Spreading the word

Church sermons focus on the true spirit of Christmas.

By: Leon Tovey
   Following and spreading the word of Christ will be the theme at churches in Jamesburg and Monroe this Christmas.
   The Rev. Mike Bruni, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jamesburg, said his Christmas Day sermon on Sunday would come from the Gospel of Luke, focusing on the moment the angel appeared to the shepherds near Bethlehem.
   "And what I’m going to look at specifically is the response of the shepherds to the message," the Rev. Bruni said. "Going when they were told, making no excuses to stop along the way; telling everyone what they had seen — which is what the true meaning of the day is — and continuing to worship and praise God even after they had returned to their fields.
   "That’s what we need to do as well — remember that the spirit of Christ should remain with us after the day has passed," he added.
   The Rev. Bruni said remembering that spirit is especially important in the wake of Christmas, when some people, exhausted from a month or two of charitable acts, forget the needs of others.
   "There are many people less fortunate than we are, and we — as Christians — need to remember them all the year," he said.
   The Rev. Charlie Bates, pastor of Mt. Ararat Missionary Baptist Church in Monroe, said reminding people to keep the spirit of giving would be a major theme in his Christmas Day service as well; he said his sermon would focus on the Gospel of Matthew and the gifts of the Magi.
   "Love and sharing and giving — I try to stick to the traditions of Christmas," the Rev. Bates said. "We celebrate this day as Christmas because of Christ and those three things are what people should think of when they think of Christ and when they think of that day."
   Both the Rev. Bruni and the Rev. Bates said remembering to keep Christ and his spirit in Christmas is especially important in the face of the ever-increasing commercialization surrounding the holiday.
   "The commercialization of Christ is a byproduct of people’s failing to truly accept Christ," the Rev. Bates said. "We need to remember that the day is about giving, not about receiving."
   That sentiment was echoed by the Rev. Maritza Batista, the pastor of the House of Prayer Mount Sinai (La Casa de Rezo Oracion Monte Sinai) in Jamesburg.
   While her flock will not hold a service on Christmas Day due to a scheduling conflict with the church that owns the building they use, the Rev. Batista said Christ’s spirit of giving would be a theme at the congregation’s New Year’s Eve service.
   "I think of the story of how the three kings followed the star to Jesus," she said. "And today, so many of us follow different kinds of stars: singers and pop stars — we have to remember to follow the true star, to give ourselves to Jesus and to others through Jesus.
   "That’s what this day — and everyday — should be about," she said.
   Christmas Day services will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday at The First Baptist Church (no Sunday School will be held Christmas Day or New Year’s Day) and at 10:30 a.m. at Mt. Ararat. For more information, call the First Baptist Church at (732) 521-0382 and Mt. Ararat at (732) 521-0954.
   The House of Prayer Mount Sinai’s New Year’s Day service will be held at 7 p.m. Jan 1 at the House of Hope Bible Church on Buckelew Avenue (behind Dunkin’ Donuts). For more information contact the Batistas at (732) 656-1817.