What is your Christmas Eve Tradition? Every family celebrates special holidays in their own way. Christmas Eve is no exception, with families incorporating a wide variety of traditions. Our family treasures memories of attending a candlelight service on Christmas Eve. While attending church together is a family tradition, there’s something uniquely moving about the dim lighting, the glow of the candles and the words of the age-old Christmas hymns.
There’s no other evening quite as magical as Christmas Eve; in fact, my most treasured time of worship during the Christmas season. I just loved raising my candle in this collective effort to praise Him for the light he brought to our dark world. Attend a service this year with your family and even pray about inviting someone to come with you! Listed below are the times of special services being held here in our community on the 24th (these are most of our local churches in the Arcanum area; and all the information I had at my deadline.)
Christmas Eve Service at Castine Church of the Brethren located at 624 U.S. Route 127 will be held in the Sanctuary at 8 p.m. You are welcome to come and bring your friends.
Arcanum Faith United Methodist, located at 101 E. South St., invites you to come and join in a time of celebration of Jesus’ birth at 11 p.m. on Dec. 24. All are welcome to join them to celebrate the Birth of the Christ Jesus!
Grace Church, 4805 State Route 49, invites you to join them for a Christmas Candle Lighting service at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Ithaca Grace United Methodist, 750 Arcanum-Ithaca Road, invites you to join them for their Christmas Eve Candlelight service at 9 p.m.
The members of Gordon United Methodist Church invite you to their Christmas Meal and Service with special music from their kids on Wednesday, Dec. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at 311 East St. in Gordon.
Trinity UMC, 112 W. South St., invites you to join them for the Christmas Eve Service at 9 p.m. on Monday evening.
St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Ithaca will hold their annual Candlelight Service with Holy Communion at 7 p.m. St. Matthew’s is located on the south-east curve at the edge of Ithaca.
Pleasant View Missionary Church, 5231 Gettysburg-Pitsburg Road, will hold Candlelight Services at 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Pitsburg Church of the Brethren will host Christmas Eve services at 10 p.m. Pastor Ken Oren welcomes you to join them at 8376 Pitsburg-Arcanum Road.
Can’t make it to church with small children or elderly relatives? Then bring the warmth of the experience to your living room. Just dim the lights, let members of the family read the Christmas Story from the scripture in Luke Chapter 2, and sing your favorite carols by the glow of candles.
Luke 2 New International Version (NIV)
2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
My family and I wish you a Merry Christmas and send you the spirit of love, joy, and giving, remember to unwrap it on Christmas Eve.
