Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Why Children Need to Get to Church on Christmas Eve



In most families Christmas Eve and Day are busy, chaotic times.  It is not easy to get a family that includes overly-excited children to church.  But, it is worth the effort.  Children (and their parents) actually need it.  The church helps when it  articulates for parents clear reasons to make the effort.  Here is my starter list of reasons. 

To hear the story read or told in an important way on the “night it happened”Children like hearing the story of their birth on their birthday and celebrating other big events on “the very day it happened.”  So, the story which may have been acted out in a pageant and discussed in church school and read at home, feels more “real” when read on Christmas Eve or Day in the sanctuary.

To go to church at night – These days children are at church most often during the day.  To go at night to a decorated, even candle-lit church is almost magical.  When the family makes this an important part of Christmas – even in the middle of the chaos – just being there reminds children what is most important about Christmas.

To be with a crowd telling the  story – Joining church friends in a packed sanctuary reminds children that this story is something bigger than just their family traditions.  They are part of a huge family of families who celebrate Jesus’ birth.

To sing the carols at least one more time – Not many families sing together at home and not many children’s groups sing religious carols any more.  That means we need to be intentional about singing with the carols with the children.  And, who would want to miss singing “Silent Night” in the Christmas Eve sanctuary while hugging your child!

To create a context in which to discover the truth about Santa – If Santa is all there is to Christmas Eve once children learn “the truth,” Christmas is just a greedy gift grab.  But, if Christmas Eve has always circled around the story of Jesus told in the sanctuary, the truth about Santa can be fit into that context and the  Christmas celebration gets richer.

To create memories - Worshiping on Christmas Eve or Day as a family creates over the years a treasure trove of memories.  Some of them shine with wonder.  Others make for eye-rolling stories that are retold every Christmas.  These memories are precious for both the children as they mature and the parents as they age.

What would you add?

16 comments:

  1. Nice list! Is it OK to reprint this list and share it with families in our congregation?

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  2. So that as adults we can learn from children's wonder and incredible spirituality. Often we allow ourselves to miss out and we don't have to!

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    1. I love this thought.

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    2. It wasn't Christmas Eve, but when growing up one of the most wonderful services was the Christmas Carol Service, the Sunday night before Christmas.

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  3. Because Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.

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  4. could we post this to our church facebook page indicating authorship?

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    1. Yes, you can post it. Attrribute it to worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com by Carolyn C. Brown

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  5. Great thoughts. Raising children in church is important, especially over these special holidays.

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  6. If we never include children in our services of worship on Christmas Eve or Day or at other times for that matter, what makes us think they will feel part of the larger church family and want to join us in worship when they grow up?

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  7. And yes, a few children might be noisy sometimes, or cranky, or fall asleep. That's okay. The Midnight Mass is a service with a lot of action and not too much talking. The homily is usually short, and there's a lot of music, so most children will make it through just fine.

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  8. we tried get church Christmas eve and one became a minister. in fact he posted this blog.

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  9. We have a lovely family that has made the midnight service their tradition. Since the children were infants they come to the service in their pajamas. Every year they choose the new pj's they want to wear to church on Christmas Eve.

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  10. We have a live Nativity at our church on Christmas eve and a candlelight service at 11:00. Just beautiful and comforting.

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  11. My Mother used to read Luke to us right before bed, after we'd been to church, midnight service. Myself and sibs still do.

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  12. Our eye roller! Baby girl, age 14 months, got sick during the processional due to shots the day before. Daddy went out with her to take her home. Keys were locked in the car. Came back in and got Grampa's keys. By then mom and four-year-old girl decided to go home with him, leaving Gramma and Grampa and Uncle in the pew and with no car. Daddy took all the girls home in Grampa's car. Worship finally ended. Gramma, Grampa and Uncle waited outside the church in below zero weather while Daddy drove Grampa's car back to church, bringing keys for his car. Everyone ended up at home.

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    1. Oh my! An eye roller indeed! And all "baby girl" contributed was understandable shot reaction. The adults did the rest. We all need all the help we can get on Christmas Eve and every other day:)!!!

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