Hollister
– Many locals have busied themselves shopping, stressing and
office-partying during the last few weeks, but as Christmas Day
nears many of us will also be celebrating our faith.
Hollister – Many locals have busied themselves shopping, stressing and office-partying during the last few weeks, but as Christmas Day nears many of us will also be celebrating our faith.
Though they may worship differently or sing different songs, many local churches have a little something special planned this Christmas.
Christmas Mass has been celebrated at the Mission San Juan Bautista for more than 200 years, and is a special event for both parishioners and locals who simply like to take in the history, tradition and beauty of the Catholic service.
The celebration begins on Christmas Eve with a family Mass at 5pm, where children will tell the Nativity story to the rest of the congregation.
The 8pm service will be the same as the Midnight Mass for people who plan on going to bed a little earlier.
Each year Midnight Mass draws hundreds of locals who pack the pews, stand in the aisles and crowd outside the doors to be part of the celebration. Parking can be scarce so attendees are advised to arrive early and enjoy the Christmas carols sung by the church choir starting at 11:30pm.
“It’s very special, it’s historical and it’s all the beauty of the season with poinsettias and colors decorating the mission,” Mission office manager Lupe Candelaria said. “Every year it really is a wonderful event.”
Christmas Mass will be said in English at 8:30am and in Spanish at 10am.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church will be having its annual Christmas pageant at 4:30pm on Christmas Eve, an event that church families look forward to every year.
“The way it’s done, every child who shows up gets a part in the pageant. It’s very cute,” said Ida Terry of the church office.
The church choir will lead Christmas music beginning at 10:30pm followed by a full service at 11pm. No Christmas morning service is planned.
St. Benedict’s Catholic Church regularly welcomes between 1,000 and 1,200 locals to celebrate Christmas each year. At 4:30pm on Christmas Eve, the family Mass will begin, led by the church’s eighth-grade students.
“They’ll be leading the worship, doing most of the readings, singing, and the seventh- and eighth–graders will be performing a liturgical dance during the meditation,” said Jeanmarie Centeno of the church office.
Midnight Mass will be a bilingual service, so that English and Spanish speaking congregants can celebrate Christmas together.
The service also draws many visitors who may not be regular church-goers, which Centeno says is just fine.
“The more the merrier,” she said. “After all it’s not about us, it’s about God.”
The 9am Mass on Christmas Day will be said in English, with the 11am Mass in Spanish.
The First Presbyterian Church will have a Sunday morning service at 9am and a special Christmas Eve candlelight service at 7pm. No Christmas Day service is planned.
“It’s just a very nice, traditional candlelight service,” said Carol Terry in the church office.
For information on Christmas services not mentioned here, the San Benito County Chamber of commerce Web site has a comprehensive directory of local churches at www.san
benitocountychamber.com/
churches_new.htm.
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected].
