Doughnuts and cocoa for kids in church? Somebody sure wasn't wearing their thinking cap.

We've known for years that *sugar* can raise a child's hyperactivity level, right? Feeding them doughnuts and cocoa in church is just begging for trouble. Kids running up and down the hallways, fidgeting (more than usual) during church service etc. Expecting them to behave, while feeding them a sugar rush almost guaranteed to produce misbehavior.

One reason I am posting these characteristics of the celebration church is for people to understand and take warning because some of the things they do are just fine, but many are not, like the cocoa and donuts in the Sanctuary and Youth rooms.

One of the things the celebration church also does is lots of good works. I really like the idea of a deacon coming out to the cars when it is raining out with big umbrella's to help people get into the sanctuary without getting drenched. That is something they do that I think all churches could do. I believe it is very kind of the deacons to do this type of thing.

Does anyone know of any other characteristics of a celebration church?

We have been discussing the steps towards becoming a Celebration Church.

What are all of the steps resulting in becoming a Celebration Church?

Cocoa and donuts as a characteristic of a "Celebration Church"?!?! Unhealthy and ill- advised, but a characteristic of "celebration" worship? Is that an essential part of their celebration?

Incidently, I believe that "celebration" as worship buzzword is out of vogue. More frequently now you see "Contemporary" as the term to describe more modern forms of worship.

Tom

I noticed that the word "Celebration Styles" describes a series of things (not sure what they all consist of) that are done at church.
Anyways just wanted to pitch in something
God Bless,
Will

Has the word celebration been replaced with the word contemporary?

If so, then is there a difference between the two words, or do both words mean the same thing?

To answer Tom's concerns; I've seen exactly what a celebration church is. And yes, the donuts and cocoa is definitely a characteristic of it. However, each church might offer other things. I've heard of coffee and donuts, coffee and cookes offered after church is out or between church and SS. And also muffins and cocoa. I don't think the specific food matters but that it came on board WITH the celebration church method of worship.

You can call it other names, I'm sure they will fit but I prefer "celebration." Now the Conference uses other terms since celebration has become such a "bad" word...like "festival" and I suppose "contemporary" or whatever. To me they all mean the same thing.

Another thing I've seen in connection with the celebration church is waving the hand up in the air or sticking the hands up high and waving them back and forth while singing or praying.

I'm not familiar with the Pentecostal church but I believe this comes from their church. I've not seen everyone doing this in the celebration church but if the person in charge up front asks people to put their hands up, most will.

I'm not sure what to think about this one. I know the Bible speaks about praying with the hands upward to God. But I also know that the Pentecostal church does this to "get into the spirit" - does anyone know more about this?

It strikes me that much of what is being suggested here as characteristics and indications of "celebration", contemporary or whatever modern and nontraditional worship is the intended target are rather superfical and not all that unique to such worship styles or all that new even.

I currently am a member of a fairly conservative church that has a very traditional worship style and service and all of the previous churches of which I have been a member also had traditional worship styles. I have also visited churches with a contemporary worship style to one degree or another. In my experience, I have seen all of the things mentioned above. I have seen the cocoa and donuts routine, and its variations, in very traditional churches that wouldn't dream of having a modern worship style. Providing for and pausing for refreshment is simply a common social and cultural convention and courtesy in a wide variety of contexts beyond religious. If anything this would be an import from other very traditonal Sunday keeping churches which for years have very often serve coffee and tea and socialize a bit before services. That alone would make it suspect in some folks' minds, but seems not to be really anything more than a rather superfical element when it comes to worship even if it could be considered a part of or associated with worship. Rather significantly in the context of the current discussion, neither of the two churches in this area with contemporary worship sevices that I have visted a number of times do the refreshment break at all.

I would say that the terminology tends to fall in the same category. A previous church of which I was a member for years dating back decades ago had a "festival of praise" service at Thanksgiving time. The "praise" that was offered was in the form of bags of groceries that everyone brought as offerings to the front of the church which ended up being a rather large mountain of food covering the platform. At the end of the service the food was sorted, bagged up and delivered to designated families that Sabbath afternoon, often on the way home before we would go home to eat our own Sabbath lunch. So "festival" is descriptive of many things many of which ahve nothing to do with contemporary worship styles.

A vigorous song service at the begining of church is as old as the hills and certainly predates the Adventist denomination. James White was known to come striding down the aisle at the begining of a service singing in a loud rich voice, audibly marking the tempo of the music by striking a book in one hand with his other hand and leading out in a rousing song service. The idea of praise services to open church is hardly new or modern.

The idea of raising hands in prayer and praise appears to have been common practice in Biblical times. David speaks of it in Psalms 63:4, "I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands." (See also Psalms 28:2, 134:2, 141:2, Lamantations 2:19 and 3:14.) Solomon raised his outstretched hands toward heaven in prayer as noted in 1 Kings 8:54 and Ezra and all the people raised their hands in prayer as recorded in Nehemiah 8:6. In the New Testament Jesus is reported to have raised His hands to bless people and Paul definitely encourages the practice in 1 Timothy 2:8, "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." I think it dangerous to be supicious of or critical of any revival, by individuals or groups of this ancient Biblical practice regardless of the worship style in which it occurs as this cuts across worship styles. Just because the Penecostals tend to do this should not be a deciding factor. They also stand and kneel in prayer.

Tom