Bob Wriedt, senior pastor at Grace Community Church, a Charis Fellowship congregation in Seal Beach, Calif., is quoted in The Grunion newspaper this week about their Christmas Eve services. The church has obtained permission to hold the services at Eisenhower Park, at the entrance to the Seal Beach Pier and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A portion of the story appears below. Click here to read the complete article.
Long Beach Churches Get Creative To Give Christmas Eve Meaning
Church services have been a sometimes controversial topic since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.
Then even more restrictive Stay At Home orders were issued Dec. 6 in Long Beach. That lockdown stretches past Christmas, leaving church leaders scrambling to keep Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services as meaningful as in past years. …
Grace Community Church in Seal Beach also will be outside on Christmas Eve, but not on church property. The Seal Beach government has agreed to allow Christmas Eve afternoon (2:30 and 4:30 p.m.) services at Eisenhower Park, at the entrance to the Seal Beach Pier.
“Planning Christmas Eve services this year raised a number of good questions for our church,” senior Pastor Bob Wriedt said. “What is the best way to serve our community? What is essential about Christmas Eve and what could we change? How can we turn the limitations we’re facing into creative opportunities? I hope that we’re honoring Jesus in the way we addressed these questions and serving our neighbors well.”
Grace also will provide a remote service on line; they have had both in person and online services for the last couple of months.
Click here to read the complete article.
This story also appeared in the Long Beach, Calif., Press-Telegram.
