I've been thinking a lot about convenience lately. And I've been thinking about Church on Christmas Sunday this year. A lot of people have been posting about it - Ben Witherington and BroGreg are just two. Apparently, the idea of churches closing on Christmas of all days is such good news that it has made CNN.com's front page - story here. (thanks for the heads up Mom.)
The conversations about churches being open for services or not ask questions about convenience. Should the church try to be convenient for people? Or should the church push to be counter-cultural and sometimes, then, non-accommodating? Or something in the middle?
These questions don't just apply to Christmas services, but to the life of the Church as a whole. This Christmas, we've moved our Christmas Eve late-night service an hour earlier, and our Sunday morning service an hour later, in an effort to both give people some family time and get them to church on Sunday morning. But I admit, I'm highly skeptical about how many will show up. Who wants to go to church on Christmas? Can we expect people to be there?
At my church, we've added a Saturday evening worship service - a second service. I like the service - it is small, and somehow more contemplative - 'contemporary' yet quiet. Relaxed, and spiritual. But I'll admit, one of the major factors in starting a second service wasn't because our Sunday service was busting at the seams - we started the Saturday service to offer a convenient time for folks to come to worship. People kept telling me reason after reason of why it was inconvenient to show up for worship on Sunday morning. I wanted to eliminate at least that variation of excuse from the rotation of reasons for not coming to worship.
The church has such an image problem - so many people see it as not welcoming, as judgmental or hurtful or abusive. So, sometimes I think it doesn't hurt for the church to accommodate people's needs, to draw them in, to get them connected, and to keep them in a place where they can slowly but surely be challenged into a life of discipleship. But when do churches cross the line and try to make it too easy, too convenient to claim faith?
What do you think?
The conversations about churches being open for services or not ask questions about convenience. Should the church try to be convenient for people? Or should the church push to be counter-cultural and sometimes, then, non-accommodating? Or something in the middle?
These questions don't just apply to Christmas services, but to the life of the Church as a whole. This Christmas, we've moved our Christmas Eve late-night service an hour earlier, and our Sunday morning service an hour later, in an effort to both give people some family time and get them to church on Sunday morning. But I admit, I'm highly skeptical about how many will show up. Who wants to go to church on Christmas? Can we expect people to be there?
At my church, we've added a Saturday evening worship service - a second service. I like the service - it is small, and somehow more contemplative - 'contemporary' yet quiet. Relaxed, and spiritual. But I'll admit, one of the major factors in starting a second service wasn't because our Sunday service was busting at the seams - we started the Saturday service to offer a convenient time for folks to come to worship. People kept telling me reason after reason of why it was inconvenient to show up for worship on Sunday morning. I wanted to eliminate at least that variation of excuse from the rotation of reasons for not coming to worship.
The church has such an image problem - so many people see it as not welcoming, as judgmental or hurtful or abusive. So, sometimes I think it doesn't hurt for the church to accommodate people's needs, to draw them in, to get them connected, and to keep them in a place where they can slowly but surely be challenged into a life of discipleship. But when do churches cross the line and try to make it too easy, too convenient to claim faith?
What do you think?
Comments
Kari
Bemidji UMC, Minnesota
This year we will do something similar, with the addition of sharing Communion by intinction. My kids are older (19,15,10), and there was some minor balking over the idea of church on Christmas morning, but I said, "Where else should we be on Christmas Day?"
But lets look at being closed on Sunday Dec. 25th in this perspective. Say you have someone who doesn't go to church decide that Christmas would be a good time to start...or someone is out there going through a difficult Christmas season because they don't feel loved or don't feel as though they have anyone. In a last ditch effort they decide maybe this church thing may actually be what can make a difference in their lives and they decide to come on the most depressing day of the year...only to find the doors closed to them.
Now I may sound dramatic. But if there's only one person that happens too...it's one person too many.
And oh...btw...Thanks for mentioning me in your post.
In the love of Christ,
greg
thinking of service saturdays, could accomodations be looked more as to providing a sabbath for people? in increasingly busy lives, instead of framing making accomodations, we are working to allow sabbath time. so with that said, bring on the "they just go to soccer/nfl games on sunday anyways" comments
just some thoughts
http://sermonspice.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=413
Willow Creek will provide a DVD for that it produced that features a "heartwarming contemporary Christmas tale". New Birth Missionary Baptist Church has a streaming video of their services and they expect that people will gather around the computer on Sunday morning to watch the services with their family on Sunday morning.
I made a few other comments on my site - http://heartontheleft.blogspot.com/
I do not see why a church would change when Christmas falls on a Sunday.
In my area it seems that the churches that are canceling Christmas Sunday services are not ones that usually have Christmas services anyway.
They are also the ones that say that Methodists & Episcopals are not biblical. Oh Well.
I wonder what would have happened had we gotten to that church and found the door locked, with a sign saying that it was closed so that families could have more time for Easter dinner.
Would I be upset if my church closed, yeah a bit, but I would consider it a time to visit another church. I enjoy seeing how others worship. I love the varied traditions and styles. Makes me realize how unique God has made us all.
I do have to say this is one of the less venomous blogs on the topic I have read.
I think it is possible to debate without condemning.
Peace
JB