Christmas Eve services are always memorable. I remember growing up that we would have individual candles to light. At the end of the service, we would all sing “Silent Night” and light the candles. Some Churches stopped doing that because it was a fire hazard. Other Churches have renewed the tradition, but with candle holders that were a little sturdier. Instead of the paper circles, I’ve seen clear plastic holders that would catch any wax and not catch fire. It is a wonderful tradition and a special moment.

How do you manage the lights in the worship service when you are lighting the candles? The best way would be a very slow fade from fully bright to about 20% light – i.e. just enough to see by if someone left their pew during the lighting. But this may need to be a manual process. Can you get your lighting board to run a slow fade taking several minutes to complete? Most of them are designed for quick transitions. You may need to string together a number of transitions in a row, each one taking the lights further down. The goal is to have the sanctuary dark enough that the candles stand out, but not too dark to walk. That way, the ministers, ushers can see where they are going. And the congregation gets to experience the full effect!

Advent is really the beginning of the Christian Year. What better time to start than the birth of the Christ child! Every year, we look for new ways to announce His coming. We celebrate Christmas with musical specials, children’s plays, small group celebrations, and Christmas Eve Communion. It truly is Advent Time.

But Advent can also be a time for some to struggle. It may be the seasonal change as winter sets in and we all stay inside more. Or it may be that some tragic event is remembered. Yet, in the midst of all of that, Hope is born again in our hearts through the Christ Child. Let Him come anew into your heart this Christmas!

During Advent, we hear a lot of familiar stories. One of my favorites is “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Written in 1843 AD, it is a classic. It tells the story of how an elderly miser named Ebenezer Scrooge was confronted at Christmas time by his past, present and future. It was published on December 19th, and immediately sold out. Dickens went on to perform live “story telling” events based on A Christmas Carol until his death in 1870.

Ebenezer turned his life around. In the light of the Gospel, he chose a new path of generosity and love. As a result the Cratchit family was blessed. Tiny Tim no doubt got the operation that saved his life.

What are some ways that your Church could use A Christmas Carol to further the Gospel? Here are just a few ideas:

• Small Group study – looking at Advent through A Christmas Carol
• Movie Night – Show one of the many movies based on A Christmas Carol
• Christmas Event – Give to the poor like Ebenezer learned to do
• Web page listing local charity events that people can participate in

May Advent be a time of reckoning, a time of joy as we anticipate the arrival of the Christ together.

What’s the first impression that people in the community have of your Church? Perhaps you have a Digital Sign out front that identifies the building and provides some basic information about the Church. No doubt it lists the service times, so people will know when to come for worship.

During Advent, we announce the coming of the Babe in the Manger in new ways each year. That message appears in the Advent sermons. It shows up in the bulletins and newsletters. And it should show up on your web site. It should also be prominent for your Digital Sign out front. But how do you write that message in a format that fits the signage? Here are some examples that might work:

• Happy Birthday, Jesus!
• Celebrate Christmas Here
• Joy To The World
• Put Christ back in Christmas
• Santa never died for anyone
• Jesus came to die for you

What if we could connect a Social Media account up to the Digital Sign and let the congregation post messages. Of course, they would have to be vetted by someone, so you couldn’t do this real time. But it would be a cool way for members of the congregation to express what Christmas means to them in the community.

How do you celebrate the Advent season? It is always a special time in the life of any Church. Advent reminds us to prepare for the coming of the Christ child. And every Church has a rich tradition of Christmas programs and events. But how do you truly prepare for the Christ? The technology can offer some new ways to tell the “Good News” that Christ is born this day! Whether it be a special video, or a full blown Christmas Cantata, the emphasis needs to be on Jesus – the reason for the season. May your Christmas events draw people to the manger in a fresh, new way. Feel free to comment on your innovations in this area.

Christmas is a Wonderful Time of Year, and worship takes on a new dynamic. The Advent season brings all sorts of special events. These demand more from our technologies than at any other time of year. Special lighting might include lighting the Advent Candles so the person in the back row can tell that they were really lit. Musical cantatas celebrate the joy of Christmas with praise and even drama. Do you or do you not mike the baby Jesus in the manger? The end of the year brings many opportunities to take advantage of our technical ministry capabilities. There are special videos, special music, and unique lighting requests – e.g. Christmas trees in the back of the choir that need to twinkle. And all of this plays out before record crowds. All the more reason for advance planning and development long before December rolls around!

Of course, Christmas has deep spiritual meaning. Coming from the Church tradition of the Christ Mass, there is a significance that transcends any other season. The Christ is born means that God is incarnate, stepping down out of Heaven to walk among us here on earth. How and when are not so important as the why of that event. But you can expect that the minister will have a special sermon series that focuses on that question. And perhaps that demands a new, refreshing way of looking at things. So a new look to the videos may be in order. Or a new style to the website may be just the thing to help visitors find Joy in our Savior’s Birth! Yes, Christmas is a Wonderful time of year, and a tremendous opportunity to apply technology to worship in new ways!

Merry Christmas and May the Light of our Savior strike your eye in a new way this coming year!

Bradley Roberts