Posted on 12/22/2011 8:54:43 AM PST by NoDRodee
But as it does occasionally, Christmas Day falls on a Sunday and Bridges’ church, First Baptist of Atlanta, will hold its weekly church services on Saturday — Christmas Eve — instead of Sunday, a practice that is becoming more common here and across the country.
I don’t understand this “time with the family” excuse. I consider the time I spend with my family in Church to be some of the best family time.
Amen to that, plus being with church family.
Not to me. We moved Christmas service to Sat on Christmas eve so families could spend Christmas morning together.
I walked away quietly from the 40% conversation as my KOC was having our Christmas party in the lower hall. Of course we were just drinking water when OMG He’s done it again!
Catholic churches have the Christmas Eve vigil mass, midnight mass, dawn mass, and Christmas Day mass. Each is somewhat different and has its’ own readings:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122511.cfm
I'm not really in go position to argue one way or the other. Just thought it odd that those who see Christmas as religious holiday value it over meeting on Sundays
I don't place very much importance on the Christmas holiday (or Easter). The glory of Jesus Birth / Life / death not celebrated one day out of the year, every day personally, Sunday (1st day of Week) as a church we gather to remember Jesus as they did in New Testament.
We are not having a Sunday morning service on Christmas.
If you are part of the more radical Reformation tradition (Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of Christ) Christmas may not be seen as a feast day, but Sunday is still the Lord's Day and a day for worship.
This seems to be done purely for secular convenience.
As A pastor I was asked one year to cancel services because Christmas arrived on sunday,,,,I told them services were always optional,but that i would be there to hold services wether anyone else showed up or not.
And I think this is a fine thing, indeed.
It seems that instead of a strong group of friends, all sharing the same faith, beliefs and love of the lessons learned from the Bible; many churches are little more than a lose collection of casual acquaintences. Some of the older people recognize others that they have seen for years - but instead of embracing fellow members as friends and extended family - we’ve lost a great deal of what binds us together as a community of Christ.
Just a personal observation.
Point is well taken. Especially since December was chosen as "Jesus's Birthday" more to appeal to the Wiccians celebration of the Winter Solstice, as opposed to any recorded date of his birth. I believe historians believe it was in the March - April time-frame. But, most definitely not December 25th.
His death is more or less based on a rough approximation of the lunar calendar; which explains why it 'floats' around year to year (just like Ramadan).
Even the "Sabbath" day of worship (Saturday) was moved to Sunday. In the case of mainstream Christianity, it was moved to honor the FIRST day of the week when Christ arose. To the Jewish and 7th Day Adventists, the Sabbath is (correctly) Saturday (or sundown Friday to sunrise on Sunday).
We’re having a service on Saturday evening, but not Sunday.
Please educate yourself on the “sabbath” and the “lord’s day” and how that came about and then answer intelligently.
THANKS
In early American history it was illegal to celebrate Christmas.
“Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day”
What happened to the Commandments?
Of course, these people are all invited to the local Catholic Church which will, no doubt, have at least four services, two on Christmas Eve and two on Christmas Day.
And they will soon be posted on FR for all to read. God bless you for posting the link.
Good for you and a blessed Christmas to you, too.
Ditto here. And we're going and everything.
In Anglican choir, always liked Midnight Mass the best, looking down toward the narthex in darkening shadows, the organ low and haunting...mysterious.
Seriuosly,to everyone not going to church on sunday,,,I bet your the same ones saying,,,Keep Christ in Christmas,,,,unless it comes on a sunday,,,
It undercuts everything they’ve said through the entire year. They’ve been there every other Sunday despite what season, what holiday, but let it be the birth of the one they’re preaching about, and all of a sudden they’ve gotta say that the message is 2nd place to their tinsel and turkey.
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