Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:St. Charles Borromeo in Clarendon. 5:00 PM Mass. Be sure the kids behave. Warn them that the lights will be dimmed to almost darkness until the Celebrant enters, at which point the lights will be raised and all may pray collectively to commemorate the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Is this a service geared toward children?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cedar Lane UU Church in Bethesda at 4 or 6 pm.

Any UU service is a far cry from what you'd see at a Catholic Christmas eve service. If you're into completely Christian ceremony and music, go with Episcopal or Lutheran if you can't do Catholic.

Anonymous wrote:Wow. Such Christianity displayed here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please not mine!! I hate how the church is all crowded with random looky-loos on Christmas. It'd one thing if you actually respected our faith and were interested in learning more. But it's s flying spaghetti monster this and pray the gay away that all year and then I have to stand holding my wiggling three year old for an hour on Christmas b/c you need to relive your childhood or something.

Try to welcome them. If they have young kids or are older, give them your seat. If they are kids/grandkids coming for their yearly Mass obligation with the grandparents, smile, welcome them and make room.

Christmas and Easter are both wonderful times to welcome the lost lambs back into the fold. Celebrate the fact that your church is standing room only. It shouod be packed to the rafters every week, not just Christmas, Easter or following terrible events like after 9/11. See those crowded pews as a time of joy and celebration, and make those folks feel welcome so that they might feel a connection and return to church.

You had me until this: "It should be packed to the rafters every week, not just Christmas, Easter or following terrible events like after 9/11." Why should church be packed if there nothing compelling enough for people to come? It's like saying the Kennedy Center should be packed every night even when the performances are average - or below par. Or that restaurants should be packed even if people aren't hungry or the food isn't good. Please consider that not all special occasion churchgoers are lost lambs. They may be just people coming for a good show and you should be nice to them no matter why they are there.

Please don't take my seat or my kid's seat "for a good show." Please go to the Kennedy Center for that. If you are interested in making a connection with God, please come and we'll all make room. If you're coming just for "the show," then please at least put enough money in the basket to cover what you would pay for a show at the Kennedy Center.

Anonymous wrote:St. Charles Borromeo in Clarendon. 5:00 PM Mass. Be sure the kids behave. Warn them that the lights will be dimmed to almost darkness until the Celebrant enters, at which point the lights will be raised and all may pray collectively to commemorate the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Anonymous wrote:
OP here.

Thank you for all the suggestions. I am seeking a spiritual connection at this time of the year and I'm sorry it's rubbing some people the wrong way.

I'm doubtful that people come "for the show". Not my idea of a show, and yes I do go to Strathmore or the Kennedy Center The PPs who suggested this are perhaps trying to redirect the frustration they feel when seating and parking are difficult. And sadly I'm not reliving my childhood: my parents never took me to church.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please not mine!! I hate how the church is all crowded with random looky-loos on Christmas. It'd one thing if you actually respected our faith and were interested in learning more. But it's s flying spaghetti monster this and pray the gay away that all year and then I have to stand holding my wiggling three year old for an hour on Christmas b/c you need to relive your childhood or something.

Try to welcome them. If they have young kids or are older, give them your seat. If they are kids/grandkids coming for their yearly Mass obligation with the grandparents, smile, welcome them and make room.

Christmas and Easter are both wonderful times to welcome the lost lambs back into the fold. Celebrate the fact that your church is standing room only. It shouod be packed to the rafters every week, not just Christmas, Easter or following terrible events like after 9/11. See those crowded pews as a time of joy and celebration, and make those folks feel welcome so that they might feel a connection and return to church.

You had me until this: "It should be packed to the rafters every week, not just Christmas, Easter or following terrible events like after 9/11." Why should church be packed if there nothing compelling enough for people to come? It's like saying the Kennedy Center should be packed every night even when the performances are average - or below par. Or that restaurants should be packed even if people aren't hungry or the food isn't good. Please consider that not all special occasion churchgoers are lost lambs. They may be just people coming for a good show and you should be nice to them no matter why they are there.

