Advent and Christmas bring some of the year's biggest crowds, and many of those visitors make their first stop online. A family new to town searches for "Christmas Eve service near me." A grandmother looks up your service times before her grandchildren arrive. A neighbor who has not been to church in years wonders whether a candlelight service would feel welcoming to someone like them. In each case, your church website is likely the first place they meet your congregation.

Christmas Eve is often the most attended service of the year, and it draws both members and first-time guests, some invited by friends and some who found the church on their own. The good news is that getting your website ready for those visitors does not require a redesign. With a few focused updates over the next several weeks, you can make sure that anyone who looks you up finds clear information and a warm welcome.

Start with a quick checkup

Before adding anything new, take an honest look at what is already there. Open your website on your phone, since that is where most holiday searches happen, and ask a few simple questions:

• Can you find the worship times within a few seconds?

• Is the address easy to spot, with a link to a map?

• Are there any outdated events, old staff names, or summer announcements still on the homepage?

• Do all the links, including the livestream and online giving links, still work?

Then ask a friend or family member who rarely visits your website to find a piece of information, such as the time of your Christmas Eve service, without any help. Watch where they get stuck. Their confusion will show you exactly what needs fixing.

Put your holiday services front and center

Once Advent begins on Sunday, November 29, your holiday schedule should be the first thing visitors see. Add a banner or a clearly labeled section to your homepage that links to a dedicated holiday page. That page becomes your home base for the season, and you can point to it from your social media posts, e-newsletter, bulletin, and printed invitations.

On the holiday page, list every Advent and Christmas event with the essentials:

• Event name, date, and start time

• Location, including which building or entrance to use

• About how long the service or event lasts

• Whether childcare or children's activities are available

• Whether the service will be livestreamed

Christmas Eve falls on a Thursday this year (2026), so be especially clear about your Christmas Eve service times, and if you are holding a service on Christmas Day, list that too. Keep the page simple and scannable. A visitor should not have to read several paragraphs to find out when to arrive.

Answer the questions a first-time visitor needs to know

People who have never visited your church, or who have been away for a long time, often have questions they would never think to call the church office about. A short "What to expect" section on your holiday page can ease those worries before they walk in the door. Consider answering questions such as:

• What should I wear?

• Where do I park, and which door do I use?

• Is the building accessible for people who use wheelchairs or walkers?

• Are children welcome in the service, and is there a nursery?

• Will there be candles, and is the candlelight portion safe for young children?

• How long is the service?

Write your answers in plain, friendly language, and avoid church jargon. A phrase like "Lessons and Carols" or "Blue Christmas service" may be familiar to your members, but a newcomer may not know what it means. Add a sentence of explanation, and you will help someone feel included rather than left out.

Update your online listings, too

Your website is not the only place people will look. Many visitors never click through to a church website at all; they rely on the information that appears in Google search results and on map apps. Log in to your Google Business Profile and add your holiday service times and any special hours, such as office closures between Christmas and New Year's Day. Do the same for any other listings your church maintains, including your Facebook page and community event calendars.

Make sure the details match your website exactly. If one listing says Christmas Eve worship begins at 7 p.m. and another says 7:30 p.m., visitors will not know which to trust.

Refresh the look, without slowing things down

A few seasonal touches can make your website feel current and inviting. Swap out your homepage photo for one from last year's Advent or Christmas services, ideally showing real people from your congregation rather than stock images. A photo of your sanctuary at candlelight or children in the Christmas pageant says more about your church than any generic holiday graphic.

Keep a few practical points in mind as you update:

• Compress large photos before uploading them so your pages load quickly on phones.

• Add alt text, a short written description of each image, so people who use screen readers know what the photo shows.

• Get permission before posting photos of children, and follow your church's photo policy.

If you need help creating a simple seasonal graphic, Canva offers free templates, and churches can apply for a free nonprofit account.

Make online worship easy to find

Not everyone who wants to worship with you this season will be able to attend in person. Some are traveling, some are homebound, and some are not quite ready to walk into an unfamiliar building. If your church livestreams services, post the link prominently on your holiday page and homepage, and test it well before Christmas Eve.

Include a note about where to watch, such as your YouTube channel or Facebook page, and what time the stream will begin. If your platform offers automatic captions, turn them on, and have someone review them for accuracy when you can. MyCom's article on using AI to improve accessibility in worship and online ministry offers more ideas for making online services welcoming to everyone (United Methodist Communications, 2025).

Make year-end giving simple

The final weeks of the year are an important time for giving, and many members and friends of the church prefer to give online. Check that your online giving link is easy to find, works on phones, and leads to a page that clearly reflects your church's name and ministry. If your church has a special Christmas offering, such as a mission project or a gift to a local ministry, explain where the money will go and how it will make a difference.

Work with your finance team to share any deadlines for year-end contributions, and post that information on your website and in your December e-newsletter.

Plan for the visitor who says yes

Holiday guests may not return until Easter unless someone gives them a reason. Your website can help with that. Add a simple online connection card or contact form to your holiday page, inviting visitors to share their information if they would like to hear from the church. Keep it short: a name, an email address, and an optional box for prayer requests or questions is plenty.

Then make sure someone is responsible for following up. ResourceUMC suggests that churches thank Christmas Eve guests for attending, invite them back, and share contact information for the pastor and church office, even if that follow-up comes a little later because of the holidays (United Methodist Communications, n.d.-c). It also helps to give guests something specific to come back for. A new sermon series in January, a small group starting in the new year, or a family event on the calendar can all serve as a natural next step.

A simple timeline

Spreading the work out over a few weeks keeps it manageable. A workable rhythm looks like this:

• Late October to early November: Complete your website checkup, collect service times and event details, and choose seasonal photos.

• Mid-November: Publish your holiday page and homepage banner so they are live before Advent begins on November 29.

• Early December: Update your Google Business Profile and other listings, test your livestream, and confirm your online giving link.

• The week before Christmas: Do a final check of every date, time, and link on your phone.

• First week of January: Take down holiday banners, post photos and a thank-you message, and update the homepage with your next invitation.

Bringing it all together

Your website will not replace the warm handshake of a greeter or the glow of candles during "Silent Night," but it can be the reason someone decides to come in the first place. Clear service times, honest answers to first-time questions, and an easy way to connect all tell visitors that your church has been expecting them. For more Advent and Christmas ideas, from worship planning to welcoming holiday guests, explore the Christmas resources on ResourceUMC (United Methodist Communications, n.d.-b) and MyCom's guide to the essential sections every church website should include (United Methodist Communications, n.d.-a).

References

5 sections to include on your church website 

United Methodist Communications: Christmas

Following up with Christmas Eve visitors

Using AI to improve accessibility in worship and online ministry

Throughout this article several points of accommodation have been mentioned. Making your church accessible for all is important not only during the holidays, but throughout the year as well. Find resources through The United Methodist Church Disability Ministries.