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Q: Is there an available resource specifically designed to aid churches in being culturally relevant during the Christmas season?

A: Mainstay Church Resources, the creator of both the popular 50-Day Spiritual Adventures and Seasonal Advent Celebrations, has just published an innovative Christmas preaching and worship resource called From Humbug to Hallelujah! It is a unique biblical series that uses key illustrations from Charles Dickens' classic tale A Christmas Carol to suggest that the fictional transformation in the life of Ebenezer Scrooge can be the real experience of people in our churches.

The Pastor's Manual for From Humbug to Hallelujah! contains extensive resources developed by Team Sundays members. Included are sample texts and sermons written by noted author Dr. Doug Rumford (pastor of Colonial Presbyterian Church in Kansas City), and an additional series of sermon helps by Dr. Ron Jackson (rector at St. Luke's of the Mountain Episcopal Church in La Crescenta, Calif.).

The weekly sermon topics indicate the journey from humbug to hallelujah: "Preparing for a Christmas You'll Never Regret," "Breaking Christmas Chains Forged in Life," "Reawakening the Joy Inherent in Christmas," "Valuing Relationships Especially at Christmas," "Writing a Good Ending to Your Christmas Carol," "Celebrating a Christmas of Miracle Transformations" and "Honoring Christmas in Your Heart All Year Long."

From Humbug to Hallelujah! also includes pastor devotionals, service mood setters, calls to worship, music suggestions, pulpit announcements, creative Scripture readings, prayers, children's sermons, and Advent candle- lighting ceremonies.

What kinds of resources will help Christians share their faith with neighbors during December?

The "Love Thy Neighborhood" Christmas Party Handbook is one such resource. It offers a step-by-step strategy for transforming a home into an effective evangelistic venue through simple and inexpensive holiday parties. The Christmas Party Handbook, published by Neighbor Hope Ministries, is the compilation of lessons Norm and Becky Wretlind learned firsthand doing lifestyle evangelism.

While living in Texas, the Wretlinds invited neighbors into their home at Christmastime for dessert. They also sang carols, played games, and shared meaningful holiday memories. That free-flowing format permitted Norm and Becky to share the "reason for the season" in a non-threatening way. The number of people who confessed Christ and started attending church as a result of the Christmas parties was impressive. As the result of a series of evangelistic parties over a three-year period, a brand new church was planted.

The Christmas Party Handbook includes a training video, a packet of invitations to use with neighbors, suggestions for sharing Christ in a sensitive way and easy-to-learn principles for transforming your home into a "Lighthouse of Prayer."

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