Clergy to share Christmas message

Clergy put the ‘Christ’ back into Christmas.

By: Leon Tovey
   JAMESBURG — Local clergy say they want Christians to hear the true message of Christ this year above the ever-increasing din of commercialism surrounding Christmas.
   "The greatest gift we receive on Christmas is Christ," said the Rev. Charles Scillieri, associate pastor of St. James the Less Catholic Church. "We should focus on that."
   The Rev. Scillieri lamented the increased commercialism and secularism of the holiday — even among Christians — and said that in his Christmas Day sermon he would focus on the importance of the spiritual aspects of the day.
   "(Christmas) is about God revealing himself through his son Jesus," he said. "We benefit by the holiday — even in a world that seems more and more not to want it, we benefit."
   The Rev. Gary Filson of the Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg agreed. In his Sunday sermon, titled "The Point of Christmas," the Rev. Filson said he also would address the spiritual dimensions of the day and its importance to Christians.
   "Within the Christian tradition, (Christmas) is not the most important holiday — Easter is far more important," he said. "But as Christians we celebrate (Christmas) because it touches our heart — just as Christ did."
   The Rev. Mike Bruni, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jamesburg, said he has been sending out a similar message in his recent sermons. The First Baptist Church had its Christmas program Sunday, which was the fourth Sunday of Advent, the Rev. Bruni said.
   The theme of the program was "Christ as the Light of the World," the Rev. Bruni said. He said he thought the theme was especially appropriate given the time of year, which he said also was partly responsible for the origins of the holiday.
   "The evidence seems to indicate that (Christ’s) birthday was in the springtime," the Rev. Bruni said. "Early Christians adopted the Roman Solstice Celebration as a time when they could freely celebrate the birth of Christ — and in many ways, it’s an appropriate time.
   "This is literally the darkest period of the entire year; the days are shorter, the nights longer," he said. "There’s scientific proof that the lack of light makes people more depressed. Christmas lifts us up in the midst of the darkness."
   The Rev. Scillieri expressed similar sentiments about the origin of the holiday.
   "The church always celebrates the birth of Christ — not the birthday of Christ, because no one knows that day for certain," he said.