This advent, our theme was God with Us.
The entire series encouraged our church to invite someone to join us for our Christmas Eve service. We worked diligently to redecorate our sanctuary with Christmas trees and lights. We set trees up throughout the hallway to set the holiday spirit. We decorated to say welcome, we’re glad you’re here, and we’ve prepared for you.
This isn’t just another day, this is the day that we celebrate that God has indeed come to be with us. What better news is there than that?
To make the night a celebration, we started the night with fellowship which included cookies, coffee, and a hot chocolate bar with all the fixing. Our gathering started fun and casual and gradually led to a simple gospel proclamation.
The service started by singing fun secular Christmas songs that anyone would know. We then used a great video to shift the focus from presents and lights to good news and God with Us. The music shifted to Christian music celebrating Jesus’s arrival. Ending with the lighting of the Christ candle as well as candles throughout the worship center. Everyone had their own Christ candle to hold as we sang together Silent Night.
Indeed, Christ was with us in the glow of the candle. The service was a success, our average attendance was nearly double our normal Sunday gatherings. And people experienced Christ on that night. It was a night that many celebrated and were moved to start their Christmas holiday with Christ at the center.
We left knowing Christ was with us.
Submitted by Jonathan Norder, Kelloggsville Church
Ministry story from Established Church
