The winter solstice is the longest night of the year and the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere. A few days after the winter solstice, many of us will gather to celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ, God in human form. December 25 is celebrated as Christmas because it had been incorrectly identified as the winter solstice. What the early Christians intended for this feast was not a birthday party for baby Jesus but rather a feast of proclamation. God arrives by way of deep darkness. Christians wanted to tell the world that God, the maker of the cosmos, chose to lovingly draw near to our broken world by way of a human birth on the longest night of the year. God’s love for us goes deep and does not fade or change with the seasons.
While Advent is a season of hope and Christmas is a season of joy, not everyone feels hopeful or like celebrating. Grief, illness, aging, depression, loneliness, unemployment, and loss are magnified. Even those who are not struggling with losses may feel the stress of preparations and expectations around Christmas time. The Blue Christmas Evening Prayer will provide a time and place of solace during the often-frantic days surrounding the celebration of Christmas. We come together to share our grief, sadness, loneliness, or confusion when these emotions often feel out of place during the holidays. And we come together to seek healing.
You're invited to this special worship on December 22nd at 9:00am for this quiet, reflective service.
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