加拿大华人论坛 加拿大生活信息Churches get creative to fill their pews during Christmas

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Many who say they believe do not attend services ALAN HUSTAKThe GazetteMonday, December 22, 2008Although more than four out of every five Quebecers still claim they believe that Christ is divine, only two out of five plan to attend religious Christmas services on Wednesday and Thursday to celebrate his birth.A recent Relative Happiness Index survey that measures the quality of life in Quebec found that although 88 per cent of Quebecers identify themselves as Christians, only seven per cent claim to be devout, and just 18 per cent say they are regular church goers.A majority - 74 per cent - say they are culturally Christians, but indifferent to the basic tenets of their faith.While cathedrals, oratories and basilicas in the city are expected to be packed for Christmas Eve services, churches generally will not handle the volume of parishioners at Christmas they did even a decade ago."There are an awful lot of people who say they believe in God, but they no longer celebrate their belief," said Marc Migneault, the English regional animator for nine Roman Catholic parishes in the South Shore."We have to help them find ways to celebrate. If there is a children's pageant with the Christmas service, if it is a family-oriented celebration, people come, the churches are packed. If it's just the liturgy, people won't come."To entice passersby into the 7 p.m. service at St. James United Church on Wednesday, carollers will sing and serve hot chocolate in the church plaza for about 45 minutes before the service."We're trying to be creative, and gather the Christian community on this most holy evening," said Arlen Bonnar, pastor at St. James United Church."We're one of the few Protestant churches to have a service on Christmas Day. We'll have a baby being baptized and on Christmas morning we're inviting anyone who likes to sing to join our choir at the Christmas morning service. All you have to do is love to sing."Robert Gendreau, a Catholic priest at Notre Dame de la Consolata in the Plateau, says it is unfortunate that most of those who say they believe don't go to church or practice their faith."That's like someone who says they love their parents, then put them away in an old folks' home and never bothers to visit them," he said.The early church did not celebrate Christmas. Early philosophers argued that if God always was and always will be, he didn't have a birthday.The oldest Christmas sermon was preached in Numidia, which is today Algeria, in 383 by African bishop Optatus of Milere. It wasn't until the 5th century that the Nativity became a religious festival.Although Gregory of Nazzianzus claimed to have started the Christmas liturgy in the Eastern rite in 389, the origins of Christmas in the Western rite are unclear. Pope Sixtus III is generally credited with bringing the feast to Rome in 432 after the Council of Bishops met in Ephesus.

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回复: Churches get creative to fill their pews during Christmas88 per cent of Quebecers identify themselves as Christians？真有这么多基督徒？

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知足者常乐，不知足者更要乐。88 per cent of Quebecers identify themselves as Christians？真有这么多基督徒？点击展开...culturally Christians, just heritage from family

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回复: Churches get creative to fill their pews during Christmasculturally Christians, just heritage from family点击展开...天主教or基督教？

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知足者常乐，不知足者更要乐。天主教or基督教？点击展开...french people are mainly Catholic

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回复: Churches get creative to fill their pews during Christmasfrench people are mainly Catholic点击展开...什么时候全部基督教派合而为一？

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知足者常乐，不知足者更要乐。什么时候全部基督教派合而为一？点击展开...when Jesus comes again.

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回复: Churches get creative to fill their pews during ChristmasThink holily,Act holily

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知足者常乐，不知足者更要乐。Think holily,Act holily点击展开...you are my role model

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