Christmas is about the good news of a savior for man, local ministers agree.

“We needed a savior,” the Rev. Dr. Jason Thrower, pastor of First United Methodist Church, said. “Someone to bring the good news to us, then he was born in Bethlehem in the midst of all of the turmoil.”

Thrower said that Jesus incarnate that God revealed to man is the true meaning of Christmas.

“As I see it, Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas,” Thrower said. “It is so easy to get lost in the commercialization of Christmas and gift giving, but the simplicity of it is that God came here in the flesh, to give us hope, meaning for life and joy.”

The First United Methodist Church will have regular Come and Go Christmas Eve Communion from 5 p.m., to 6:30 p.m., on Mon., Dec. 24.

Dr. Kevin Wilburn, pastor of First Baptist Church East Three Notch said that the true meaning of Christmas, according to the Bible, is the celebration of the birth of Christ.

“Christ came to the world, so that men no longer have to live in darkness, they can be forgiven of their sin by accepting Christ as their savior,” Wilburn said.

Wilburn said that he thinks of two verses in the Bible when he thinks of the true meaning of Christmas.

“The two primary texts that I look at are Luke 2 and Matthew 2,” Wilburn said. “Both of those passages are the story of Christmas. It is the fulfillment of old testament prophecies.”

Wilburn hopes that people walk away from the Christmas service at the First Baptist Church with a feeling that life is worth living.

“This whole month we have been doing a series every Sunday on the gift of Christ and the gift that he gives us,” Wilburn said. “What I hope, is that people understand is that your life is worth living, because Christ is in you.”

The First Baptist Church in Andalusia will have their Christmas Eve Candlelight Lord’s Supper and Handbell Concert on Mon., Dec. 24, starting at 5 p.m.

Father Bien Nguyen, who serves Christ the King Catholic Church, said that every Christmas, people celebrate God’s love for humanity.

“God the father loves us so much that he gave us his only son,” Nguyen said. “Then God the Son loved us so much that he left his Holy Spirit to be here with us. The Holy Spirit continues to sanctify us to God because God is our savior. So Christmas we are celebrating God’s love for each one of us.”

Christ the King Catholic Church will have its Christmas Vigil Mass on Mon., Dec. 24, at 7 p.m., and their Christmas Day Mass at 11:15 a.m.