Dear Church, (a Christmas Eve letter)
Merry Christmas. I’ve been a pastor for over twenty years (this is my fifth with you). I expect some of the same things each year: to laugh hard at a few kids during the Christmas productions, especially the mischievous ones (I like them the most), to drive around Stanly County with my family looking at the labor of lights among the houses, to eat little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes, and yes, to worship with you.
Growing up, I remember going to the Christmas Eve service at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church with my grandparents. That church had a huge live tree and white bags with candy, fruit, nuts, and Juicy Fruit gum. We’d say “Thank you, Merry Christmas” as we were handed these bags on our way out of the service. During communion, my mom told me not to drink the cup because it was real wine that some older man in the church had made in the basement. Memories are funny that way because I don’t know if what I remember is actually how it was…
Now, I’m the pastor who hosts Christmas Eve services. And, for the life of me, I don’t remember one sermon that other pastors have preached on Christmas Eve. Still, I remember the songs, the candlelight, the communion, and thinking how grateful I was to have been in worship (even though I probably had a lousy attitude beforehand).
I also know that Christmas Eve is tough for others. For many, it isn’t ripe with a warm feeling but more like a cold sting. For some friends, this is the first Christmas without their child or mom. For others, it isn’t the first, but the pain still stings like it is.
So, I prayed and talked with some other pastor friends and decided that we would do our Christmas Eve service a little differently this year. We’ll still have songs, candlelight, and communion (and no, we aren’t brewing our own wine; we’ll have grape juice because we’re good Southern Pentecostals), but we will frame our worship in a way to remember and honor the folks who are no longer with us. We can do this because we have this promise in scripture about the “communion of Saints” and how we are all one in Christ. It is such a beautiful promise.
And, especially if you’re hurting this Christmas and feeling lonely, you’re SO invited. I hope you’ll join us and worship. Every person, yes, even the one you miss, is part of this resurrected body in Christ. Amen.
We’ll begin at 6pm. We have enough room.
Your fellow image bearer,
Pastor Nate