I was in a strange church. I was there for the first time. I did not know the minister. I find that such a situation awakens ones sensitivity to what is going on. You worship and look and listen to learn and all the while you are hoping that this one will say something interesting and useful for you... You don't have any personal relationships to cloud your interaction with the worship leader which makes for a different experience.
But having led services at midnight Christmas eve for so many years I recognise all he does, for I have done it myself many times. It is one of my favourite services - there is one script and an expectation of universal good cheer.
The hymns were good but you would have to be a real moron to muck up a carol service!
The prayers are OK - perhaps a little too self centred. I am disappointed that there is scant recognition the wider world beyond the personal life of the believer.
But the sermon - oh dear. The preacher has fallen into the trap that enslaves many evangelicals - he preaches to a congregation that exists in his imagination rather than to the real people who are there! On Christmas eve these folk are all church regulars. They are not drunks lost on the way home from the pub as the pubs are still open! They will have heard more Christmas sermons on this night that the young preacher and yet he assumes that we all need to hear the simple message about the gift of Christmas - receive the present of Jesus - and it is a free gift that we can do nothing to earn! Usual evo message that causes non-evos like me to think "here we go again" as I mentally switch to some more interesting thoughts. Sadly, it can also causes the evangelicals (and others for whom being saved is the a priori factor in their Christian experience) to look around judgementally to see which of the backsliders in the church this message is for! I would find it very difficult to have to listen to a message like that regularly - it would drive me crazy!
I forgot to mention that the preacher also read his script verbatim - but he hadn't written it in a style for reading out loud! There were long complicated sentences with sub clauses. It was so obvious he was reading and so rendered it a lifeless performance.
But it was Christmas and strangers greeted each other ignoring the preachers shortcomings and enjoyed the magic of the night. The joy of the season couldn't be quelled and the organist struck up the closing voluntary "Santa Claus is coming to town" as the minister left the church!
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