137| From Obligation to Celebration: Transforming Your Christmas Eve Mass

In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Melissa sits down with longtime Church of the Nativity parishioner and volunteer minister, Eva Fiastro, who has been connected to Nativity for over 40 years (and whose husband goes all the way back to the “Mass-in-the-middle-school” days).

Eva shares a vivid before-and-after picture of Christmas Eve at Nativity—from a stressful holy day of obligation with hidden nativity scenes, seat-saving battles, overflow rooms, and parking chaos… to a joyful, outward-facing celebration at the Maryland State Fairgrounds that welcomes thousands and puts newcomers first.

Along the way, she walks through how a deeper embrace of mission, message series, hospitality ministries, layered leadership, and a bold move off-campus transformed one of the biggest days of the year. Eva also offers practical, low-cost ideas any parish can start using right away—from clean bathrooms and warm smiles to parking shuttles and clear preaching that invites people back.

If you’re a pastor or parish leader wondering how to move Christmas Eve from obligation to celebration, Eva’s story will give you both hope and concrete next steps.

Chapters & Timestamps

• 00:01 – Welcome & Introduction to Eva
• 00:39 – Eva’s Story: Family, Vocation, and Nativity Roots
• 02:58 – What Christmas Eve Used to Look and Feel Like
• 05:11 – Seat-Saving, Parking Lot Stress, and Unwelcoming Culture
• 07:10 – Hosting on Christmas Eve and Feeling the Frustration
• 08:58 – How The Purpose Driven Life Sparked Parish-Wide Change
• 10:53 – Growing a Culture of Service: Greeters, Hosts, and Coffee & Donuts
• 15:35 – Layers of Leadership and Building Hospitality Teams
• 19:15 – Overflow Rooms, Big Screens, and a Lack of Community
• 21:45 – The Bold Idea: Moving Christmas Eve to the Fairgrounds
• 23:14 – Outgrowing the Exhibition Hall and Moving to the “Cow Palace”
• 26:20 – Caring for Volunteers: Behind-the-Scenes Hospitality Suite
• 26:46 – Eva’s “Aha” Moment: The Candlelit Silent Night
• 29:44 – Christmas as Celebration, Not Obligation
• 31:02 – Evangelization at the Fairgrounds: Billboards and Invitations
• 32:00 – From Hidden Crèche to Front-and-Center Nativity
• 34:12 – Practical Advice for Pastors and Parish Leaders
• 37:04 – Final Encouragement: From Obligation to Celebration
• 38:37 – Closing & Christmas Blessing

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