Christmas Is For You.

Christmas cards are a funny thing.  Our house is full of them.  We love seeing the updated photos of your children, your grandchildren, and your dogs.  We love hearing about what is going on in everyones life, what has happened in the past year, and what you are looking forward to.  For those of us that send out Christmas cards, we all run that risk of trying to position ourselves as if everything is great.  As if we are just slaying it in all areas of life.

Christmas cards were the annual pre-instagram humble brag post.  When we present ourselves in a curated way so we seem successful or more put together than we actually are, we inadvertently cause those who are struggling, those who are hurting, those who question their value and worth, to feel even more insecure.

What is amazing about Christmas is…those are the exact people God puts at the center of the Christmas story.

Shepherds were often school dropouts that didn’t have much else going for them and they were looked down on in religious culture, even considered criminals and thieves.

Pregnant unwed teenagers from out of town were considered shameful and cast out from their family and friends even in their time of need.

Pagan magi were foreign astrologers who were outside of the faith, traditions, and communities of Israel.

These outsiders, these people who either failed to launch, who had questionable stories, or weren’t accepted are exactly who God uses to bring the greatest story and proclaim the greatest news.

God chooses to use what we often dismiss or ignore.

That is the story of Christmas.

No matter where you’ve come from, what your experience is, no matter if you feel like an outsider or insider, Christmas is for you.

Whether you’ve launched out on your own or you’re still living with your parents, Christmas is for you.

Whether your embarrassed to share your story or you can’t stop sharing about it, Christmas is for you.

No matter if your Christmas card looks like a slick glossy PR campaign or you can’t bring yourself to send one this year, Christmas is for you.

No matter if you are antagonistic to the faith or you are a life long follower of Jesus,  Christmas is for you.

Join us as we celebrate the good news of great joy for all people, because Christmas is for you.

I hope you will join us on Sunday, December 24th for one of our 3 Christmas Eve services.  10am, 4pm and 5:30pm.  Each of our services will be the same and will conclude with candlelight.  We have seating inside The Chapel, outside in the Grove area and under a tent on the Lawn.  Choose whichever service and seating works best for you.  The two afternoon/evening services will also have a hot cocoa bar to make it extra special.

Each of our services will be about 45min and we will open up The Chapel doors for indoor seating at about 9am for the 10am service, 3:15 for the 4pm service, and 5pm for the 5:30 service.

For parking, we ask you to consider a few options.

-Smolian Circle, just about 2 blocks away in Seaside currently has free parking.

-Along 30A there is free parking and it is a short walk through town.

-Between Seaside and Watercolor there is a public parking lot that is a short walk to The Chapel.

-There is also a free shuttle from the east side of Highway 283 in Grayton Beach, across from the Shops of Grayton, in a public parking lot. Park in the lower lot and the shuttle will drop you off under the Lyceum Archway. The shuttle runs daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.

-Of course if you’re able to walk, ride bikes, or car pool this is a great day to do that.

For more information on Christmas Eve and parking, you can go to thechapelatseaside.com/christmas/.

We hope to see you on Christmas Eve as we remember and celebrate the birth of our Savior and King, because Christmas is for you.

You can also join us online through our website, thechapelatseaside.com or from our Facebook page, facebook.com/thechapelatseaside.  You can also listen to our sermons most places where podcasts are available; Apple, Spotify, and more.

Let us know if you have any questions and I look forward to seeing you Christmas Eve.

Blessings.

Andrew