Christmas is often a difficult and lonely time filled with stress and anxiety due to travel, finances, job unrest, and family struggles.

But Christmas isn’t about any of that. Christmas is about celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus.

In this season so often filled with chaos, we invite you and your family and friends to join us on Tuesday, December 24, at 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, and 6:00 PM as we come together to find peace in the worship of our Lord. We will sing some well-loved Christmas carols, listen to a short message, and close the service with a candle lighting.

If you are unable to attend in person, you may still celebrate with us at our online campus. We will live stream during our scheduled Christmas Eve service times of 1:30, 3:00, 4:30 and 6:00 PM.

One of our most popular events on Christmas Eve is our Nativity Petting Zoo! We will have camels, llamas, donkeys and other animals from the Idle-Hour Ranch in the Youth Center from 2:30 to 6:00 PM. This annual event is great for families of all ages! Be sure to stop by before or after services to see the animals, take some photos and enjoy the evening together.

NOTE: the Nativity Petting Zoo ends at 6:00 PM so if you plan on attending the late Christmas Eve service (at 6:00 PM), be sure to arrive early so you can see the animals!

It's easy to invite someone to our Christmas Eve services! Just download our digital invite and send that invite via text to a friend, relative, neighbor or co-worker and ask them to join you!

The holidays can be emotionally overwhelming. There is an unspoken expectation that you should feel cheerful and eager to be with family and friends, which is sometimes unrealistic, if not impossible.

If that sounds like you, you're not alone.

While Christmas is supposed to be a time of 'great joy,' it doesn't always feel that way. Sometimes, Christmas is the time of year when we feel the most grief-stricken, isolated, and alone. Before those feelings take you down a dark path, please consider contacting one of the resources below.

• LifeCare Counseling is a ministry of Worthington Christian Church that offers professional counseling by licensed counselors who specialize in healing the brokenness in individuals, families, couples, groups, and children. Call 614-885-9417 and leave a detailed voicemail regarding your situation and a counselor will be in contact with you.
• Cornerstone Family Services is a non-profit, faith-based counseling and coaching organization offering a wide array of services including marriage and premarital counseling, adolescent and teen counseling, individual and group counseling. Call or email their office and their intake specialists will find the right counselor for you and your loved ones (614-459-3003 or intake@cstoneohio.org).
• GriefShare is a support group for anyone who has lost a loved one and is struggling through the pain of grief and loss.
• DivorceCare is a support group for anyone who has gone through a divorce and is struggling with life after marriage.
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. If you are thinking about suicide, or suspect that a loved one is, please call or text 988 to reach the crisis hotline.

If you have a specific need, please visit our Prayer & Support page or email us, and we will try to connect you with someone who can help. There is no shame in letting someone know you're hurting. Please tell someone because sometimes we get far too good at hiding the pain.

And never forget, even in the darkest, most lonely moments of our lives, God dearly loves you.