Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve started last night at our church.  We have ten, yes, 10 Candlelight Christmas Eve services over the 4 days leading up to Christmas.  And I love it!

I love the cranky people who are too upset over their parking spot to smile when they get inside.  I love the people who almost run me over as I light luminaries because they're only going to be a half hour early and might miss something.  I love the families that you can very obviously tell had a fight on their way there and aren't talking.  I love the sullen teenagers that got dragged along because their parents think it's important to go to church at Christmastime. 

You may think I'm being annoyingly sarcastic, but I really do love having those people come to our church!  How often do people have the opportunity to hear a message of hope right when they need it?  How lovely of an opportunity it is to offer an amazing worship service to those not likely to receive it?  I think it's one of the best times, because so often when people feel broken, they feel as if they cannot come to church because they're not "good enough".  Christmas is one of the times when people will come, broken as they are.

I am honored to serve at a church that values "Creasters" (those who come only at Christmas and Easter).  I love serving them, and I am looking forward to a great week of people hearing about God's radical gift of His own Son, sent to live a perfect life among us, die a horrid death on a cross and be raised to life in the defeat of death, offering that eternal life to us as an amazing gift.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

PS: If you live within driving distance of Wexford, PA, here's the link to the church's website for info about our Christmas Eve Candlelight services.  Come, you won't regret it.