Christmas Dies Hard
The middle of a global pandemic might seem like a good time to cut back on holiday excess. But we live in America. Read full piece
Palestinians May Limit Christmas Celebrations in Bethlehem
The Palestinian Health Ministry has recommended strict limits on Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem this year due to the coronavirus outbreak. Celebrations in the biblical town revered by Christians as Jesus’s birthplace are usually attended by thousands of people from around the world.
It’s Dark Outside. Families are Putting Up Christmas Lights Early to Offset the Gloom.
Darkness comes early these days. The coronavirus pandemic has upended the holiday season. Cases are surging across the nation. Amid all this, families are digging into their storage containers earlier than ever to follow through on one part of the holidays they can control: turning
Parishioners Say They Fired Pastor Who Canceled Christmas Pageant
A self-styled “Advocacy Group” of members of First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale is about to find out how difficult it is to wrest control of a pulpit from its recognized leaders. The church was roiled by a divisive decision earlier this year to permanently
Unseasonal Condemnation
Editor Brian Kaylor reflects on Christmas (yes, he thinks it is too early to celebrate) and the news that our country can’t find the parents of 545 children that our government separated from their parents at the border.
Secretly Recorded Tapes Show Melania Trump Bashing Christmas Decorations
First Lady Melania Trump was secretly recorded in the summer of 2018 expressing her frustration at being criticized for her husband's policy of separating families who illegally crossed the southern border while at the same time needing to perform traditional first lady duties, such as preparing
Pretending to Light Our Candles
At the Christmas Eve service I attended recently, the Christ candle in the Advent wreath wouldn’t light. The pastor tried and tried. Eventually, as giggles worked their way down the crowded pews, he said everyone should just pretend it was lit.
How to Celebrate Christmas: Change the World
(RNS) — One of the holiest days of the Christian year is right around the corner.We need more churches and we need more Christians to take the teachings of Jesus seriously and risk it all for the sake of healing the world.
Blue Christmas: Ministry to First Responders
(WW) -- With victims of fires holding a special place in her heart, Nebraska firefighter Carissa Smith began a local ministry targeted to help the victims of fires and disasters, as well as the first responders who work those tough scenes.
The Religious Case for Christmas is Well Known. But There’s a Scientific One Too
A humanist doesn’t see any hypocrisy in celebrating a festival which predated Christianity, and which reflects a real, celestial rhythm to mark midwinter and celebrate the days growing longer.