Please don't take my seat or my kid's seat "for a good show." Please go to the Kennedy Center for that. If you are interested in making a connection with God, please come and we'll all make room. If you're coming just for "the show," then please at least put enough money in the basket to cover what you would pay for a show at the Kennedy Center.

Regular churchgoers should only go to give glory to god. They shouldn't get all dressed up to impress each other, or use church as a place to socialize with like-minded people, or a place towrope off their kids on Sunday morning. They should also donate freely to keep up the church and support the pastors salary and to purchase special flowers at Christmas and easter. All for the glory of god, of course, never for the show.

Thanks for dictating to people exactly how they should worship....and illustrating the reason why so many people stay away.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please not mine!! I hate how the church is all crowded with random looky-loos on Christmas. It'd one thing if you actually respected our faith and were interested in learning more. But it's s flying spaghetti monster this and pray the gay away that all year and then I have to stand holding my wiggling three year old for an hour on Christmas b/c you need to relive your childhood or something.

Try to welcome them. If they have young kids or are older, give them your seat. If they are kids/grandkids coming for their yearly Mass obligation with the grandparents, smile, welcome them and make room.

Christmas and Easter are both wonderful times to welcome the lost lambs back into the fold. Celebrate the fact that your church is standing room only. It shouod be packed to the rafters every week, not just Christmas, Easter or following terrible events like after 9/11. See those crowded pews as a time of joy and celebration, and make those folks feel welcome so that they might feel a connection and return to church.

You had me until this: "It should be packed to the rafters every week, not just Christmas, Easter or following terrible events like after 9/11." Why should church be packed if there nothing compelling enough for people to come? It's like saying the Kennedy Center should be packed every night even when the performances are average - or below par. Or that restaurants should be packed even if people aren't hungry or the food isn't good. Please consider that not all special occasion churchgoers are lost lambs. They may be just people coming for a good show and you should be nice to them no matter why they are there.

Please don't take my seat or my kid's seat "for a good show." Please go to the Kennedy Center for that. If you are interested in making a connection with God, please come and we'll all make room. If you're coming just for "the show," then please at least put enough money in the basket to cover what you would pay for a show at the Kennedy Center.

Regular churchgoers should only go to give glory to god. They shouldn't get all dressed up to impress each other, or use church as a place to socialize with like-minded people, or a place towrope off their kids on Sunday morning. They should also donate freely to keep up the church and support the pastors salary and to purchase special flowers at Christmas and easter. All for the glory of god, of course, never for the show.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please not mine!! I hate how the church is all crowded with random looky-loos on Christmas. It'd one thing if you actually respected our faith and were interested in learning more. But it's s flying spaghetti monster this and pray the gay away that all year and then I have to stand holding my wiggling three year old for an hour on Christmas b/c you need to relive your childhood or something.

Try to welcome them. If they have young kids or are older, give them your seat. If they are kids/grandkids coming for their yearly Mass obligation with the grandparents, smile, welcome them and make room.

Christmas and Easter are both wonderful times to welcome the lost lambs back into the fold. Celebrate the fact that your church is standing room only. It shouod be packed to the rafters every week, not just Christmas, Easter or following terrible events like after 9/11. See those crowded pews as a time of joy and celebration, and make those folks feel welcome so that they might feel a connection and return to church.

You had me until this: "It should be packed to the rafters every week, not just Christmas, Easter or following terrible events like after 9/11." Why should church be packed if there nothing compelling enough for people to come? It's like saying the Kennedy Center should be packed every night even when the performances are average - or below par. Or that restaurants should be packed even if people aren't hungry or the food isn't good. Please consider that not all special occasion churchgoers are lost lambs. They may be just people coming for a good show and you should be nice to them no matter why they are there.

Please don't take my seat or my kid's seat "for a good show." Please go to the Kennedy Center for that. If you are interested in making a connection with God, please come and we'll all make room. If you're coming just for "the show," then please at least put enough money in the basket to cover what you would pay for a show at the Kennedy Center.