Mecklenburg Community Church

It may seem a bit early to talk about Christmas, but we don't want it to sneak up on you! Sometimes it seems like we blink and the season is over. We want to help you slow down and really take hold of Christmas this year - remembering what it is all about.

If you’ve lived through a Christmas season before (especially one as a parent), you know that the weeks leading up to Christmas can get away from you before you’ve even put anything on your calendar. Pageants, parties, shopping, decorating. It’s all fun and good; but can seriously get in the way of our intentions for the season.

The Church has a way to combat this!

The ancient practice of Advent is a 4 week period that leads up to Christmas, and it is a way Christians can intentionally place Jesus as the focal point of their Christmas celebration. For many of us, that is what we want! But we also know that it can’t happen without some forethought and purposeful planning.

Jesus' Birthday!

So, while it might feel early, getting a jump start on thinking about Here are some things you might consider before the Christmas season gets underway to orient your weeks around the coming celebration of Christ’s birth:

Spend some time with your calendar. Where can you block off time for margin during these weeks? Try choosing a time – Saturday mornings, Friday evenings, or weeknights– to block off in December to allow for a family time that isn’t preplanned or filled with activity.
Where are your easy nos? Think back to last year, what are some things you could have said no to, done without, or skipped altogether? A party? A time or amount you traveled? The way you did gifts or spending? Consider what made your season feel full or overwhelming and how you can trim it back.
Find a simple way to bring Jesus into the focus of the Advent season. The Grounds Bookstore and Cafe will launch their Advent resources on and MecKidz Instagram posts a free family advent devotional each day of Advent.
Dive into Advent! Join us in person or online for ‘Reclaiming Christmas’; a one time class that will give you background and next steps on how you might practice advent with your family this year, and intentionally place Jesus at the center of the season.

By choosing one, small, intentional way to orient our hearts and time toward Jesus during what can be the most hectic time of the year, we show our kids that this matters.

We model with our actions and our priorities that Jesus is the best and most important gift; even in a season full of joy and fun!