Celebrate Christmas at Matthews

You are cordially invited to the Christmas Celebration at Matthews UMC! This Advent Season is packed with opportunities of connection, serving and ministry. Join in one of our seven unique Christmas Eve Services on December 24.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Services with Communion

  • 1:00 pm Kids & Family Worship 50-minute service in the Gym (no candlelight/communion) followed by Nativity with live animals in the Courtyard.
  • 2:30 & 4:30 pm - Kids & Family Worship (Gym) Join in a Multi-Generational Acoustic Service with Candlelight and Communion. Children are welcome at all services, but this extra-special experience is sure to delight the little ones as it features carols, an interactive nativity where your whole family can participate, and a Christmas message followed by a time of fellowship.
  • 6 pm - Contemporary (Sanctuary & Livestream) The Matthews UMC Praise Team will lead our Contemporary Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship with Communion at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary.
  • 7:30 pm - Servicio en Espanol - Pastor Roldan will lead our Centro Cristiano Hosanna worship in Spanish in the Gym with a time of Communion and special Christmas songs.
  • 9 pm & 11 pm - Traditional (Sanctuary & Livestream) The Matthews UMC Chancel Choir, Stumptown Brass and Joyful Ringers Handbell Choir will lead our Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship with Communion at 9:00 and 11:00 pm in the Sanctuary. Nativity with live animals in the Courtyard at Midnight.

*Nursery (3 & under) provided for all services, except 9 & 11 pm.

Christmas Eve Offering will support Global Impact Mission Partners: Matthews HELP Center, Western NC Disaster Relief, and Home2Home Ministries. Contribute until Dec 31 by indicating "Christmas Eve Offering" in your check memo line, on the envelope, or in the drop-down menu online.

*ONE Combined Worship Service Dec 29 at 9:30 am. No United Kids or Youth small groups. Nursery (3 & under) provided. 

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Christmas Event Highlights

Advent Series: A Baby Changes Everything!

Rituals can replace the faith they were meant to convey. Worship can become a mindless mumbling of empty words and phrases. And Christmas has become for many, little more than a dutiful march through a prepackaged set of events that have very little purpose or meaning.

Is there any way you can drill down through all the rituals and customs and trappings and wrappings and touch the pure wonder of this event that rocked the world?

This Advent Season, open yourself and let God do something new in your life. Open yourself to something new and exciting and fresh and unexpected. It may be challenging and even painful. Like Mary, a sword may pierce your soul, but in the end it will turn out beyond your wildest dreams, something dizzyingly and breathtakingly wonderful from God.

In the Spirit of the Child of Christmas,
Pastor Chuck Wilson

Dec 1: "Urgent" (John the Baptist) - Luke 3:1-20
Dec 8: "Expectant" (Simeon) - Luke 2:21-38
Dec 15: "Astonished" (Elizabeth & Zechariah) - Luke 1:5-25
Dec 22: "Surrendered" (Mary & Joseph) - Luke 1:26-38
Christmas Eve: "Staggered" (Jesus) - Luke 2:1-20

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While on campus this Advent Season, stop by the Nativity in the Courtyard to take a photo with family and friends. This makes a great holiday memory or gift. Be sure to post and tag @matthewsumc on social!
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