Over Family and Faith

Apparently some churches are relaxing this Christmas. The Internet Monk explains:

Some of America’s largest megachurches won’t be open on Sunday, December 25. After multiple services on Christmas Eve, they are giving their congregations, volunteers, staffs- and thousands of twice a year attenders- the day off to spend with their families.

Doesn't anyone really consider singles seriously? Using "the family" is partly an excuse, accordingly:

It is beyond doubt that there is a kind of idolatry of family that evangelicals regularly refuse to engage. It appears that when the choice is between honoring Christ in a meaningful tradition that thousands relate to, or giving place to the perceived needs of family life in middle class America, the choice is a very simple one for the megachurches.

Bill Keller of Liveprayer places the controversy in this light:

We as Believers are outraged at a lost world who won't celebrate and promote the birth of the Jesus they reject, yet the very churches that are God's instruments on this earth for that purpose choose to close because Christmas is on a Sunday! As I have stated often, rather than influencing our world, we have allowed this world to influence us![Liveprayer devotional, Dec. 8/2005, emphasis mine]

So how do we change the focus? Supposedly by just becoming involved in the service:

These pastors I spoke to are right about one thing. It IS a day for families and there is NO BETTER PLACE for a family to start their Christmas Day celebration than at church! As for the people who serve their churches in so many different capacities on Sunday, what better way to spend a few hours on the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus than by serving Him! Lastly, since when was opening the doors of the church about how may[sic] showed up? The reality is, Christmas and Easter are the two time of the year a HUGE portion of people who call themselves Christmas[sic] ever darken the doorstep of a church. It is also the time of year many who are not Believers have a desire to be in church. Other than Easter Sunday, Christmas is the greatest evangelistic opportunity of the year!!! ...

Don't you realize that in EVERY family there are people who are lost and without the hope we have in Jesus? If there was EVER a day to get that family member in church it is on Christmas Sunday![Liveprayer devotional, Dec. 8/2005, emphasis mine]

In other words, the status quo for most Christians is best. Yet what about those who sense an agenda in either family or church? Then what? If someone becomes disengaged (even unwittingly or indirectly) because of these circumstances, doesn't it seem to be too high a price to pay?

For example, ponder the dilemma of someone who was abused by church congregants or family. Celebrating with family or with Christians may not be the ideal that it is considered to be.

What are better ways to foster community, belonging and acceptance that was flexible and enduring for many without falling into easy solutions?