It seems like the fall season is a sprint. It just moves so quickly. And then, of course, the holidays are upon us, ready or not. In fact, we have a saying around here that beginning on the day after Halloween we need to be thinking and acting like Christmas is here. That’s why this weekend brings our ministry push weekend for Christmas Eve.
The one day of the year when we are certain that unchurched people in our community actually want to come to church is Christmas Eve. That’s why we host our celebration at the “Cow Palace” at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. We began the tradition 15 years ago with perhaps 1,500 in attendance. Last year we welcomed 11,000, with many more watching on Catholic TV and online.
But to make that happen, we need 500 parishioners to serve. Service can come in a variety of roles and times. Beginning on December 16, we start our move into the Cow Palace which means we need ops crews daily through the 23rd, as well as crews on the 26th for breakdown and clean up. On Christmas Eve itself we need greeters, host ministers, and children’s ministers, beginning at 2pm. Most critically we need to fill our second shift, beginning at 5pm.
If you are going to be here on our Ridgely Road campus this weekend stop by the Christmas Ministry Market Booth on our Concourse and sign up to serve or learn more about it. Sign up this weekend to serve on Christmas and we’ll give you an exclusive 2019 Nativity Christmas ornament. If you’re still working our your schedule for Christmas you will eventually have an opportunity to sign up online (stay tuned to my Twitter account for more details when online signups are released @nativitypastor). You can serve with your whole family, you can serve with your friends, you can serve with your small group.
Start a beautiful new tradition and add service to your holiday celebration. But don’t wait too long because Christmas is just around the corner.
