Christmas at Zionsville UMC
Advent Devotional
Every year the Zionsville UMC Writers Group creates an advent devotional to help prepare ourselves for the Christmas season. You can find a printed copy in the church lobby or download a digital copy here.
Hanging of the Greens, November 30, // 10:00am
“Hanging of the Greens” is a service where we decorate the sanctuary as a way of entering the season of Advent. During the service, we learn about the symbolism of the decorations we use (wreaths, garlands, poinsettias, etc.), and then place those decorations while the congregation sings carols. It is a wonderful way to begin our journey to Christmas!
We are excited to bring back this tradition to Zionsville UMC this year. We will have one special service at 10:00am, during which our sanctuary will be decorated for Christmas. We hope you will plan to join us for this special service, especially if you have never experienced it before.
Children’s Christmas Musical, December 14 // 9:30am and 11:00am
Shoot for the stars with this fantastically fun, faith-filled Christmas Musical. Our children will sparkle and shine as heavenly stars in Star Stomp, getting front row seats to the excitement ensuing on Earth…the coming of the Savior! The stars have aligned on this silent night…and all of our sparkly friends can feel it! It’s time for a very important baby to be born…It’s time for the stomp we’ve all been practicing for!
Our children will lead us in worship on this Sunday.
The Longest Night Service, December 21 // 7:00pm
December brings high expectations, which can quickly turn into disappointment. While depression doesn’t necessarily rise during the holidays, studies show anxiety and stress often do. Christmastime often feels out of sync for people carrying heavy burdens, especially when the season around them insists on nonstop cheer. The last thing they need is forced joy.
Just days before Christmas may not seem like the obvious time for a quiet service about finding God in life’s darker moments. But during the rush of last-minute errands, crowded gatherings, and even the winter solstice, The Longest Night offers comfort for anyone facing loss, mental health struggles, or the holiday blues.
Join Stephen Ministry on December 21, at 7:00pm, for a time of prayer, reflection, and worship in the chapel.
Christmas Eve Services, December 24 // 4:00pm, 6:00pm, 8:00pm, 11:00pm
Take a break from the holiday craze and join us for Christmas Eve services at Zionsville UMC. This year, Zionsville UMC will host four services. All services are available both online and in-person.
4:00pm is directed to families with young children. This service includes our contemporary band, a shorter message, and songs from the Children's musical.
6:00pm & 8:00pm are more traditional services with blended special music from instrumentalists and vocalists.
11:00pm - for those who welcome an 11 o’clock service as part of their Christmas tradition, we will gather at the last hour of Christmas Eve to welcome in Christmas Day. This service will be a simplified service with familiar Christmas music and short Christmas reflection.
All services will feature candlelight and Silent Night. Eveyone is invited to this wonderful celebration of the hope and joy that is found in the birth of Jesus.
Childcare will be offered for the 4:00pm and 6:00pm services.
Sunday Service After Christmas December 28 // Once service only at 10:00am
While many people, including church staff, will still be traveling for the holidays, we will host one service, at 10:00am only on December 29. As always, the service will be live-streamed online (zumc.org/livestream).
Christmas Offering
For this year’s Christmas Offering, the mission team will support the efforts of Project Rouj. Launched in 2018, Project Rouj is an organization that strengthens rural Haiti through safe housing, meaningful employment, and reforestation. In Fondwa, they hire local workers to build homes for their neighbors, creating steady employment and offering the stability every family deserves. They believe that if a family has a safe home, this creates stability, and stability creates space for families to dream about a new future. Their goal includes providing jobs for Haitians by building homes each year. Each project creates 15-20 jobs. By the end of 2025, they will have built 110 homes! Project Rouj is the largest employer in Fondwa, Haiti.
This year, we will partner with Project Rouj to build a home for the Louis Family. Louis Thelus is a father of four who lives with his family in the Gran Bwa zone of Fondwa. He works tirelessly as a motorcycle taxi driver and farmer—yet still struggles to save more than 5,000 gourdes (approx. $38.00) each month. He often walks three hours round-trip for water. Despite significant hardship, he is known as a generous neighbor who helps others in need. His children attend school, though storms and rain make their nights difficult and unsafe.
Louis gives thanks to “the friends of the Project Rouj” who are making it possible for his family to sleep in peace and security.
