By Mike Swagerty
By Mike Swagerty
SACRAMENTO, California--The Sacramento congregation celebrated the birth of Christ at a service Dec. 19.
For the past two years we have eased into this celebration, trying to keep as many people on board as possible. But this year we had the children dress up and participate, conducted a communion service, and took up an offering, besides lots of seasonal music and a main message on the subject.
I was kind of dreading the fall-out. But many of us were praying for God to bless our efforts.
Normally we have about 150 in attendance. At the incarnation service we had 166.
That was the first piece of good news. Several friends of members attended.
The second piece of good news: not one negative comment.
Third piece of good news. Many felt a new closeness to God.
Fourth piece of good news. Of 166 in attendance we had 160 empty communion glasses. This means all but the babes in arms took it.
(For the past two years our youth teachers have had even the 3 year olds do a sample communion with footwashing as a part of their understanding of Christ. This probably reflects why so many children partook.)
Fifth piece of good news. I have learned something from this experience. First, Christmas time is the best season of the year to do evangelism, especially if you use children in the service. Friends, neighbors, relatives, converted and otherwise, will come at this time of year, especially to see children they know.
I had an opportunity to make the gospel message meaningful to these people.
The second thing I learned is that you have to experience something to lose your fear of it--in this case a communion service not on Nisan 14. In the worship survey we conducted in December, 50 percent of the members in Sacramento said they wanted to do communion only once a year. Nevertheless, everyone present took the communion at the end of the incarnation service.
I gave a low key presentation of why we do it at other times of the year. As we grow in learning and experience, we overcome our fear of the unknown. Now people have no fear of the unknown.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1999