Perhaps you and I are more alike than we know. I too have "trouble" with members of the Lord's Church bring Christmas into the Lord's Church and especially into the worship of the Church. I was at a congregation that wanted to put a Christmas Tree up and I asked them to show me the authority from the word of God for it. One of the ladies got a Bible and took me the Luke chapter 2 and said it's right there. My response to her was that it shows us the birth of Christ not the calling to observe a religious holiday. Her poor exegesis is what lead to her poor theology.

Many in the Lord's Church want to bring Christmas in as a "special day". They take their youth groups caroling at nursing homes, they have "Christmas parties" at the building, they gather on the 24 at midnight to "celebrate" what they should be celebrating all year long. The same thing happens with Thanksgiving. I had to correct a member who lead the prayer during the Lord's Supper and said "As we Pause this week to celebrate Thanksgiving, we do so knowing that death of Jesus is why we give thanks." After I passed out and was revived by EMS , I had to explain to him that Thanksgiving has nothing to do with the Lord's Supper .

I celebrate lots of holidays, forth of July, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc... but they are NOT religious holidays and I (we, my family) refuse all suggestions or associations with them as being "religious". I once had to tell a teacher that she was wrong for teaching the "story of the Candie Cane" in Children's Bible class. The thought that a piece of candy has anything to do with Christs blood is simply nonsense. I can assure you, as a preacher in the Lord's Church, that much more teaching needs to be had on this issue.

I have no problem with a Holiday just as I don't with a piano- as long as BOTH of them are not seen in the Lord's Church

Kindly,
Don

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Don Gelles,
Preacher, Church of Christ in Hyde Park
Austin, Texas
www.hydeparkcoc.org