After being in Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and living through the transition from celebrating Christmas with church services, decorations, watching old Christmas movies, special music services, open house nights in Greenville and gift exchanges with church members to moving away from those activities and not celebrating Christmas at all; returning to former ways is not as easy as turning on a switch. To the credit of family, friends and co-workers; the pressures to return have been light to non-existent during the first couple of years. Certain individuals would listen to my recounting of the practices and doctrines of WOFF and know that leaving Jane Whaley’s grip was not as easy as physically leaving her presence.

   The first few months out of WOFF were emotional to say the least. The first Christmas season away for WOFF and those who had joined me in the non-celebration was emotional and confusing. I saw other folks that I knew and worked with celebrating, exchanging gifts and greetings. No such rush to join the activities was in me. I clearly saw I needed the fellowship and friendship of others more than the celebration of something that just a few months previous had been despised. As in WOFF, I was grateful that the celebration only came once a year. The build-up was truly more taxing than the day itself. One of the most exasperating things to deal with was the Christmas music. Music had been such a big deal at WOFF. Duirng WOFF days, listening to non-WOFF music was a sure ticket to hell.

   I remember the night Jane “heard” that Oh, Holy Night was a birthday song and that we would not sing that one and/or other Christmas songs. Honestly, as I had continued to believe the growing list of “don’ts” pertaining to Christmas, I knew that some traditional Christmas songs sung during the “Special Music” services would soon be banned. One year, during practice for the Special Music services in December, the young married group which I belonged to was told to go the fellowship hall and chose a song to sing. The debate raged and finally Jane Whaley’s daughter got several folks to agree on a song. I don’t remember which one it was, but we sang it loud and we sang it with perpetual smiles. Does anyone else remember that?

   The Sunday evening service we all watched the History Channel®’s “History of Christmas”, edited of course, for sure, it was meant to flush out any one still doubting that Christmas was of the devil. At some point, a handout was made available on the “History of Christmas”. This handout listed background sources form the Internet that told how evil celebrating Christmas was for those who wanted to “know God”. The Holocaust teacher had put it together and encouraged us to copy it and send it to others outside the church.  I have a copy of it but cannot locate it right now. We were instructed to write letters to our relatives telling them why would not be celebrating Christmas and how that would affect our visiting them over the holidays. There were services where members would come to the front and recount to the congregation how they “stood in certain Christmas situations” or how they did not hold the standard of God or compromised and “ate at the table of demons”. Of course, Jane was the one who determined each person’s success or failure in showing forth the “Truth” about Christmas. These services had chilling effect on anyone who was thinking they could get away with celebrating in some secret way. Anyone who waivered or was thought to have waivered and compromised was many times called out and rebuked in front of the whole congregation.

    One point of particular interest was those who were required to attend Christmas dinners for their employer or who were expected to give or receive gifts for Christmas or were given Christmas bonuses. Sometimes, you were told specifically what to do, other times, “you just hear” and when you decide, come see if you are right or hearing God.  Members were told to not attend Christmas dinners, refuse gifts from fellow employees, and refuse gifts and/or bonuses from employers. Of course, I was not in EVERY meeting with members when they would talk to Jane or the former pastor of the Greenville church. I am repeating what was told in services and what happened when I presented the situations I was experiencing to those in leadership. For certain this was an area of concern for Jane.

   Why retell all of this when most of it happened several years ago? After all, it is a well documented fact that WOFF members do not celebrate Christmas or other holidays. My purpose is to give some background to one of the signature practices or non-practices of WOFF. Christmas at WOFF died a slow death with Jane giving more and more restrictions or revelations of how God wanted her to walk. This was of course meant to determine the direction of those who followed Jane. Jane would say in the days leading up to the final death of Christmas, “God has walked me out of celebrating Christmas gradually”.  Those of us who were there to witness the “death” also heard this statement from Jane or something to this effect, I knew that Christmas was not of God, but had to share what I knew in stages or gradually in order for others to accept it. The final nail in the coffin of Christmas was the revelation that Christmas was a birthday and God had already said celebrating birthdays were not of Him. I remember that service and the words. No, I did not know the effects those words would have on myself, my family and others in the group.  

   For sure, WOFF is not the only religious group that does not celebrate Christmas. We know Jehovah Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas. In fact, while inside WOFF, I would share that WOFF did not celebrate Christmas and many times, folks would ask, are you Jehovah Witnesses? In my readings about Jim Jones, I read he did not want his members to go home or away from him during the holiday season, why? What do you think? He did not want them to be too long away from his “aura”. This is from the “Raven”. Reiterman co-authored with John Jacobs (copyright ©1982 Tim Reiterman, Introduction copyright 2008 by Tim Reiterman, ISBN 978-1-58542-678-2, page 55). Other groups do not celebrate Christmas. Not every group uses the exact reasons that WOFF did/does. But, for sure the effects are the same, broken relationships with family and friends who are not a part of the group. All of this is rationalized as the cost of serving God, the way God wants His people to walk or some such other statement.

    Besides the time away from one’s natural family in preference to the spiritual family of WOFF, what are some of the other effects of this non-practice? What replaces the time in December or January that would normally be spent with those not a part of Jane’s following? While I was there several things replaced this time. The main thing was some type of work. This work was either at the home or the church. One Christmas day was spent replacing the carpet and painting the church for an upcoming wedding. Lunch was served in the sanctuary to the workers and the work took most ALL day. That was the same year the members paid for new chairs, each family being expected to buy a chair for each member of their family.

    No mention of the celebration of Christmas was totally kosher for the faithful WOFF member. Word substitutes were used such as “that day”, “the 25^th” or some other phrase was used. Certainly, a WOFF member does not say- “Merry Christmas” to any one for any reason. If you expressed any admiration or longing for that celebration in any way; you were subject to inquiry, prayer for deliverance, questionings and other corrections. For many, this was the pivotal signature practice of WOFF that pushed them over the edge or into the fold or in reality, away from their family not in WOFF. You could not hold on the Christmas or other holidays and be a WOFFer. Christmas died a slow death, but shows no sign of returning to WOFF.

     So, when a person leaves or is put out of WOFF, eventually they will consider which WOFF practices, doctrines and oddities they will keep  in their life. We have posted about many of them on this blog. Perhaps there is no larger WOFF signature practice, other than loud prayer, to consider when leaving WOFF, than if a former member will participate in Christmas traditions. If so, which ones will return and which ones will not? How will I reenter the world outside of WOFF and still be comfortable with who I am or who I want be? For me this question has been answered – over time. Many of the Christmas traditions I have not practiced, as in years before. Some, I have. The main key for me has been which traditions express the love that is in me for the people around me? How do I share life, love and the joy of living with those I am around or those that are dear to me, whether family, friends or acquaintances? How do I give what God has given to me- love? In order to not limit or bring doubt on others that have left, I will not give in detail the insights that I have for now on this subject. Each person must follow their own convictions and be able to rest at night – in peace. For me, life is too short to pass up the love of others or not show the love in my heart to those around me.

       Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog.  Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

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      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. ) Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 229.