Economy taking a backseat

For many people Christmas in 2008 isn’t as merry as hoped. 

A bad economy has left thousands and thousands of South Carolinians out of work, but on Christmas Eve many are putting their worries aside to celebrate peace.

On this night Tracee Dinkins isn’t worrying about the economy.

“It’s a day where you don’t think about money, you don’t think about anything that bothers you. You try to put your worries aside and just celebrate the reason we do have Christmas and that’s Jesus,” she told News 2.

She and other members of James Island Baptist Church crowded the sanctuary on Wednesday night for the annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. 

The economy stole major headlines for most of the year, but it received only a quick mention during one of the last services of the year.

“Economic struggles and businesses struggling, we pray father that you would remind us that you are our source of hope,” prayed Pastor Tom Brown.

While the economy wasn’t the focus, the Christmas message of peace, hope and love still spoke to a world healing from a broken economy.

“My sister was laid off and I have a niece laid off from her job and we are small business owners and our business has slowed down a little bit so it’s definitely if affects everybody in different ways,” Dinkins commented.

“For people who are walking in darkness a light has come and that’s what the Christmas Eve service is about,” explained Pastor Tom, as the congregation calls him.

This Christmas, Dinkins is savoring each moment as she lets her faith light the way to 2009.

Pastor Tom Brown says the church has seen an increase in the number of people asking for help with bills and groceries and the church has cut it’s budget by ten percent to deal with the economy as tithing has decreased some.

He says other pastors he’s friends with are also having to do the same.