Reason #2143 of Why I hate Mega Churches

My friend Al, who reads this blog but rarely leaves comments, was telling me yesterday before Lessons and Carols about an article in the Chicago Tribune saying that a lot of mega-churches like Chicago's own Willow Creek, will actually be closed on Christmas and will have no services. I found a copy of the AP article (which I assume is the same article Al was referring to) here.

On a usual year, this may not be such a weird thing. But this year, Christmas falls on a Sunday. Not having a church on Christmas Sunday just blows my mind. I hate to break it to these folks but Christmas means Christ-mass meaning having a mass commemorating Christ. Perhaps my logic is too fuzzy and abstract?I have to agree with the article. I can understand not having the usual 3 Sunday services or whatnot. But not having any services on Christmas day at all?I have a friend at the church I have been attending here in Chicago.

I remember last year at coffee hour, someone made some comment about being out of town on Easter Sunday. Joe, who is old school Anglo-catholic, about had a hissy fit because all Sundays are technically a little slice of Easter. I don't know if I quite agree with that wording, but, semantics aside, Sunday is always a time of worship, especially on a major feast day. This business of not wanting to impose the church on people's "family Christmas time" even when it falls on a Sunday, is just truly bizarre to me. I think you need to re-examine your priorities as a Christian, if you are not willing to get out and worship on the commemoration of the birth of The Incarnation.

Comments

The Archer of the Forest said…
Thanks to Al for pointing out my dead link...I fixed it.
12/08/2005 12:44 PM
Kyle said…
I plan on picketing the local megachurch tomorrow: "Put the Mass Back in Christmas!"
12/10/2005 7:00 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thoughts on the 'Connecticut 6'

For some weeks, I have had several friends (mostly non-Episcopalians surprisingly) wanting me to voice an opinion on this Connecticut 6 (sounds like a fleabag motel) business. If you are unfamiliar with this fiasco, for lack of a better term, let me describe it as best as I understand it. There is so much spin going on (from both sides I might add) that I have been having trouble discerning fact from fiction. As I understand the situation, the Rt. Rev. Andrew Smith is the Bishop of Connecticut. Well, at least he has a pointy hat, I do not think he is particularly acting like one. Likewise, as I understand, there are Six rectors of churches (at least they have collars, but likewise are not acting like it) that have applied for DEPO oversight (i.e. another Bishop to oversee them.) The best way I know how to describe the hoohah is as follows: The Feloniously Rev. Smith is trying to defrock the Superciliously Reverend Rectors. Darth Smith claims they have abandoned communion and has shadil...
Read more

My board gaming journey, pt. I

Image
     Something a bit different today than my normal reflections. I thought I would delve a little bit more into a topic that is not necessarily theological in nature. I am a real person, and not some ethereal doctor in an ivory tower who gets to smoke a pipe and contemplate the infinite mysteries all day. So, today, I thought I would delve into one of my personal hobbies: board gaming.      Now, do not tune me out because you hear "board gaming" and immediately default in your brain to your brother overturning a table with Monopoly money flying everywhere because the game has gone on for hours and overturning the table was the only option left other than murder. Most people, including myself at one time, thought of board games as those boring or frustrating games that seem stuck in 1952. You know the usual suspects: Clue!, Monopoly, Scrabble, Chess, maybe even more saccharine games like Life or Candy Land, i.e. those games that everyone owned at some p...
Read more

The History of the Football helmet

Image
NCAA.com put out an interesting editorial about the evolution of the football helmet that can be found here . This is in part due in my estimation to the current buzz (one might go so far as to describe it as hysteria) about concussions in contact sports, particularly football. I have always found this an interesting evolution. Long gone are the days of strapping on your leather helmet: In the 50's and 60's, the helmet evolved into, basically becoming a metal then hard plastic version of the leather helmet with the addition of a rudimentary face mask (which was really just a bar at first): Gradually, the helmet's face mask itself began to evolve: Combines with new space age style lightweight plastics and foams, the helmet mask ultimately became a type of full, goalie style face mask (This little number costs just under $1000 to purchase new): Ironically, being a military history major, the football helmet evolution followed the pattern of design that helmets worn...
Read more