6 Ways To Build Relational Bridges During Holidays

Should a church celebrate Halloween? What about the 4^th of July? The controversy provoked by these questions easily drowns out the important underlying question: how can our church celebrate with our neighbors in the world but not of the world?

The word holiday means “holy day” and originally signified a day set apart for religious significance. On holy days, work and school responsibilities were put on pause to allow the worshipper to fulfill religious duties.

In our modern world, we’re likely to have time off for Christmas; but our calendars are littered with holidays commemorating groundhogs, turkeys, flags, pumpkins and—above all else—candy. You might find yourself asking: Is there any value in celebrating cultural holidays as a church?

Christians are followers of Jesus; our allegiance belongs to God over any earthly country, and this impacts how much our identity should be shaped or reflected in cultural celebrations. Still, Jesus took on flesh and walked among us and calls us to be salt and light in our communities. What if we carefully, thoughtfully, saw cultural holidays as a bridge to our neighbors?

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Keep Worship First

Sunday is the primary Christian holy day, set aside to worship our resurrected Lord. Nothing—not flags, country, or pumpkins—should take His central place in our worship. But there are six others days of the week! Consider keeping your worship service free of secular or political holidays and host other celebrations during off-hours.

Connect with the community

We mourn with those who mourn … and celebrate with those who celebrate! Whether the holiday is nationwide like Halloween and the 4^th of July, or local like high school graduation and the annual festival, showing that you care about the rhythms of your neighbors is part of what it means to be the church.

Be Respectful

Some holidays can be complicated. Many dread Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, for instance. Memorial Day can trigger painful memories of loss and grief. Be sure that your church has earned a trustworthy voice in the community through long listening and intentional relationships so that your holiday activities are respectful to the people you invite.

Go off-site

Each week you invite the community to come through your doors—why not leverage a holiday to meet them in their favorite spaces? Give away ice cream in the commons, rent a booth at the town festival, or serve hot drinks on a chilly day. You could even hold a church service at the park! Find ways to serve your community while you’re in their space and demonstrate that your church is all-in as a neighbor.

Have fun!

Holidays are meant to be celebrated! Churches (and Christians) are often seen as unapproachable or even unsafe. Having fun with your community will go a long way toward welcoming them when they’re ready for more.

Keep Jesus First

It’s worth saying again: Christians follow and worship Jesus. Any other citizenship or identity is secondary. As you engage with your local culture, take steps to place Jesus at the center of your thoughts, choices, and worship. At the end of the day, no amount of candy or presents can compare with God’s love.

What ideas do you have? How has your church built a bridge by celebrating holidays with the community?