Churches ready for Christmas

COEUR d’ALENE — Neither snow nor cold nor COVID-19 or even omicron will keep local churches from holding Christmas services this week.

They’ll be ready for guests with music, decorations, smiling greeters at the door and a special message in light of the day when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and proclaim that "Jesus is the reason for the season."

Churches will be offering services in person and online. A few will require masks to be worn at in-person services.

Most people, 77%, say they attend church at Christmas to honor Jesus, according to a study by churchleaders.com.

Nine percent say they attend to observe tradition and 9% attend to be with family and friends. Three percent said they go to church at Christmastime to get in the Christmas spirit and 2% said they weren’t sure.

Real Life Ministries in Post Falls is holding five mask-free services tonight and Friday to be sure there is plenty of room so people feel comfortable.

RLM’s services are set for 5:45 p.m. and 7:15 tonight, and 2, 4 and 6 on Christmas Eve.

Christ the King Lutheran Church in Coeur d’Alene is having an outdoor worship service with a “Family Stable Experience” at noon Friday. The family service features hot dogs, hot cocoa, coffee, cookies and candy canes.

The 2 and 4 p.m. services, also outdoors, will have candlelight. They will have coffee, cocoa, cookies and candy canes.

All three outdoor services feature a live nativity.

The 6 and 8 p.m. Christmas Eve indoor services include carols and candlelight.

Last year, more than 500 attended Christ the King's outdoor services and church leaders expect a strong turnout this year, too.

First Presbyterian Church in downtown Coeur d’Alene has a “family friendly service" on Friday at 5, while the 7 service will include carols, communion and candles.

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Coeur d’Alene is holding Christmas Eve services at 5 and 7 p.m., and a parking lot Christmas carol singalong at 6:15.

“We are a congregation observing COVID-19 precautions,” according to its ad in The Press. “We wear masks to reduce risk for the most vulnerable and to limit the possibility of inadvertently spreading contagion.”

Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Rathdrum is holding 4 and 7 p.m. candlelight Christmas Eve services.

Spirit Lake Presbyterian Church will celebrate the birth of Christ with a 4 p.m. service of lessons and carols.

St. David’s Anglican Community Christmas service is 5 p.m. Christmas Eve. It will tell “the story of incarnation” through music and scripture at 4013 W. Riverbend Ave. in Post Falls.

On Christmas Day, it will have a 9:30 a.m. service “of Word and Sacrament," and in Sunday's service at 10:30 a.m.

Carol Pipes, editor of Facts & Trends, wrote that younger Americans are less likely to participate in a service or Christmas mass than their elders.

“Fifty-three percent of those 18 to 24 say they attend church at Christmas, compared to 68 percent of those 65 and older and 67 percent of 35- to 44-year-olds,” Pipes wrote.

Churches encourage congregation members to invite someone to attend a Christmas service, as it makes a difference as to whether some will be sitting in church pews for the holiday.

“In a recent poll of 1,000 Americans, Lifeway Research found six out of 10 Americans typically attend church at Christmastime,” Piper wrote.

“But among those who don’t attend church at Christmastime, a majority (57 percent) say they would likely attend if someone they knew invited them.”