And what's everyone doing for 12/24?

[cindinj]

or haven't you even thought about it yet... ?

:eek:

[russhutto]

We'll do the Sunday before. But not Christmas eve.

We're a college/military town so most people fly the coop for Christmas, so it's almost counterproductive to put energy into it. We focus more on Easter and Mother's Day.

[twc_admin]

We're doing the Sunday before, and then the Sunday AFTER we encourage meeting for church as a family in your home ... we actually do not have a corporate service the Sunday before New Years!

[garyhodges]

12/24... is there something happening then?

Oh, yeah -- I get it -- the last shopping day before Christmas!

Seriously, though -- We have 2 candlelight communion services. The second one begins at 11:30 and ends right at midnight. It's amazing how popular this one is. What's more amazing is that I'm actually awake for it. Always a really sweet time. We make these services a bit more liturgical than usual for us -- with a responsive reading, etc.

As we're thinking it through, we're trying to make it extra special -- add a few out-of-the-ordinary "artsy" elements. Trapeze and BMX ala Cirque du Soliel for sure.

No, not really! I can't believe you thought I was serious.

I do have a musical opening in mind that will be different, but I'll divulge that later. My wife is going to play Bob Kauflin's arrangement of "Mary Did You Know?" and I'm going to hopefully have time to put together a video presentation to go along with it.

That's what I have for now. Life-changing, I know.

[milepost13]

We always have an evening service on Christmas Eve. Here (http://practicalworship.blogspot.com/2007/11/our-christmas-set-list.html) is what we're working on for our Christmas music.

Nate

[inworship]

We decided to make the 22/23rd our Christmas/Christmas eve weekend. So all the services that weekend will be geared towards that.

We generally do a Christmas Eve event, but we are consolidating this year.

[carguy1]

We aren't doing anything on the 24th, and I will actually be out of town on the Sunday before (vacation scheduled before I started leading worship). So, I don't know what they are doing. I have to speak with pastor to see if he wants me to put something together or what.

[worshiptrench]

You guys are stinking worship heretics...you think Bach would have said, "O sorry no Christmas mass for you cuz I gotta get some presents for the nephews???" --Okay I kid.

Actually we do 3 very traditional Eve services (4p, 5.15 pm, 6.30pm) which is in effect non-traditional since we never do traditional except this day...following me???

We have a nativity built on stage. We sing a hymn, a narrator reads the appropriate scripture and a pre-teen comes down the center aisle in costume. This process is repeated until the whole live nativity is built on stage. We only use piano and SAT voices + leader + narrator. Then Bob gets up and does a 12 minute homily (short-message) followed by a candlelighting and silent night. We do the same skeleton each year though we hang different songs on it. People have actually come to us and asked us NOT to change it. So we don't.

[cindinj]

;)

So far we have some of what Nate has on his list (great list! we're doing some of the Third Day stuff). We won't go traditional at all, although I kinda wish we would. But that's my age showing, I guess. Anyway, last year they (I wasn't part yet) did this whole Trans Siberian thing and I think it may have been a little too edgy for some so we'll see where we end up. Our leader sounds like he has it all nailed down but I'm still curious about what others may do.

[bethoumyvision]

We're doing an evening Christmas Eve service, though I'm not sure of the specifics yet. I may actually be planning it, so I've got to make sure communication happens so that I can!

In all honesty, I envy those only doing the Sunday before... I've got to travel to visit family right after the evening service & I know they're going to want me visiting sooner... ah, well... what to do! :)

[lytesource]

Because I'm from a family that still celebrates on the 24th instead of Christmas day... And I'm the pastors wife,... we don't do a Christmas Eve service. So here's what we do. Every 3rd Sunday of the month throughout the year our community of churches gather for a Unity Worship Service and it is hosted at a different church each month. Our church hosts the month of December every year so we get to have not only a service for our congregation but for congregations all over our local area.

Generally we'll bring in musicians to enhance our little team and invite some folks from the congregation to join us for a small ensemble of voices. We've also done christmas children's musicals.

This year we have something different. We've been preparing our children's choir and they will be doing songs from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (modified lyrics) and some other non-traditional selections. No Jingle Bells or any typical kids songs. Ugh!

The fun part will be sending the vocals through a loop during two TSO songs. It will be a new experience for all of us.

here's a partial list:
Remember/ TSO (new lyrics/In a Stable)
Christmas Cannon Rock (http://www.youtube.com/v/jA9DmSfufSQ&rel=1)/ TSO
Sing Out Shout with Joy/ Merry Christmas Party Singers
Let's Make a Baby King (http://www.amazon.com/gp/music/wma-pop-up/B000002OO8001004/ref=mu_sam_wma_001_004)/ Jesse Winchester

Happy Thanksgiving and may the Lord prosper your Christmas preparations.