Trending
You may have some Elvis Presley lyrics running through your head right now. "I'll have a blue Christmas with you. I'll be so blue just thinking about you." That gives you a hint about what a Blue Christmas worship service is. Think "blue" as in having the blues or feeling blue. A Blue Christmas service creates a sacred time and space for people feeling sad, alone, depressed or heart-broken during the holiday season.
For many people the Christmas season does not always bring the joy and happiness that's advertised on TV or in greeting cards. Maybe they are experiencing their first Christmas since the death of a loved one or after a divorce or a severed relationship. Maybe they have been unable to have a child or lost their job and are struggling to pay the bills. Maybe they are living with cancer, or know someone battling cancer, or some other disease that makes the future a scary unknown. Or maybe they are feeling overwhelmed by all the Christmas preparations (decorations, gifts, cards, parties and so much more) and they are burned out. A Blue Christmas service is for them.
This reflective time of worship offers healing and hope in the midst of despair, doubt and fear. A Blue Christmas service is more quiet and somber than a traditional Christmas service. Bible passages, music and prayers focus on the comfort that God provides us during the dark times. Candles are lit to remind us that even as the nights grow longer, Jesus' light is still shinning. This service is typically held on the longest night of the year; the Winter Solstice. This is the day with the shortest amount of daylight. That is why people are invited to light candles in memory of someone or to mark an event in their life and thereby make the light grow in the midst of the darkness.
For those who look forward to the joy, laughter, singing and celebrating of Christmas, it may seem strange to focus on the dark or sad parts of life, especially at Christmas! Maybe we'd rather forget, ignore or cover up those less joyful things. But actually making room for the darkness is an important part of living out one's faith and helps us better understand the meaning of Christmas.
Many churches, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, observe the season of Advent. It's a time to prepare for the birth of Jesus by waiting in the darkness. Each Sunday, candles of hope, peace, joy and love are lit as the birth of Jesus comes closer and the dawn of Christ grows brighter. This is a more somber season than Christmas but it often gets trampled under the seasonal expectations and celebrations that can begin even before December 1st. The Blue Christmas service gives an opportunity to take back these Advent practices to help people overcome their darkness and the darkness of the world.
The reality is that our world is pretty dark. There are wars and violence, hunger and poverty, hatred and suffering all around. If we can really be truthful about ourselves; we have experiences, thoughts and behaviors that are not so joyful and triumphant as well. The Blue Christmas service gives us an opportunity to name our deepest longings, acknowledge the pain we feel and experience belonging, healing and freedom. We look in hope toward the promises of God that Jesus' birth fulfills. God comes to us in our loneliness, weakness and despair.
Even if you are not struggling this season, we all will be touched by grief in one form or another in life. We've all experienced an emotional roller coaster the past few years with the pandemic, world events and political divisions. It's a comfort to know that God does not ignore or bypass our darkness or struggles. God is born right in the middle of the darkness, shining a healing light of hope, peace and love. God dwelled in the darkness of Mary's womb before being born into the world. Jesus was not born in a palace. His birth was not met with human trumpet sounds and lavish parties. He is born to a poor couple in a small town. The only people who knew were some poor shepherds who happen to be in the field where the angels proclaimed Jesus' birth. At its deepest level, the Good News of Christmas is that God enters the world in the most meek and humble way, as a tiny baby to people most in need of healing and wholeness.
For so many, December can be an intense swirl of sorrow and stress. You may feel like you just want to stay in bed until the new year comes. But there is a great hope that comes from the Advent season and holy practices like the Blue Christmas service. They are times when we can set aside the tinsel and bright lights and grieve. They are also times to experience the hope that Jesus' birth brings even in a more somber setting. We can comfort one another and remind each other that we are not alone. At the heart of Christmas is a story of love that comes to us. It's not a love we create or buy. Jesus' love crosses the seemingly impossible divide between us and God and meets us. No matter what. God's love is born in our hearts.
The Juniata County Ministerium of Christian Churches is hosting a Blue Christmas service this year. Pastors will be available for pastoral care and prayer after the service. This is a ministry that the pastors provide to meet the needs of the members of their congregations and communities. We hope you can join us either in-person or online.
When: Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.
Where: Trinity Lutheran Church, 420 Main St. in McAlisterville
In-person or live online on TLC's Facebook page. The service will also be recorded and posted online for later viewing.
•••
Karen Ward is Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in McAlisterville.