Tag Archives: Christmas

Christmas dancers in India help outreach
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January 26, 2017

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India, International Missions, Outreach

Christmas Outreach in India

by Jessey Vemula, missionary in India

Christmas Outreach in India

Caroling is a common outreach during Christmas in IndiaChristmas is an important time to many Christians around the world. To Indian Christians it is a big celebration. Churches in India have many activities and preparations to do in the months of October and November. The church is painted and decorated with lights, balloons, garlands, paper stars and a Christmas tree. Other than decorating, members can also be involved in caroling.

Caroling is a common form of outreach during the whole month of December. Calvary General Baptist ministries has done caroling since the ministry began. During the Christmas season there are less persecutions from unbelievers, which makes this the perfect time to preach the Gospel. The old way of caroling was going from street to street singing the gospel songs, playing musical instruments, dancing with Santa Claus and giving candy, and preaching the gospel for ten minutes. Unbelievers would come outside to see Santa, why we were singing, or to hear the preaching. However, we decided to do something different in 2016.

A New Plan for Outreach

CHristmas Outreach in IndiaThis year our caroling method involved more planning and work. A couple of new things were going to village elders and asking them to come and celebrate Christmas with their village people, also the Jesus film. Total we went and asked permission from 22 villages around the Siddipet district. Only eight of the 22 gave permission. This may seem like a low number but we were blessed to do outreach in this many villages. Caroling in the villages involved a whole new method of outreach. The event lasted three hours or more and included preaching, a visit from Santa, traditional dancers (told Jesus story in a cultural way), showing Jesus film, and a cake cutting to share with everyone.

Outreach this year allowed us to share the gospel to 450-500 new people. In the coming years we hope to do this more and get more response. Our best response came from Boggulabanda, where many raised their hands to receive Christ. We were very thankful to have six new families attend our Christmas day service. They were given free bibles. We will continue to help them grow spiritually in the Lord.

Thanks to God and Supporters

The outreach was a community eventMany seeds have been sown this Christmas season. We thank the many supporters who prayed for this outreach. An outreach like this does have risks and persecutions as well. One of the eight villages called Appanapalli had given permission but after the gospel team arrived in the village the elders changed their mind. Only after a Christian family (our church members) went to the police, we got the permission to do the outreach two days later. We are thankful that everyone involved did not get hurt.

Please start praying for 2017 and upcoming events. Prayer has helped CGBM India to be able to do great things this year, but greater things will come in 2017. We ask you to continue to pray for us and the ministry in India and, consider sponsoring shares to help this ministry make a difference in the lives of people in this needy place. May God bless you all and continue to use you for His kingdom in 2017.

Visit: Calvary Grace General Baptist Churches of India on Facebook for more photos and videos from Christmas

Jessey and Brittany Vemula serve as missionaries to India.

Suggestions for a Special Christmas Eve Service
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December 13, 2016

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Christian Life, Congregrational Ministries

A Special Christmas Eve Service

The following outline of a Christmas Eve Service uses Scripture readings interspersed with carols, praise choruses and/or special music to tell the Christmas story. Musical selections can be adapted to selected stanzas and any available music can be easily inserted in the flow as worshippers alternately read and sing the Christmas story. This particular guide uses traditional carols but other music may be easily substituted to meet the preferences of the worship leader. People who read the selected passages can be recruited in advance. A microphone set up on floor level might aid them in their presentation. Be sure to give advance notice, a copy of the part to be read, and instructions about arriving early for a short sound check prior to the arrival of worshippers. Consider selecting older children, teens and senior adults who are often overlooked for these kinds of readings. Of course you may rely on the few people who are always willing but why not save them for last minute substitutes if someone can’t make it?

