Tag Archive - Christmas

Offended and confused by blasphemous church poster

December 18, 2009 in for Churches, Outreach

I first came across this poster on Steve Fogg’s blog. It’s currently displayed outside St Matthew-in-the-city church in New Zealand:

Xmas-billboard-09

My first reaction on seeing this billboard was ‘blasphemy’. God didn’t sleep with Mary. To suggest that He did (and that’s how I understood the poster) is just offensive.

Is this what you think the poster is communicating?

The church has written an explanation of the poster on its website. After reading the explanation of the poster I still had no idea what the purpose of the poster was – in fact, I felt more confused! So I kept reading and discovered that this church describes itself as ‘progressive‘. Not sure what this means? I didn’t either, but according to the website:

“Progressives are more interested in spirituality than right belief or proper worship. The identity of Progressive Christians is centred in ethical living.”

Doesn’t sound like Christianity at all.

It’s a shame (but not surprising) that this kind of non-news about a non-Biblical message gets media exposure, for example:

It’s a shame when the real controversy – the startling truth that God was born into our world to save us – will barely get a mention in the mainstream media this Christmas.

Sigh.

…

Other Christian blogs and websites are discussing this poster too, check out:

The following quote from the blog above, is a good summary:

“Archdeacon Glynn Cardy and St Matthew-in-the-City have got their much-longed-for debate. But it is not about the miracle of the Christ-child and the wonder that God became man: it is not edifying and does not in any sense bring glory to God. It is a tawdry, crude and gratuitously offensive ejaculation which resonates with a sex-obsessed age and lacks only used condoms strewn over the duvet in a Tracey Emin fashion.”

What are people tweeting about this Christmas?

December 15, 2009 in Christian Living, for Churches, Outreach

Christmas Tweets is a micro-site that gathers what people are saying via Twitter, over the Christmas period, to visually depict what Christmas means this year. I’d contend that Christmas always means the same thing each year – that Jesus came into the world to save sinners – but I do get the point of the site!

Sadly, ‘Religion’ is coming in fourth place as the meaning of Christmas, with ‘Christmas Spirit’, ‘Commercialism’ and the ‘Credit Crunch’ taking out gold, silver and bronze. ‘Christmas Spirit’ has been steadily gaining in popularity as Christmas approaches.

Screenshot_ChristmasTweets

Christmas Tweets has fairly limited application (there’s not a varied range of use for a tool that tracks what people are saying at Christmas!), but it’s interesting all the same to see (and read) what Christmas means to different people.

On a more reflective note, what must Jesus be thinking as each year Christmas seems to be less and less about his birth, and more and more about amorphous ‘seasons greetings’ and a fat man in a red suit who doesn’t even exist, let alone die for the sins of the world.

Thanks Dylan Malloch for letting me know about this site.

Follow the Nativity on Twitter

December 7, 2009 in Christian Living, for Churches

If Mary and Joseph were making their journey to Bethlehem today, would they tweet about it?

I can’t answer that question, but I can tell you that someone has taken up the cause of tweeting on behalf of Mary, under the username Natwivity. Mary and Joseph are tweeting, Elizabeth’s tweeting, and even the shepherds are tweeting!

Check out their tweets here.

What do you think of this use of Twitter? It’s certainly a novel use of social media!

Five ideas for Christmas gifts that keep on giving

December 2, 2009 in Christian Living, for Churches

Australians spend close to $1 billion dollars on unwanted Christmas gifts. In fact, that figure (the latest I could find) was from 2007, so chances are we’re spending more, not less. The good news is, the best gift this Christmas (and every Christmas) isn’t available in stores! However, if you’d like to give another gift this Christmas, you might like to consider a gift that keeps on giving to more than just the recipient of the gift. Here’s five ideas and places to learn more:

  1. International Justice Mission – Gift of Freedom 2009. For example, $50 will send an IJM investigator undercover (to rescue children and sex slaves from brothels) for a day. $225 will cover the costs of taking a client’s case to court.
  2. Arguably, the World’s Most Useful Gift Catalogue. One of my favourites, these are really practical gifts to equip people in the developing world. For example, you can purchase an eye examination for $5. Even buying your Christmas cards from TEAR is supporting a great cause. The Christian Children’s Fund of Canada has a similar gift catalogue.
  3. Operation Christmas Child. Give a gift to a child who may well have never received a gift in their life. Imagine their joy, unpacking a shoebox full of goodies!
  4. The Gift That Gives by Anglicare. Available in three denominations ($25, $50 and $75), $50 for example will provide a food hamper for a family in need.
  5. Etiko and Tribes and Nations. Both of these stores sell products that have been produced using ethical fair trade principles. I bought some shoes from Etiko recently.

Video: Christmas in a nutshell

December 2, 2009 in Videos

Promoting Christmas activities

November 30, 2009 in Christmas

My friend, Steve Fogg, recently posted a great article with links to how churches around the world are promoting their Christmas services and activities. Check out ‘What does Christmas look like at churches around the world?‘.

I’d also add to Steve’s list the Christmas themed designs in the Church Marketing Lab pool on Flickr.

On a related note, I’d be keen to hear what churches are doing (outside of church services) this Christmas. What activities will your church be running to encourage the people in your community to come and hear the good news about Jesus?

At Church by the Bridge this Christmas we will be hosting:

  • a Christmas (fair trade) market
  • a Christmas food and clothing appeal (for Anglicare)
  • Carols under the Bridge
  • a Carols by Candlelight Christmas Eve service
  • Christmas Day services – this goes without saying!
  • a lunch on Christmas Day for our local community (organised with the local council)

What is your church doing, and what is the rationale behind these events? If you have links to the creative you’ve developed to promote these events, post the details of that too!

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