But say one negative word about megachurches around here....
Who knows, gc...maybe these churches are reverting back to the earlier Reformed standard of not celebrating Christmas ;)
Semper Reformanda, bro!
....Willison says attendance dropped significantly the last time Christmas fell on a Sunday, in 1994. Her church's decision was made "based on analysis of the number of people who attended in previous years and just a desire for us to emphasize family time on Christmas Day," she said....
Gamecock: Wasn't there a thread about this very subject last year? ;-)
Anyone remember my killed-in-three-hours thread last winter, taken from the Holy Observer's spoof article Willow Creek Closes It's Doors for the Summer? People took great offense that anyone would dare suggest Willow Creek would do such a thing. And now we hear that it wasn't so far from the truth after all. From that spoof article:
The church leadership took a look at where attendance and giving were last summer, and when you look at the numbers, the case for closing shop just makes a lot of sense," said Willow Creek Senior Pastor Bill Hybels. "For years we've been trying to justify the expense of operating throughout the summer when schools are closed and people are on vacation. We just couldn't do it any more. If people are going to put their spiritual growth on hold until September anyway, why should the church fight it?"
Truth is stranger than fiction.