Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Regarding Churches Being Closed on Christmas
Working at an animal hospital in high school and during the first few years of college, I had to work in the kennels on Christmas morning and evening. The same thing happened on Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, and the Fourth of July. If I can clean up animal waste on Our Lord's birthday, then ministers and church staff can darn well hold a worship service. If no one shows up, then the staff at least has done their job.
Personally, I think that these churches which are planning on being closed on Christmas should instead have been making a huge push for their members to come that day. Ask the congregants if they're willing to put off opening presents for two hours in order to honor Christ on the day on which we honor His birth. If you want to cater to those who might be a little more indecisive, offer extra evening services. This whole business of giving in to culture rather than seeking to convert it is a recipe for becoming as irrelevant as the mainline Protestant churches.
Working at an animal hospital in high school and during the first few years of college, I had to work in the kennels on Christmas morning and evening. The same thing happened on Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, and the Fourth of July. If I can clean up animal waste on Our Lord's birthday, then ministers and church staff can darn well hold a worship service. If no one shows up, then the staff at least has done their job.
Personally, I think that these churches which are planning on being closed on Christmas should instead have been making a huge push for their members to come that day. Ask the congregants if they're willing to put off opening presents for two hours in order to honor Christ on the day on which we honor His birth. If you want to cater to those who might be a little more indecisive, offer extra evening services. This whole business of giving in to culture rather than seeking to convert it is a recipe for becoming as irrelevant as the mainline Protestant churches.
