http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089 A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:23:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4027 Tom Smith Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4027 Churches. Closed. On. Christmas. Dude, I just don't get it.<br /><br />Oh well, Evangelicals have never celebrated ChristMass, so it's not like this is the first time they've messed with the liturgical holyday of December 25. It seems only a natural development anyway -- take Christ's real presence out of Christmas, and you're only memorializing Him; and why can't you just do that at home for five minutes after you spend six hours opening the presents?<br /><br />I don't mean this to be an anti-Evangelical Christian comment; most Catholics are also guilty of putting God behind trees and Santa Claus and presents. But I think decling Christmas attendance at McChurches can be ultimately tied to failing to come up with a draw that beats spending a lazy day at home. Seriously. If all you do at church is sing hymns, hear a sermon, and receive a Communion that's seen as a rather empty symbol, what are you really missing by not going when you have more fun things to do? This is probably the reason that Catholic churches have a decling attendance as well; nobody really appreciates the gift of the Eucharist. Church is something that's done for recreation when one feels like it.
Oh well, Evangelicals have never celebrated ChristMass, so it's not like this is the first time they've messed with the liturgical holyday of December 25. It seems only a natural development anyway — take Christ's real presence out of Christmas, and you're only memorializing Him; and why can't you just do that at home for five minutes after you spend six hours opening the presents?

I don't mean this to be an anti-Evangelical Christian comment; most Catholics are also guilty of putting God behind trees and Santa Claus and presents. But I think decling Christmas attendance at McChurches can be ultimately tied to failing to come up with a draw that beats spending a lazy day at home. Seriously. If all you do at church is sing hymns, hear a sermon, and receive a Communion that's seen as a rather empty symbol, what are you really missing by not going when you have more fun things to do? This is probably the reason that Catholic churches have a decling attendance as well; nobody really appreciates the gift of the Eucharist. Church is something that's done for recreation when one feels like it.]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4028 Emily T Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4028 Well said, Steve. Just when the battle rages about replacing Christmas with the p.c. "Holidays", megachurches go and say - yeah, Christmas really isn't all that important anyway. Go figure. http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4029 Steve Nicoloso Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4029 BTW, Funky added the picture. Good one! HA!! http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4030 Steve Nicoloso Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4030 Yeah, I'm well aware that Christmas doesn't get as big a deal historically in the evangelical church (of which I've been a member for most of my life). I mean we never typically had Christmas Day services. Usually we have Christmas Eve services. Here in the C&MA Church we were at in NJ, our Cmas Eve service was sorta semi-"liturgical" and pretty good. Many evangelical churches (just see Veggie Tales) do Cmas pageants &c. but rarely ON Cmas Day.<br /><br />But I guess what I really don't get is: If Cmas is NOT important, why not just ignore it and go about normal Lord's Day Sunday observances? That'd be because Cmas IS important (for families, for "lifestyles" HEH! I still can't get over just how hilariously stupid that sounds)... Well then, why the heck don't you have Cmas Day services EVERY year?<br /><br />I guess the answer boils down to: what we're doing, as evangelical (read Sacrament-free) church, doesn't REALLY matter so much, at least as regards your (the "consumer's") eternal salvation.<br /><br />Ergo, it is a perfectly natural development every so many years when Sunday happens to <i>conflict</i> with December 25th.<br /><br />Cheers!
But I guess what I really don't get is: If Cmas is NOT important, why not just ignore it and go about normal Lord's Day Sunday observances? That'd be because Cmas IS important (for families, for "lifestyles" HEH! I still can't get over just how hilariously stupid that sounds)… Well then, why the heck don't you have Cmas Day services EVERY year?

I guess the answer boils down to: what we're doing, as evangelical (read Sacrament-free) church, doesn't REALLY matter so much, at least as regards your (the "consumer's") eternal salvation.

Ergo, it is a perfectly natural development every so many years when Sunday happens to conflict with December 25th.

Cheers!]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4031 Stuff Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4031 I absolutely love the post (especially the quote from Wallace) and the pic...but what I want to know is, if you DO want to go to church on Christmas, will there be free cookies? And can you Biggie Size them? ;) ]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4032 Emily W Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4032 When I was growing up, my evangelical Protestant church never had services on Christmas Day. We had Christmas pageants (usually the week before), and a couple Christmas Eve services, but no services on Christmas Day. I can't remember what, if anything, they did when Christmas fell on a Sunday (after all, it's been 7 years since then).<br /><br />I think it's horrible, but I'm also not all that surprised by it. It's the natural outgrowth of the evangelical mentality. If no day is really "holy," and if churches cater to people's lifestyle, then it's not shocking that services are canceled on a Sunday that happens to coincide with Christmas.
I think it's horrible, but I'm also not all that surprised by it. It's the natural outgrowth of the evangelical mentality. If no day is really "holy," and if churches cater to people's lifestyle, then it's not shocking that services are canceled on a Sunday that happens to coincide with Christmas.]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4033 howard Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4033 I grew up evangelical protestant, but I don't recall church being canceled on Sunday. But then it's been a few years since those days, so maybe my sister would remember better.<br /><br />But we didn't quite attend a big box church like Willow Creek, so....
But we didn't quite attend a big box church like Willow Creek, so….]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4034 Steve Nicoloso Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4034 Your sister Howard (for those who don't know, my wife) recalls definitely going to Church on Cmas Eve, but (it being fairly rare) doesn't recall what would've happened had Cmas day conflicted with Sunday. My guess, knowinig the way that church was (and is definitely not anymore), is that they would certainly have observed the Lord's Day no matter what holiday it conflicted with. And cudos to them for doing so!! I wouldn't be surprised to find out that THIS Cmas that same church (being so much more hip and relevant) is cancelling services. I'll ask your sister's parents ;-) ]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4035 Nathan Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4035 <i>But I guess what I really don't get is: If Cmas is NOT important, why not just ignore it and go about normal Lord's Day Sunday observances? That'd be because Cmas IS important (for families, for "lifestyles" HEH! I still can't get over just how hilariously stupid that sounds)... Well then, why the heck don't you have Cmas Day services EVERY year?</i><br /><br />Steve, you nailed it with that thought. I have nothing to add. But I guess what I really don't get is: If Cmas is NOT important, why not just ignore it and go about normal Lord's Day Sunday observances? That'd be because Cmas IS important (for families, for "lifestyles" HEH! I still can't get over just how hilariously stupid that sounds)… Well then, why the heck don't you have Cmas Day services EVERY year?

Steve, you nailed it with that thought. I have nothing to add.]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2089#comment-4036 Wade Turner Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/wordpress/archive/2090#comment-4036 I'm not that surprised that these "mega-churches" are cancelling services on Christmas Day. I would expect nothing less of these "churches" that do not have a cross in them, or offer the Sacraments.