First Free will not meet in person on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Instead we will gather on Christmas Eve and have small personal gatherings on New Year’s Day.
Our Christmas gathering will be on Christmas Eve at 5 pm. We will worship, sing, and light the advent candles together, hear a short message, take communion, and close with silent night by candlelight. For your Christmas Day worship, you can try this Christmas Morning Liturgy at home or take this rare opportunity to visit another church. See how our brothers and sisters in other congregations worship.
On New Years day, we are coordinating mini-gatherings in people’s homes. You can find more info and signup here.
There are two primary reasons that we are not meeting on these two Sundays.
1. Rest for Staff and Volunteers: The holiday season has become increasingly full of things to do, especially if you work–or volunteer–at a church. We want to encourage our church to practice God-ordained rhythms of work and rest, and this is a very tangible and practical place to start. If you’ve never practiced a sabbath, these two Sundays are a great opportunity to start.
2. Missional Opportunity: I want to encourage people to celebrate New Years Eve with friends and family, and to intentionally be with people outside the Christian faith. Whether that means you go celebrate at a bar and meet some new people or you throw a party at your house and invite your kids’ unchurched friends, the point is for us to be the body of Christ where we are. Practice hospitality, be a peculiar presence, and surprise people as you embody the Gospel in your community.