MSNBC article about churches closing for xmas this year.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10355438/

"Some megachurches to be closed on Christmas:Anticipating low attendance on a Sunday holiday, pastors canceling services

"This Christmas, no prayers will be said in several megachurches around the country. Even though the holiday falls this year on a Sunday, when churches normally host thousands for worship, pastors are canceling services, anticipating low attendance on what they call a family day."

The spin in this article by the church spokespeople is tremendous, a real treat. I'll summarize the excuses below for fun. Just keep in mind these are the people writing letters to the editor about their local firehouse sign saying "Holiday Spaghetti Dinner, Wed 8PM"...

Willow Creek outside Chicago: Church is for the unchurched, the churched don't need church

Southland Christian Church, KY: It takes 500 people to put on our show, and (implied) we wouldn't even think of slumming with a service of Bible reading and organ-accompanied hymns.

Fellowship Church of Grapevine (outside DFW): Sunday, Friday, who cares? We'll feel better if we get church out of the way early for a change, anyway.

In all fairness, I was a church organist on a Sunday Christmas morning many years ago. Not many people go to church on Christmas morning. I understand consolidating to one service. But I have to chuckle about these guys.

Moral of the story: megachurches worship themselves.

Man, that overhead is a bitch!

These mega-churches do not hold worship services, they are putting on a "show." And to do so takes several hundred lighting & sound technicians, musicians, singers, ushers, etc, etc. I'm sure they would have very good crowds on Christmas day, but it would be tough to put on their "show" with so many regulars wanting to be with family and friends. It would be a shame if all those visitors had to miss out on the big show; you folks just come back next week when we can do it right. :sarcasm:

These so-called "churches" make me sick; they are no church in my book. :puke:

Mega churches are nothing more than a way to draw in repuke minded people who distain paying taxes for the betterment of their comunity. The quid pro quo is the sheeple pay no taxes on the goods they buy at their super center--I mean mega church, and in return Barnum--I mean the pastor--secures their vote for the RWer who promises to continue this obscene assault on the Constitution.

this would have appalled me. I find this simply amazing.

:wtf:
"The closures stand in stark contrast to Roman Catholic parishes, which will see some of their largest crowds of the year on Christmas, and mainline Protestant congregations such as the Episcopal, Methodist and Lutheran churches, where Sunday services are rarely if ever canceled."

So the huge non-traditional churches are closed, but the traditional ones are not?

Personally, "family time" on Christimas usually involves (but not aways) going to a religious service on Christmas eve and/or Day depending on the family/person.

I usually do not go on Christmas morning, but on the late evening Chrismas Eve mass which is now the equivilant to the old Midnight mass (that depends on the church of course).

Helping out at Church should be a privilige for those 500 or so at that one mass. This seems to be taking the "Christ" out of Christmas and going to a more commerical observance.

all Sundays. We consider it to be part of being a CHURCH!!!

there will never be a canceled sunday for any reason...if we based services on possible attendence then we would cancel summer sundays because noone ever comes because they are on vacation

birds and those with young children going every 2 hours until the 11 o'clock candle light service that will continue into Christmas Day (well really, really, early morning of Christmas), it will be interesting to see who shows up the next morning. The hard core Germans traditionalists will have already had their "tree". Those with a more English tradition will do it on Christmas morning. I was always griped at those little German tradition girls who brought their new dolls to the 11 o'clock service because Santa had already been to visit them before church while I was still waiting for the fat guy to come.

so true!!!

Er, wait a minute, these are fundamentalist conservatives who are taking the Christ out of Christmas?

never mind.

:eyes:

let people in to pray together. It just isn't Church without the flashing Neon Lights and huge basket take I guess.

So are the people at faux going to go on about this??? :shrug:

I disagree, but if THAT'S how they feel, why not open up the church to the poor and homeless so THEY can celebrate Christmas, DUH...! (Don't worry, I KNOW the answer :eyes: )

They forgot Luke 18: 9-14:

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

"The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men - robbers, evildoers, adulterers, - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

I came away from that church (Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington IL) thinking that it was some kind of cult.

I lived in Barrington for a year. I credit that experience, marijuana, and Jesus (not necessarily in that order) with making me abandon my GOP roots.

I did, however, have the most incredible American history teachers at Barrington Middle School.

This is absolute evidence that these people ain't no christians - they are just snake oil salespeople shillin' for a buck.

Someone needs to send this right up to Bill O'Lielly with the question..."Why aren't conservative megachurches open to honor the baby jeebus' birthday?"