Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Virtually every church in the county will hold some type of special Christmas or Christmas Eve service.
What do pastors say to those assembled at services to observe the most significant of all events in Christianity?
Here are the highlights from a few area clergymen.
First United Methodist Church, Warsaw
7 and 9 Tonight
Pastor Cathy Johns
Pastor Johns' message is titled "Michelangelo and Christmas." The message focuses on Michelangelo's painting "The Creation of Adam" at the Sistine Chapel in Rome, in which God's hand stretches out across the heavens to a human finger.
"At Christmas time, we celebrate the fact that God has touched the world in a very unique way, when Jesus was born," Pastor Johns said. "In the gospel of John we read that God came in the flesh and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. We celebrate that on Christmas Eve and it's a wonderful time of year to remember that God has reached out and touched us and become human. God wanted to put on human skin and become one of us, to walk with us, to teach us, and to live and to laugh and to love with us."
First Presbyterian Church, Warsaw
5:30 & 7 Tonight
Kenton Kober, Worship Director
The theme for Kober's worship is "Word of the Father." The title of the candlelight service is "Look Who's Here." The church's orchestra and choir will be involved in the sermon with a 12-minute choir narration that will deal with the birth of Christ and the change that Christ's arrival had on Mary and Joseph as well as the rest of the world. The pastor will speak out of the first chapter of John, which deals with how the Word became flesh.
Warsaw Wesleyan, Warsaw
8 Tonight
Pastor Rick Shockley
The church's candlelight sermon will focus on Christ's second coming. Pastor Shockley will deal with the fact that Christ came to the world as a babe in Bethlehem and then promised to return. Shockley will speak on what is needed to prepare for the second coming. According to Shockley, we must walk submissively, worship triumphantly, witness urgently, work fervently and watch expectantly.
Wawasee Community
Bible Church, Milford
7 Tonight
Pastor Nick Ringer
Pastor Ringer's sermon will focus on the book of Matthew, with the story of how the Pharisees knew the time and location of Christ's birth, as told in the Scripture, and did nothing to acknowledge it. He will compare this with today's society who have the Word of God in front of them, yet choose to ignore it. One of Ringer's main themes will be that Jesus was born in the quiet setting of Bethlehem and that today people everywhere celebrate a very loud, busy Christmas.
Shepherd By The Lakes
Lutheran Church, North Webster
7 Tonight
10 a.m. Christmas Day
Pastor Raymond Mueller
Pastor Mueller will give two services in observance of the holiday at the North Webster Community Building.
The candlelight service tonight will feature special music with a solo by one of the church members. The sermon will focus on why there is such joy in the Christmas holiday. Mueller will identify what the joy is and what causes that joy.
The service on Christmas morning will be based on the medieval custom of the yule log. Mueller will tell the tradition of the yule log, what it symbolizes, and how it relates to the life of Christ.