Candles and Carols: A Christmas Celebration

Opening Carol — “O Come All Ye Faithful”

Welcome

The Lord’s Prayer (Traditional)

Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Prophets:

Isaiah 9:2, 7; Micah 5:2
Song: “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”

Christmas Eve Offering

Readings from the Gospel:

Luke 1:26-35
Song: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

Matt. 1:18-25
Song: “Away in a Manger”

Luke 2:1-7
Song: “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

Luke 2:8-14
Song: “Angels We Have Heard on High”

Luke 2:15-20
Song: “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks”

A Reading from the Epistles:

Galatians 4:4-5; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
Song: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”

Message: Three Types of Candles

Song: “Joy To The World”

The Lord’s Supper

An Affirmation of our Faith:

The Apostle’s Creed (Modern English Version)

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord who was
• Conceived by the Holy Spirit
• Born of the Virgin Mary,
• Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
• Was crucified, died and was buried;
• He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; He ascended into heaven, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, And he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in
• the Holy Spirit,
• the holy Christian church,
• the communion of the saints,
• the forgiveness of sins,
• the resurrection of the body,
• and the life everlasting. Amen

A Prayer of Consecration

We Remember Together

Candlelighting Scripture Reading: John 1:1-14
As you light the candle of the person next to you do so by declaring “Jesus Christ is the Light of my life.”

Benediction

Choral Benediction: “Silent Night, Holy Night”

Christmas on Sunday
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December 8, 2016

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Church Growth, Congregrational Ministries

Christmas Is On Sunday This Year

By Franklin Dumond – Director of Congregational Ministries

It happens only infrequently in the life of the church and the professional career of the pastor but Christmas does come on Sunday once in awhile. When this happens special plans should be made to keep the spiritual impact of the season and to support the witness of the church as expressed in its worship schedule.

This infrequent event occurs once again Sunday, December 25, 2016.

Many Christian churches have established traditions for Christmas Eve services, yet only a few offer Christmas Day services. In our culture Christmas Day is a secular celebration of surprise gifts and family celebrations very distant from most religious traditions.

Across the years, as a local church pastor, I tried many approaches to Christmas on Sunday and then I found one approach that worked best.

Early in my tenure as pastor, I took the approach that Sunday was a sacred day of worship no matter if Christmas or other holidays happened to arrive on that day of the week.

My approach in those days was one of denial, something like: “If I don’t admit it is a holiday we can have ‘church’ as usual.” With a generous amount of guilt along with some promotion of the schedule I found I could gather a little less than ½ of my congregation on Christmas Day if we kept our ‘usual’ schedule.

I have since come to believe that the attitude I held then was one of “They know where the church is so there’s no excuse for not coming.” I have also come to realize that this attitude is not conducive to church growth!

A second approach I took to Christmas on Sunday was one of adjusting the morning schedule. By working with/ through the Church Council we arranged a morning fellowship 30 minutes before the morning worship service. This adjusted schedule resulted in a little more than ½ of the regular attendance on this special day.

Then the next time Christmas came on Sunday I found an approach that worked best. We arranged and promoted two options for Christmas Worship. The first option was a Christmas Eve Service. The second was a Christmas Day Service. By offering these two options I found about ½ of the congregation came on Saturday evening and about ½ came on Sunday morning so that our combined attendance was the ‘usual’ number. With two options family and church celebrations were balanced and everyone felt good about the holiday being both a religious and a family celebration.

To fully reap the benefits of this approach the Christmas Eve Service must become more than the Candlelight Communion so often offered then. When elements of morning worship like special music, the Advent Wreath, tithes and offerings, Christmas sermon, etc. are combined with Christmas Eve communion a meaningful service of worship is offered for the church family and for the community.

Christmas worship on Sunday morning may need a bit different schedule. Perhaps the church that offers multiple services will offer “One Grand Celebration” or perhaps Christmas worship will be scheduled at the Sunday School hour to accommodate family gatherings at midday.

By finding a schedule that will work and by effectively communicating it to the church family and to the community, Christmas worship can be a celebration with a large crowd rather than the depressed assembling of a few faithful saints.

SantaNow about the guy in the red suit coming to church on Christmas…

  1. If he does come, let him come to the fellowship hall or to a location outside the building and make sure he comes after, not during, worship celebrations. Remember Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

  2. If he comes on Christmas weekend have him come after the Christmas Eve Service in the fellowship hall or on the church lawn. Let him go back to the North Pole for Christmas Day!