By Dan Marhsall

Church service brings community together, shares story of Christmas

Dec 24, 2016 | 6:32 AM

NANAIMO — The tradition of celebrating the birth of Jesus remains strong in the harbour city.

A pair of community Christmas services put on by the Meeting Place Church will be held at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre Saturday, Dec. 24 at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The celebrations will including readings, carol singing and some multimedia as well.

Pastor Rod Kolke says the church has been putting on the event at the VICC for the last several years and they usually get a few hundred people for each service.

He says Christmas is a reminder of the power of two things — generosity and gratitude.

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“I think that message resonates with everyone. It’s a message of hope that the darkness, the negativity, the wrong that we all see in this world isn’t the final word,” said Kolke. “Regardless of the fear that we experience there’s hope, hope that we’ve all been given second chances. That’s not just wishful thinking but it’s a hope grounded in history in the birth of Christ.”

In the past the VICC services have been a mix of people who attend church regularly and those who just want to share in the story of Christmas.

Kolke says the different people coming together makes it special.

“This service is an opportunity for you to come, to celebrate, and to find your story in the place of this greater story.”

Saturday’s service is geared towards all ages with some multimedia and packages available for children.

Details about the Christmas celebrations and the Meeting Place Church are online at www.themeetingplace.org.