Church on holidays

[Lamb]

Do you attend church on holidays (Christmas, Easter)?

 

[Imalive]

Yes. We have free food then w the Indonesian and Surinam women who like to cook and are delighted if I tell em it tasted yum. Lol even a guy cooks food for everyone. Thanks Jan! You did that splendid! Some ppl cook. Some ppl eat LOL.

 

[psalms 91]

Then and all year as well

 

[MoreCoffee]

Christmas and Easter (Sunday) are days of obligation.

 

[Josiah]

Do you attend church on holidays (Christmas, Easter)?

Yes

And the rest of the year, too.

Because I want to and not because my parish's denomination obligates me to do so.

 

[NewCreation435]

Yes, it seems Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day you will see people in church you won't see the rest of the year

 

[Albion]

I wonder sometimes if, thirty years from now, it will be the norm for people to go to church on five or six major feast days of the year but not every Sunday...somewhat in the manner of the "high holy days" in Judaism.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I wonder sometimes if, thirty years from now, it will be the norm for people to go to church on five or six major feast days of the year but not every Sunday...somewhat in the manner of the "high holy days" in Judaism.

A lot of people already attend only at Christmas and Easter - they are sometimes called C&E Christians.

 

[Josiah]

A lot of people already attend only at Christmas and Easter - they are sometimes called C&E Christians.

... or "two timers"

 

[MoreCoffee]

... or "two timers"

Here it is C&E because Anglicans used to call themselves Church of England (C of E) and they suffer from C&E more than most.

 

[Albion]

A lot of people already attend only at Christmas and Easter

Yes, but that wasn't my point. We all know that there are occasional church-goers, and they are known among us as people whose attachment to the church is unfortunately weak. What I was saying, however, was that I suspect that the trend of Western Christianity will be for more and more people to begin doing something like that, probably attending more often than just C and E, until the church goes along with the trends as it does with everything else it has done in that vein of late.

Finally, the typical, not the atypical, church member will be showing up for just the big days on the calendar and the clergy and other members will take it for granted.

The church itself will play up those days and de-emphasize the other Sunday worship occasions which will assume a role similar to that which is currently occupied by the 8 am Mass on Sunday and/or any church's weekday morning liturgies.

 

[tango]

Do you attend church on holidays (Christmas, Easter)?

Up to a point.

Sometimes it seems that by the time you've had the Christmas Eve service, then the Christmas Eve midnight carol service, then the Christmas Day service, there's not much time for anything else.

Easter can be just as bad, with a Maundy Thursday service, then a Good Friday service, then an extra long service on Easter Sunday. I always think of the couples where only one attends church and how badly ignored the other must feel when one insists on attending every single service that's taking place.

 

[Josiah]

Up to a point.

Sometimes it seems that by the time you've had the Christmas Eve service, then the Christmas Eve midnight carol service, then the Christmas Day service, there's not much time for anything else.

Easter can be just as bad, with a Maundy Thursday service, then a Good Friday service, then an extra long service on Easter Sunday. I always think of the couples where only one attends church and how badly ignored the other must feel when one insists on attending every single service that's taking place.

INTERESTING.....

I'm one of those who joyously participates in all the services.... honestly, I wish there were more (I miss the Catholic Midnight Mass for example; if life and work permitted, I could easily get into the whole monastic seven services a day!). But I see your perspective....

My wife (she grew up conservative Reformed) is use to less feast days and fewer (and shorter) services, but she's getting into it, lol. We'll see how kids change that...

My parish makes one WEIRD concession to what you are suggesting: we no longer have Thanksgiving Day worship on Thanksgiving Day. It's an evening service the night before so that people can be with families and take care of that bird on the actual day. The first year I was in this church (still single), I drove home and went to church with my parents for Thanksgiving.... just seemed like Thanksgiving worship should be on Thanksgiving day.... But, to be honest, I've come to like it the night before.

 

[IACOBVS]

INTERESTING.....

I'm one of those who joyously participates in all the services.... honestly, I wish there were more (I miss the Catholic Midnight Mass for example; if life and work permitted, I could easily get into the whole monastic seven services a day!). But I see your perspective....

My wife (she grew up conservative Reformed) is use to less feast days and fewer (and shorter) services, but she's getting into it, lol. We'll see how kids change that...

My parish makes one WEIRD concession to what you are suggesting: we no longer have Thanksgiving Day worship on Thanksgiving Day. It's an evening service the night before so that people can be with families and take care of that bird on the actual day. The first year I was in this church (still single), I drove home and went to church with my parents for Thanksgiving.... just seemed like Thanksgiving worship should be on Thanksgiving day.... But, to be honest, I've come to like it the night before.

Thanksgiving Day isn't a church holiday, but a civic one, so it really isn't that odd that a church might not observe it in the same way that actual liturgical holidays are kept, if at all.

 

[Albion]

Thanksgiving Day isn't a church holiday, but a civic one, so it really isn't that odd that a church might not observe it in the same way that actual liturgical holidays are kept, if at all.

Maybe, but in the USA there is an order of worship provided in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer for Thanksgiving and for Independence Day, too.

 

[MennoSota]

It seems that the less liturgical churches will have a big Christmas or Easter program a week or two before the actual Sunday as a means of marketing to the unchurched. The specific day becomes just another Sunday service. The special event, however, can draw people from across denominations and bring grandparents and others to enjoy the entertainment. (You all can be the judge of whether you like it or not.)

 

[MoreCoffee]

Maybe, but in the USA there is an order of worship provided in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer for Thanksgiving and for Independence Day, too.

In the USA many church buildings have a USA flag in their sanctuary so it is not too surprising to see civil celebratory days being part of Christian religious celebrations, some other countries do the same for their civil celebrations. It's not a bad thing.

 

[Albion]

In the USA many church buildings have a USA flag in their sanctuary so it is not too surprising to see civil celebratory days being part of Christian religious celebrations, some other countries do the same .

I don't think there's any particular connection. Most churches have the national flag in the nave and also the denominational flag but do not conduct worship services on these days, and certainly do not have special orders of service in place for use. I mentioned the Episcopalian and Anglican practice knowing that it is not typical.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I don't think there's any particular connection. Most churches have the national flag in the nave

National flags in the nave (or on display elsewhere within the church building) are not common in church buildings in Australia.

and also the denominational flag but do not conduct worship services on these days, and certainly do not have special orders of service in place for use. I mentioned the Episcopalian and Anglican practice knowing that it is not typical.

 

[Imalive]

Thanksgiving Day isn't a church holiday, but a civic one, so it really isn't that odd that a church might not observe it in the same way that actual liturgical holidays are kept, if at all.

Oh it's only a church day here. Thanksgiving for crops and labor or something. Some reformed churches do that. It's to thank the Lord, nothing civil.