Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Ponder Anew

Home
Evangelical
Religious Events
6 Reasons Not to Cancel Church on Christmas

6 Reasons Not to Cancel Church on Christmas

Last updated on: December 22, 2022 at 9:23 am by Jonathan Aigner

6 Reasons Not to Cancel Church on Christmas 2022-12-22T09:23:18-05:00 Jonathan Aigner

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

25483683823_cecd225b3f_z

It’s another one of those years.

In case it hasn’t hit you yet, Christmas is on Sunday this year, and many churches are already making plans to cancel.

The first time I heard about a church canceling a Sunday, ANY Sunday, for a reason other than dire emergencies, was early December 2005. This girl I was dating at the time told me that her family’s church, a gargantuan megachurch in Suburban Atlanta (Yes, it’s the one you’re probably already thinking about.) was canceling their services on Christmas Day.

Naturally, we broke up on Christmas Eve.

If your church is thinking about canceling, please, please reconsider for the following reasons, and any others you can think of.

1. It’s Sunday.

Before anything else, it’s Sunday. This is the day the church gathers for worship. It’s not just Christmas, it’s a little Easter.

2. Christmas is about Jesus, not family.

That’s right. I said it. That whole thing about the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us? Yeah, that really happened, and it changes everything. That’s what this whole Christmas thing is all about.
For me personally, I think those are more than enough reason to take an hour or so off from celebrating the sentimental, Hallmark reasons for the season and get your happy butts to church. But in case you aren’t quite convinced, read on.

3. Canceling Christmas services turns Christmas into a civil observance instead of a sacred day.

I do love many things about the time known culturally as the “Christmas season.” The weather, hitting the mall in the evening, parties, watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (“Where’s the Tylenol?”). But, as fun and exciting as these things can be, the discipline of the church year helps us realize that these things are merely periphery. Our lives are divided up into semesters, work schedules, electric bills, tax deadlines. Intentionally choosing a gospel-centered organizational system helps us to maintain our first allegiance to Christ and his kingdom. Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Have church.

4. Even if it’s a low-attendance Sunday people will come.

I get it. Sunday worship on Christmas Day will be a low-attendance activity. It shouldn’t be, but it is. But people will still show up. Some will come by themselves. Some will bring their families and out-of-town guests. Is worship only worth it if we get lots of butts in the seats? No. People will have a chance to hear the Word preached, and (hopefully) to receive Communion. Tell them that God the creator has entered the world. Nothing else matters more.

5. The suggestion that cancelling church is a “pro-family” idea doesn’t make sense.

Is the church a drain on families in general? On a Sunday when virtually everyone is off work for a day, and often longer? I would hope that our official position would be different; that gathered worship is vitally important, and that the gifts God has to offer would grow, refresh, and strengthen us as individuals and as families. Don’t guilt anyone for not coming to your church, but don’t delude yourself into thinking giving families one more hour of toys and calories is going to strengthen them more than God’s gifts of Word and Sacrament.

6. If your volunteers are so over-taxed that you have to give them all a Sunday off, perhaps you need to scale back your ministries in other areas during the rest of the year.

Christmas Sunday shouldn’t be the first thing to get the axe. Remembering what the purpose of the church is? The Word rightly preached, and the sacraments rightly administered. Cancel all your other regular Sunday opportunities. Cancel Sunday School. Cancel breakfast. Cancel yoga. Cancel life groups. But please don’t cancel worship.

So, church, for the love, keep Christ in Christmas. And keep the “mass” in Christmas, while you’re at it. Don’t cancel church.

Religious Events

Uncategorized

seasonal holidays

Previous Post

September 30, 2022

What I Don't Want My Kids to Sing: Hymns I Try to Avoid

Next Post

January 21, 2023 Hymn of the Day: Songs of Thankfulness and Praise

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Church of St. YouTube congregational singing congregational song contemporary critiques corporate worship Hymn of the Week hymn singing hymnody and hymnology hymns masturbatory worship Uncategorized worship Worship Quotes

Select a Month February 2023 January 2023 October 2022 September 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 November 2019 September 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which disciple was known as "the beloved"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter John Matthew Andrew