Church Bells Are Ringing

WINTER IS A time of solace. But Christmas is a time of celebration, when we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. For many, the season wouldn’t be the same without attending services and special events at their local churches.

We asked three area pastors what they are looking forward to the most this Christmastime at their churches, whether it be a brand-new experience or an every-year, highly anticipated tradition. Here’s what they shared.

PASTOR DAVE GUSTAVSEN (PEQUANNOCK RESIDENT), THE CHAPEL, LINCOLN PARK

At The Chapel we are passionate about offering meaningful ways for our church family and community to celebrate the birth of Christ. Leading up to Christmas we participate in “Operation Christmas Child,” where we fill hundreds of shoeboxes with gifts and personal care products for children around the world. Closer to home, we are part of “Christmas in Paterson,” supplying gifts and winter clothing to children in Paterson. My favorite is what happens on Christmas Eve: We gather thousands of people for a service that culminates in lighting candles and singing “O Holy Night.” There are very few dry eyes in the room, and many people have come to regard that service as the highlight of their Christmas season.

This year’s Christmas Eve services will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 5:30 and 7 p.m, and Wednesday, Dec. 24 at 1, 2:30, and 4 p.m.

FATHER DARWIN LASTRA

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL, POMPTON PLAINS

For many years, the Christmas concert at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church has been a cherished tradition, bringing the parish community together in joyful celebration through music. Presented annually by the parish’s vibrant music ministry, this event has become a highlight of the Advent and Christmas season.

This year, the tradition continues with fresh energy and vision under the leadership of the parish’s new music director, appointed earlier this year. He brings a wealth of experience and a passion for liturgical music, aiming to honor the concert’s legacy while infusing it with new inspiration.

Titled “Come, Lord Jesus: The Musical Styles and Sounds of Advent,” this year’s concert will shift its focus from the Nativity itself to the season of Advent—a time of anticipation and hope. The program will explore the spiritual longing and joyful expectation of Christ’s coming, through a rich variety of musical styles that reflects both tradition and contemporary expression.

The concert will feature performances by the Adult Celebration Choir, the Children’s Choir and the Contemporary Group, showcasing the diversity and unity of the parish’s music ministry.

PASTOR STACEY DUENSING PEARCE

FIRST REFORMED CHURCH OF POMPTON PLAINS

Christmas at the First Reformed Church of Pompton Plains is a joyous and holy season. We celebrate the arrival of Jesus as the light of the world. Christ’s light “shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it” (John 1: 5). Our traditions at Christmastime reflect our church’s mission to be a place of “Open Doors, Open Hearts and Open Hands.”

We “open our hearts” at Christmas to God in worship. Each of our three evening worship Christmas Eve services ends with lighting candles and singing “Silent Night.” The practice reminds us of Christ’s light burning with our hearts and the call to go out to the world and share God’s light. Leading up to Christmas Eve, our children’s ministry invites us to “open our hearts” to the story of Jesus’ birth in their annual Christmas pageant.

 We “open our doors” at Christmas to share the message of God’s light in our community. As a founding member of “Community Partners of Hope” we participate in the community tree lighting program joining with other churches and community members to celebrate the Christmas season.

Finally, our church “opens our hands” at Christmas to giving to others in need. We host an annual coat drive to support the ministries of Market Street Mission and Bessie Green. Our Spark Kidz (Sunday School) collects an offering for children supported through World Vision.

BY PETER EMMA