RICHMOND —
With Christmas falling on a Sunday, many local churches are planning Christmas eve services on Saturday night and altering their Sunday morning schedules.
All but one church contacted in a random sampling by the Richmond Register are canceling Sunday school on Christmas day.
More churches appear to be planning Christmas eve services this year, some with pageants and almost all with candlelight ceremonies.
At least one Christmas-eve and one Christmas-day dinner are planned.
On Christmas eve, Richmond’s First Presbyterian Church will serve its annual Peter Marshall-Jenny Moretz Dinner at 5 p.m. The traditional dinner was begun during World War II by the Rev. Peter Marshall, a beloved Washington, D.C., pastor who later became chaplain of the U.S. Senate. Jenny Moretz, a former church member, was in charge of the dinner at First Presbyterian for many years.
Prior to the dinner, games and other activities will begin at 4 p.m., said Dr. Curtis Christian, pastor of First Presbyterian. A candlelight service will begin at 7 p.m.
On Christmas day, from noon to 4 p.m., First Baptist Church on the Eastern Bypass will serve a Christmas dinner to all who want to come, said Maude Moberly of the church. Last year, about 400 dinners were served, she said.
First Baptist will conduct a candlelight service at 5 p.m. Saturday with only one worship service Sunday at 11 a.m. and no Sunday school.
At 4 p.m. Friday, St. Mark Roman Catholic Church in Richmond has scheduled family liturgy at 4 p.m. with a solemn mass at midnight.
Other Christmas eve services include:
• First United Methodist, Richmond, 5 and 11 p.m.
• Red House Baptist, 5 p.m.
• First Christian Church, Richmond, Christmas pageant, 5:30 p.m.
• Fountain Park First Church of God, 6 p.m.
• St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 7 p.m.
• White Oak Pond Church, 11:30 p.m.
Of all the churches contacted by the newspaper, only two, White Oak Pond and First Baptist, Francis Street, will have their regularly scheduled Sunday school, both at 9:30 a.m., on Christmas day.
Worship will follow at White Oak Pond, 10:30 a.m., and at First Baptist, 11 a.m.
First Baptist will present a musical, “The Gospel in Gospel,” said Dr. Robert Blythe the pastor.
“It will celebrate the good news of Christ’s birth that is contained in gospel music,” he said.
Most churches that normally conduct two morning worship services on Sundays plan only one on Christmas day.
In place of its usual Sunday morning worship services, First United Methodist of Richmond will have its sanctuary open from 9 a.m. to noon so families and individuals may come in for a time of personal prayer and take communion.
At St. Mark Catholic Church, Mass for Christmas Morning will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in place of the usual mass at 8:30 and 11 a.m.
Worshippers should contact churches directly or visit the church websites to verify times and activities.
Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 624-6622.
Religion and Education
Christmas on Sunday prompts many church schedule changes
Many Christmas eve services planned
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And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Rev 21:22-27) -
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