I was really unsure of what to think about the attendance on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. This is my first year as the Senior Pastor at CBC. I wrote about my thoughts about church on Christmas last week in a couple of blog posts (Will You Go To Church On Christmas Day & The Importance Of The Church). And while I had many comments on Facebook and Twitter, I still had no idea of what to expect.
Here's the conclusion: I was blown away. Our attendance was down a bit on Sunday morning, but there were still plenty of people at church with smiles on their face and joy in their heart. I was so thankful to be a pastor at a church that was willing to put their family and traditions on hold to put the focus where it is supposed to be: the birth of Jesus Christ.
I was also very encouraged by the Christmas Eve service. I know there were a few that chose that service over the next morning service. But I was glad they were there. I was told that it was the largest Christmas Eve service they ever remembered at CBC. I was so thankful and I pray it was moving for people.
Love you Cornerstone! I look forward to next year already. Our main Christmas time will be on a Sunday with Christmas Eve on Monday night. I hope you put those on your calendar now and plan ahead (OK, sort of a joke).
And now to New Years . . . can you think of a better way to start the new year than with the body of Christ? See you on Sunday.
Thad,
ReplyDeleteI can't think of a better place to be on Christmas morning than with the body of believers at Cornerstone. What an awesome service it was! I really appreciated how you walked us through the scriptures showing us how we need a savior and how Christmas is really about Easter - He came to die for us to forgive us of our sins. I pray that reality is apparent to all who visited. I'm looking forward to God doing great things through your ministry at Cornerstone. Thanks for being here!