Area Christians Celebrate Christmas, Honor Jesus
Parishioners are gathering for Christmas caroling, which is just one way those in our area are celebrating Christmas.
Kelly McPherson reports from Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.
Churches leaders are reminding their congregations about the religious reasons for Christmas.
"Don't get caught up in the shopping malls," said Pastor Dr. Frank Reid. "Don't get caught up in the gifts you do or do not get because if you woke up this morning, that's the gift of life."
Pastor Reid calls today's Christmas a counterfeit when families do not focus on the Christian teaching that Jesus Christ was born on this day. But he says the underlying theme of the Christmas season transcends religious beliefs.
"Whether we're Jewish, whether we're Christian, whether we're an atheist—what are the values that we have for other people," he said. "And right now, the fact is, we have a culture of 'I don't care. If it doesn't bother me, I'm not going to bother you. Mind your business.' And we'll never get anywhere that way."
Even a religious take on the Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carole" helped illustrate this congregation's Christmas wish: to use its faith in each other to cure the neighborhood's violent and financial struggles.
"If we put our pennies together, we can help more people than if we turn on each with the finger of blame," Reid said. "And that's the message of Christmas."
Each church has a different message for the holiday. The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen will hold a midnight Mass.
