Christmas Programs

So we survived another Christmas program which we called an Advent Celebration Service.  To me, a Christmas program involves children and families.  Unfortunately, our church is down to a handful of over 70 year olds.  Still we try to do something special every year.  This year we read the book "The Sparkle Box" in four readings with Christmas carols in between.  Then we gave them a sparkle box to take home with instructions to write down their acts of kindness which are gifts for Jesus and put them in the box.  Then on the 29th bring one of those pieces of paper to put in the big box, and we'll share.  Then on the 29th we'll encourage them to keep it going through the year.  So different in that we'll come back in two weeks with the box, and want to keep bringing it up over the coming months.
  But I confess that these programs bring out the worse in me.  It's me and Bruce coming up with the service.  We run it by the leadership board and the two ladies who make up the music committee, but we do all the work.  It's not that they don't appreciate it, we did get some compliments.  But when there is no effort to invite friends and family, and it's just us, why?  I long for ownership in the church and more than anything I long for children and families.
  So why do a Christmas program?   Christmas programs in my mind should be 1) an outreach event and 2) a time to celebrate the children and families of our congregations.  It should be something that the congregation gets involved in, not a handful of overworked people.  It should be something the congregation gets excited about.
  And a special Christmas service could be a cantata or other music service.  It could be a number of things.  But again, something that is done with joy and not the feeling of "Oh, great.  It's that time of year again."
  The irony is that our program today was about acts of kindness done as a gift to Jesus.  So, yes, I suppose the time and effort Bruce and I put in could be seen as that.  But when does a Christmas program cease to be fruitful for the life of the church?  When does it need to be let go and something different done?  When is it best just to continue with the regular morning worship?
  When am I letting my perfectionism do me in?  My need to live up to some unknown expectation?  When is it okay to say they really don't care anymore if we have this or not?  Hmmm....
Stay tuned...Christmas is now just ten days away.  Will I be glad when it's over?  Right now I would say yes.  But a lot can happen in ten days.
This week I tackle one last prayer guide that I've been writing for the church (see above paragraphs) on the subject of love.  If I thought joy was tough....but God is in control even when I am not, and the joy of the Lord is in my heart!