutes ago, Peacefully said:

We are having sacrament meeting only for both Christmas Day and New Year’s day. 

For Christmas, I think that's church wide:    https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/latter-day-saints-to-attend-sacrament-meeting-only-on-christmas-day

10 November 2022  "On Christmas Day, Latter-day Saints to Attend Sacrament Meeting Only"

But it says this about New Year's day:

"In addition, because New Year’s Day on January 1 also falls on a Sunday this year, stake and district presidents may consider setting an alternative Sunday for observing fast day, but other regular meetings will be held. Any New Year’s Eve Church-sponsored socials such as dances or other activities should conclude at midnight on Saturday, December 31."

[Chum]

This is my 4th Christmas Sunday as a member. All were Sacrament only.

[Scott Lloyd]

Not only is our ward holding sacrament meeting on Christmas Day, but we are doing outreach to the neighborhood and broader community for folks to come join us, either in person or by live video feed. If I’m not mistaken this is in response to Area Presidency direction. 

[Scott Lloyd]

1 hour ago, InCognitus said:

For Christmas, I think that's church wide:    https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/latter-day-saints-to-attend-sacrament-meeting-only-on-christmas-day

10 November 2022  "On Christmas Day, Latter-day Saints to Attend Sacrament Meeting Only"

But it says this about New Year's day:

"In addition, because New Year’s Day on January 1 also falls on a Sunday this year, stake and district presidents may consider setting an alternative Sunday for observing fast day, but other regular meetings will be held. Any New Year’s Eve Church-sponsored socials such as dances or other activities should conclude at midnight on Saturday, December 31."

Our stake has shifted Fast Sunday in January 2023 to the second Sunday in the month. 

[Buckeye]

41 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Our stake has shifted Fast Sunday in January 2023 to the second Sunday in the month. 

My stake too. 

[InCognitus]

6 hours ago, CV75 said:

I think as long as Santa Claus is in the Bible (Zechariah 2:6), they can do it: "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, ...for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven..."

I'm an Arizona native, and grew up in the Phoenix area, and I was 18 years old before I ever saw snow falling in real life (it was while on an elk hunt close to Meteor Crater near Flagstaff, Arizona). 

But I moved from Arizona to Utah last May, and it has snowed a LOT in northern Utah over the last week.  I was listening to Zechariah 2 on one of my daily walks recently, with snow falling around me, and I really thought that verse was speaking to me personally.  "Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the Lord".   I really understand the logic of that verse. 

[blackstrap]

For those of you that can relate, here I will be experiencing  - 30 to -40 for most of next week !!!  It is supposed to warm up by Christmas though. Yippy . 

[Calm]

1 hour ago, blackstrap said:

For those of you that can relate, here I will be experiencing  - 30 to -40 for most of next week !!!  It is supposed to warm up by Christmas though. Yippy . 

I remember having to put off shopping for a Christmas tree because of the cold and then having a hard time breathing while doing so.  My nostrils haven’t stuck together when breathing in for eons either.  There was also a certain satisfying crunch to the snow.

I miss the true North.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Calm

[mfbukowski]

8 hours ago, blackstrap said:

In the past, we just had a Sacrament meeting on Christmas day. 

That's what we are doing.

[mfbukowski]

8 hours ago, MiserereNobis said:

I go to midnight mass (in traditional Catholicism, it is literally at midnight. Most non-traditional Catholic parishes will have midnight mass at 9:00 or 10:00 instead). I like the symbolism -- in the middle of the dark night, light enters the world, and the season changes from anticipatory advent to celebratory Christmas.

(and then Christmas morning can still be PJs until noon, because midnight mass fulfills the holy day of obligation requirement for Christmas)

In memory of being am altar boy, I still go to midnight mass as well or at least watch it on TV, but don't tell anyone . I served at so many masses in Latin that I still have it pretty much memorized.

Except for the confiteor. It was too long. I got to the "beate's" and then just faked the rest by mumbling, because the congregation was supposed to be reciting it too at the same time as we were, and nobody was listening anyway.

Nobis quoque peccatoribus...

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by mfbukowski

[Navidad]

Our ward has been "chatting" about having the Christmas sacrament at a later hour this Sunday. To my knowledge we are only having sacrament. Two years ago I gave the Christmas sacrament talk via Zoom. Three years ago, my wife gave the Christmas sacrament talk in the chapel. Maybe we are a more ecumenical ward! Ha! Oh, and I wasn't in my pajamas for the Zoom talk!

[Navidad]

12 hours ago, InCognitus said:

Any New Year’s Eve Church-sponsored socials such as dances or other activities

Oh my goodness! Church-sponsored socials such as dances . . . . . and you ask why we don't join the church? Our faith (the Mennonite faith) has banned all pre-marital sex for members because it leads to dancing! Oh my, and I thought my LDS friends really were Christians . . . tsk tsk! 🙃