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| Tonight my church held a blue Christmas service. Today is the shortest day of the year; therefore, tonight is the longest night. The lack of light intensifies the negative feelings that people may experience all year. In contrast, many are celebrating with family and busy, if frazzled, activities. The ads show us happy people with plenty of food, spirits, dancing, hugs and gifts. Many commercials are heart-warming, although far from the real experience of most people. So the lonely, the alone, the poor, and neglected feel left out. Even the employed, well-balanced. people of means may be experiencing a difficulty in the midst of all this mirth and celebrating. A blue Christmas service doesn't aim to fix people or their situations. It allows company in he midst of sorrow. No one is alone. We each lit a candle and said a short prayer for someone we know. We also wrote a prayer, anonymously, dropped it in the basket. Then at the end we took a slip of paper home to pray about during the week. Sometimes it feels good to know someone somewhere is lifting up our prayer request. We left in silence. No one got a miracle or a gift. Whether we were sad, worried, or grieving, or feeling loved and joyful, we left feeling united. We bear each other's sorrows and cares. It was a quiet observance of the winter solstice that brought us together and let us feel connected. Discuss what you know about solstice traditions. Have you ever attended a summer or winter celebration? |
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