To Every Creative Carrying Christmas: You’re Seen, You Matter, and You’re Not Alone
Here's the irony nobody talks about… Christmas, the season celebrating rest, peace, and the Prince of Peace, is often the most exhausting, demanding, and overwhelming time of year for those creatives serving in church ministry.
While everyone else is winding down, sipping hot chocolate, and watching their favorite Christmas movies, you're adding extra rehearsals to an already full schedule. You're managing multiple services, coordinating volunteers, creating something "fresh" for people who've seen every Christmas service imaginable, and somehow trying to be present for your own family.
And then there's the unspoken pressure… "Make it excellent. Make it meaningful. Make people feel something."
I get it. I've been there. I spent years as a worship pastor, and at one point, led 12 services over 4 days. Christmas nearly took me out more than once. Ask my wife and kids about some of our past Christmases, they’ll tell you the hard truth. So if you're reading this here in December, running on fumes, wondering if you can make it to January... this is for you.
// You Are Not the Messiah (There's Only One, and He Already Came)
Let's start with some theology that might actually set you free… God's work doesn't depend on your exhaustion.
I know you feel the weight of making Christmas "work." But here's the truth, you're not creating Christmas. You're pointing to Christ. There's a massive difference.
Jesus doesn't need your burnout to accomplish His purposes. He doesn't require your family to suffer so His church can celebrate. The gospel doesn't hinge on whether your Christmas Eve service is flawless.
Our work is certainly worship, but God delights in you…not just your productivity. You might want to read that last line again :)
// Five Ways to Survive (and Maybe Even Thrive) This Christmas
1. Set Boundaries Before You're Desperate
Don't wait until you're drowning to set boundaries. Block out personal family time on the calendar now. Communicate your limits clearly to those to whom you report. Say no to non-essential meetings in December.
And please… build in recovery time after Christmas. Don't schedule big projects for January 2nd. Your church needs you healthy in February more than they need you heroic in December.
Boundaries aren't selfish, they're sustainable. A burned-out leader helps no one in January.
2. Develop and Empower Your Team
That thing you're holding onto because "it won't be done right unless I do it"? Let it go.
Identify tasks others can do, even if they won't do them exactly like you. Train volunteers earlier in the year for Christmas responsibilities. Empower team members to make calls without checking with you every time.
Here's the truth… development is discipleship. Your team grows when you give them ownership. And honestly? The church will survive if the Christmas Eve candles aren't perfectly spaced.
3. Guard Your Heart Like Your Ministry Depends on It [Because It Does]
Schedule daily time with God that isn't prep for Sunday. Find worship experiences where you can receive, not produce. Be honest with a trusted friend about where you are mentally and emotionally.
Give yourself permission to have complicated feelings about Christmas. It's okay to love what you do and still feel overwhelmed by it. It's okay to be exhausted by the season that's supposed to bring rest.
Consider taking a Sunday off in January to attend another church and just worship. You can't lead people to a well you're not drinking from yourself.
4. Remember Why This Matters
In the middle of the chaos, it's easy to lose sight of the meaning. So let me remind you… You get to tell the greatest story ever told. Every late rehearsal is an opportunity to love your team well. The unchurched person who encounters Jesus through your work makes it worth it.
Build team moments that aren't just logistics… pray together, maybe share communion, tell stories of impact. Remind your team regularly why you do this. Celebrate small wins, not just the big service.
Keep testimonies from past years visible. That email from someone who came back to faith. That family that joined the church. Those moments matter more than the perfectly executed moment you're stressing about.
5. Plan for Recovery Now
Schedule actual time off, not "I'll just work from home" time. Plan something life-giving for January that's not another church event. Lower your expectations for the first two weeks of the new year.
Check in with your team after Christmas. Don't just move on. Consider a team debrief and celebration in mid-January (not right after Christmas when everyone's still exhausted).
Recovery is not just optional, it's biblical. The church needs you healthy more than it needs you heroic.
A Final Word
I see you. I see the invisible weight you're carrying. I see the late nights, the family moments you're missing, the pressure you're feeling to create something that points people to Jesus. But hear me…
What you're doing matters. It really does. But you matter more than what you produce.
God delights in you, not just your productivity. He loves you on December 26th just as much as He does on December 24th, regardless of how the service went.
So take a deep breath. Do what you can. Let go of what you can't. Trust that God is big enough to work through your limitations.
And remember, you're not creating Christmas. You're just faithfully pointing to the One who already came to bring us peace.
That's enough.
You're enough.
Keep looking up,
Pastor Alan Hannah
Pastor Alan is the lead pastor of Allegheny Center Alliance Church. To find out more about ACAC, go here.
