Dain Spore, Kauai Christian Fellowship pastor, says almost 2,000 people attend the church’s Christmas Eve service at the Grand Hyatt. “We’ve been there for almost 20 years because it’s gotten so big we couldn’t fit it in our church,” he
Dain Spore, Kauai Christian Fellowship pastor, says almost 2,000 people attend the church’s Christmas Eve service at the Grand Hyatt.
“We’ve been there for almost 20 years because it’s gotten so big we couldn’t fit it in our church,” he said “It has something for everybody.”
About 90 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas and about 65 percent will attend a service on Christmas Eve. It is one of the days of the year, along with Easter, that more people will attend church, according to the Pew Research Center.
And churches will be ready with special music, sermons, decorations, videos, candles, and programs. Some will go beyond their church walls. Breath of Life Christian Ministries will have a 7 o’clock service tonight at the Grand Ballroom in the Kauai Marriott Resort in Lihue.
“We do a mix of upbeat rocking songs as well as some traditional songs — everything from electric guitars to cellos and violins. Something for everybody and it’s a lot of fun,” Spore said. “We invite everybody — believer or skeptic or somewhere in between — to come on out and check out the real good news of Christmas.”
Which is the birth of Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago.
The Bible says little of Jesus’ birth. Neither the Gospel of John nor Mark even mention it.
Matthew never refers to a manger or shepherds, but it does outline King Herod’s efforts to find and kill the baby boy, of Magi following a star to find the baby Jesus, and bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and warns him to flee and take the child and Mary to Egypt.
Luke contains other details, such as Caesar Augustus demanding a census of the entire Roman world, “and everyone went to his own town to register.” So Joseph and Mary headed from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
Pastors plan to share messages of hope based on the traditional story of Jesus’ birth.
For the Rev. Mary Tudela of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Lihue, the church will offer two services: a 6 p.m. service that will be put on primarily by the youth and a 9:30 p.m. candlelight Eucharist service that will offer parishioners a more traditional event with a brass quartet.
“The 6 p.m. will be very different and it’s focused on having our children leave church at the end of the service and understanding how Jesus could be a part of their own life,” Tudela said.
The church will have a congregational carol sing along with the All Angels Choir at 9 p.m.
“We’re going to sing five to six Christmas carols because it’s hard to get them all into the regular church service because there’s so many favorites,” she said. “People can come and sing Christmas carols along with our musicians before our actual church service starts.”
Some churches will keep it sweet and simple.
At Immaculate Conception parish in Lihue, Father Edison Pamintuan will have a 6 p.m. and a midnight Mass. An hour before the midnight Mass, parishioners are invited to caroling as well as a skit by the youth which focuses on “showing mercy to people.”
“Christmas time is not so much about us, but it’s about Christ — the focus, the center of the celebration,” he said.
Before Lihue United Church begins its 8 p.m. candlelight service, the Rev. Dr. Phyllis Meighen said refreshments will be served at 7:30 p.m. as well as after the service ends.
During the service, the choir will sing the story of the birth of Jesus, and the story’s characters will come forward and create a live nativity, Meighen said.
“The candlelight portion of the service is out under the stars. That’s a beautiful part of the service,” she said. “I would invite people to come and experience the love that came down at Christmas.”
