Churches plan Christmas services

Cathy Spaulding, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·3 min read

Dec. 24—Mount Calvary Baptist Pastor Gary Hall says he gets excited about having Sunday worship on Christmas Day — it marks the birth of Jesus, after all.

"It's like wow, I get a two for one," Hall said. "I get talk about him, and the day it happens and the day we set aside for that is on that same day, as well."

Some area churches have no special plans for Christmas Sunday worship, while others make adjustments.

"It will be our usual Christmas worship, focused on the birth of Christ. We'll sing traditional and contemporary songs," Hall said. "But the whole day will be focused on the birth of Christ."

The Rev. Patrick McPherson, pastor of Muskogee First United Methodist Church, said Sunday's service will feature a short sermon and a time of fellowship and food. There also will be a blessing of the toys.

"We are asking the kids to bring one toy they want to be blessed and one toy they want to bless somebody else with," McPherson said. "They can bring a toy they no longer play with or purchase a new one and give it to a family more in need."

He said a Christmas Sunday service is usually pretty small.

"But we want to do it because we have many people who don't have family in town who still want fellowship," he said. "To not hold worship on Christmas Day seems a little strange to me. It's the second most important day in our faith."

Presbyterian Church of Muskogee will have a Coffee and Carols service in the fellowship hall, 11 a.m. Sunday.

"We're going to experience the Christmas story through song," said the Rev. Jeff Cranton, pastor.

Checotah First Assembly of God will host Christmas Birthday celebration.

Pastor Bud Shackelford said a free breakfast will be served from 9 to 9:45 a.m.

"We'll have bacon and eggs and pancakes, hash browns, biscuits and gravy," he said.

Christmas worship follows at 10 a.m. There will be gift boxes for adults and toys for children.

Shackelford said the service gives people an opportunity to gather.

"I was surprised, at our recent grocery distribution, that people just didn't have any plans, so it provides them an opportunity to get out on Christmas Day," he said. "We find that people participate based on their ability to attend due to their circumstances. Sometimes we see significant guest attendance, people who don't normally worship with us. Or they realize there's not a better time to worship than Christmas Day."

Christmas Sunday services

—9 a.m., Christmas Birthday Celebration, First Assembly of God, 401 N. Broadway, Checotah.

—10:30 a.m., Muskogee First United Methodist, 600 E. Okmulgee Ave.

—10:30 a.m., Southeast Baptist Church, 2511 E. Hancock St.

—11 a.m., Loving Mount Calvary Baptist, 622 N. Sixth St.

—11 a.m. Coffee and Carols, Presbyterian Church of Muskogee, 2000 Haskell Blvd.