dhh712
Puritan Board Freshman
This is great advice! I hope maybe you will consider if it's not too late--definitely better than the "complain-y" attitude that I definitely would have had a mind to engage in! Always good to consult with others in these kinds of matters.Practically, it's possible you have a response this year that could actually be helpful to your church rather than just complain-y. What if you went to the leadership, explained that you have a desire to meet with other believers and observe weekly worship on Christmas Day, and asked if they know of any who will be gathering and would welcome you for whatever family/group worship they do that day? It isn't the same as an all-church worship service, but you still would be gathering with other believers—and sometimes you just have to do the best you can.
This might be a positive way to let leadership know you strongly desire to worship on that day. Rather than scold them, invite them to help you be an eager worshiper. It may be that someone in leadership decides to serve you by taking you into their home that day, or they may be encouraged to keep the church open the next time Christmas happens to fall on a Sunday. Pastors often cancel Christmas-Day Sunday services because they've been discouraged in the past by pitiful attendance. Generally, a member who wants to be there is an encouragement to them. Present your case as "I value this church's services and I want to worship," not "You were wrong to cancel services."
Several years ago, my wife and I were part of a church that canceled on Christmas Day. When we heard that schedule, we asked the pastor if we might have a key to the building and open up that morning for any who wanted to join us as we led family worship. Through December, we invited everyone we could (without criticizing the church), and many showed up on Christmas Day—including the pastor and his family. I don't think he felt guilted into coming, but rather encouraged by seeing a desire to worship within the congregation. It wasn't the kind of service we would have liked, but it was better than staying home by ourselves, and it encouraged the church leadership to start thinking differently. Most pastors do want to help members be faithful worshipers.
Perhaps it's too late for you to try something like that this year, but that sort of response may be the best way to go. For that kind of request to truly feel encouraging rather than passive-aggressively scolding, you will need to have an existing reputation with the church leadership as one who is usually grateful and teachable rather than one who is generally a faultfinder. You have to be someone the leadership trusts not to badmouth the church or make the pastor feel he has failed. But that's good, too: it will help you examine your own heart even as you challenge your church leadership.