Church Services Become Popular at the Yuletide
By Ashley Hughes
Nassau News Staff Writer
The room is decked with streams of green garland and candelabras. Bright red bows adorn the aisle that leads to the stage where a cluster of red poinsettias have been meticulously arranged to add to the magic of what will soon be taking place.
Before the ushers lead them to their seats, the crowds will gather in awe of the room as they stand in front of the vivid banners of red and gold that create the backdrop for the opening scene. Then, the long-awaited moment finally arrives and the plethora of candles are lit, the choir is in place, and the crew takes center stage.
That production scene is no different than what takes place every year in churches across Nassau County as they make special arrangements to celebrate the birth of Jesus. These arrangements can include lavishly decorating the sanctuary, handing out candles to all in attendance, adding extra seating, preparing Christmas-oriented songs for worship and much more.
Many churches also offer more service options in expectation of all the people who will be in attendance. St. Bridgid’s, a Roman Catholic church in Westbury, holds six masses on Christmas Eve, starting at 4 P.M. and ending at midnight; and it has seven masses on Christmas Day.
Thirteen services is more than any of the Protestant churches in the area will be offering. Grace Lutheran Church offers two services on Christmas Eve: a family service at 4 P.M. and a candle lit service at 10 P.M.
The difference in the number of services is partially due to how Catholics and Protestants view Christmas.
According to a study done by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, Catholic churches expect one-third to one-half more people than usual because Christmas is seen as a “holy day of obligation.”
In the Catholic religion, “The religious celebration of Christmas places the Mass at the center of the holiday – no matter what day of the week,” the institute reported. “Extra worship services are frequently added for Christmas Eve as well as on Christmas Day.”
St. Martin’s, a Roman Catholic church in Uniondale, expects a 50 percent increase in attendance at the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day masses, compared to the regular Mass attendance. Monsignor Caldwell, a leader at the church said in an interview that the church is expecting 2,500 to 3,000 people to attend.
Protestant churches will also receive more attendees at Christmas time and will add an extra service or two, but their Christmas attendance is not as staggering as that of the Catholic churches in the area. At Grace Lutheran, Bateza expects a 40 percent increase in attendance at the Christmas Eve services compared to regular Sunday church attendance. This is about 35 more people than usual.
Protestants’ views of Christmas differ from those of Catholics in a sense that Protestants view Christmas as less of a holy obligation and more as a celebration of the Savior’s birth.
“Christmas Eve services are all about celebrating the birth of Jesus and fellowship with one another,” Bateza said. “The church always has a welcoming atmosphere, and people happily bring their families to the holiday services. The people we have not seen in a while also come out, which is a great thing.”
Although Catholics and Protestants view Christmas services differently, church leaders agreed in interviews that coming out to church a couple times a year is better than not coming at all, and that people’s lives are taking a toll on church attendance.
“I use to go to church every Sunday, but now I don’t because I work on weekends and can’t make it there,” said Jessica Bermudez, 27, of Elmont. “But I do attend holiday services such as Easter, Christmas and Palm Sunday.”
Christmas has also been transformed from a “holy day of obligation” filled with giving thanks and praise to a gift-giving holiday that consists of large amounts of shopping and spending.
According to an article in a November-December 2006 issue of The Real Truth, a Christian magazine produced by The Restored Church of God, Pastor General David C. Pack reported that although gift-giving does not come from the Bible, retailers still make 60 percent of their profits because of holiday spending.
“On Sundays, the malls are packed with people shopping and children’s sporting events are scheduled so the church’s connection to the community is suffering,” Bateza said. “It is unfortunate that these people cannot come out all the time because we love having them, but the world and society has pushed church aside.”
However, not everyone has lost sight of how the holiday season began.
“I don't believe in holiday shopping because it is suppose to be about God, and God is left out of the whole Christmas and Hanukah experience,” Jason Finkelstein, 30, of Franklin Square, said. “It's all about shopping and not about God anymore.”
