Good day to you all!
The Christmas season is upon us! It seems it always arrives more quickly than the last. I wanted to make sure you are as squared away with our Christmas plans as possible…mailbag style!
Why are we having two Christmas concerts this year?
We didn’t plan it that way. Originally, we had just one, our own Christmas Night of Worship.
However, an area promoter wanted to use our building to host a Getty Christmas concert. We like the Gettys and agreed to that for tomorrow night and are happy to host them. Many of you are volunteering the next couple of day to make it a success. Thank you! Tickets are still available here.
As for the original, our music ministry is excited to present “Come and See What God Has Done” on Sunday, December 17 at 5pm. Invitation cards for this Christmas Night of Worship are available at Guest Services. Please only take what you will hand out.
Are we having a Christmas Eve service?
No. Our practice has been to have a Christmas Eve service when Christmas falls on a Tuesday-Saturday. This year Christmas Day is on a Monday. We are planning on a Christmas Eve service next year.
What’s up with Family Sunday?
The morning of December 24 will look a little different than most Sundays. First, it is Christmas Sunday where we will be observing the last day of Advent which means Jesus birth! Second, we are not providing child-care that day, at all. There will be no nurseries, kids classes, youth group, or anything specific for 0-18 year-olds. Instead, kids of all ages will be attending ABFs and the service with their families. ABFs are planning on this and looking forward to some family time together.
In addition, our Sunday service will be planned with families in mind. If you need a place to slip out with your kids, the service will be viewable in the Gathering Space and the gym. Since we are not having a Christmas Eve service, traditional parts of it will be incorporated into the Family Sunday service.
OK, that’s definitely different. Why are we doing that?
There are two sides to every coin, and this answer is like that. On one side, we want to say thank you to our kid’s workers by giving them the day off. Not every worker works the 4th Sunday, but we will be able to thank some of them this way.
On the other side of the coin, we want families to be together on Christmas
Sunday without mom or dad serving elsewhere in the building.
What about New Year’s Eve Sunday?
New Year’s Eve Sunday will be a regular Sunday with ABFs, nurseries, and Sunday service. However, the first Sunday in January is installation Sunday for new leaders and we will observe communion together on January 14.
Merry Christmas!
Dave Kaynor
Admin Pastor