Nuanced
Christmas and Easter observed; not part of the authorized worship pattern
The ICOC, like mainline Churches of Christ, does not include special holiday services as required elements of the authorized Sunday worship pattern. The New Testament is understood to prescribe the elements of worship (prayer, singing, Lord's Supper, giving, teaching), and a liturgical calendar is not among them. Some ICOC congregations hold Christmas or Easter services; others observe these days as ordinary Sundays.
Individual and family observance of Christmas and Easter is not prohibited. The ICOC's focus is on the daily and weekly rhythms of discipleship — baptism, communion, Bible study, evangelism — rather than on the church calendar.
Key Distinctions
- Christmas easter observed:
- observed — Christmas and Easter are core celebrations of the Christian calendar
- Biblical feasts observed:
- not formally observed; OT feasts are fulfilled in Christ
- Rationale:
- historical events of the Incarnation and Resurrection are celebrated liturgically
Scripture References
Sources
- ICOC Statement of Belief