This year, we will be having a Longest Night service at 7pm on Thursday, December 21st, which is the winter solstice–the longest night of the year. Some churches offer Longest Night (or “Blue Christmas”) services as a lower-key alternative to the boisterous traditional Christmas/Eve services, recognizing that even though the holidays can be a painful time, we still need to pause in the darkness to remember that the sun will rise, Christ will come again, and even the darkest night will end. We will read psalms and scripture, light candles, and pray together. There will be no obligation to “keep it together.” There will be no expectation that we should sing about joy without acknowledging that it may not be a joyful time for all of us. There IS hurt and doubt and brokenness in this weary world—that’s why we needed God to be born into our world and live among us. There is a miracle in the Christmas season, but sometimes we need to be able to wait for that miracle in stillness, without pressure or pageantry. As Leonard Cohen wrote, “there is a crack in everything—that’s how the light gets in.”
Date/Time
Date(s) - Dec 21, 2023
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm